"CHIKMAGALUR: IN THE COFFEE COUNTRY" Chikmagalur by pravdr

Chikmagalur is located 251kms from bangalore NH48 BANGALORE -MANGALORE NATIONAL HIGHWAY.

A beautiful piece of tarmac brings you to HASSAN from bangalore then you take a right turn from hassan towards BELUR and then onto CHIKMAGALUR.

the total drive time is around 6 hours if you can escape bangalore traffic early.

Chikmagalur is located in a lush valley south of the Babu-Budan range.

The first thing that strikes you when you come to chikmagalur is the apparent lack of gain in altitude. if you have come expecting a hill station you wont feel like arriving at one cause it is located on a plateau.

contrary to the information supplied chikmagalur is located at 1200 m.

chikmagalur means the town of the younger daughter. you have a hiremaglur close by which means town of the elder daughter.

It is said to have been given as a dowry to the younger daughter of Rukmangada, the legendary chief of Sakrepatna

chikmagalur is the coffee capital of india.

many famous brands of coffee shops CAFE COFFEE DAY BARISTA MOCHA get their coffee from chikmagalur

the bababudangiri range overlooks chikmagalur it is a lofty range with various peaks and a straight ridge that runs along the peaks.

the coffee plantations thrive in the dense moist rainfall rich slopes of bababudangiri range enriched by the mineral water springs that run through them.

chikmagalur has a rich history and heritage from ancient times the temples of hoysala dynasty stand witness to this rich cultural legacy at belur and halebidu.

the countryside bursts into a profusion of blooming flowers throughout the year mainly in postmonsoon season.

rainfall is heavy and the less romantics will not tolerate the damp air for more than 2 days.avoid the monsoons if you are an activity buff.

MISTY BABABUDANGIRI HILLS OVERLOOKING BHADRA VALLE

The mighty bababudangiri range is the landmark feature.Mullayangiri peak which is located directly in front of chikmagalur town is the highest peak in karnataka rising to a height of 1900m.

beyond the bababudangiri range lies the bhadra wildlife sanctuary.

rich in flora and fauna its two head are muthodi and lakkaVali.

muthodi is 32 kms away and is the foresthead close to chikmagalur.

on top of bababudan range overlooking the bhadra valley i was enchanted by the fog covering the saucer shaped sanctuary which lies in the crater below.

the wind and the mist mixed with raindrops comes from below up towards you an experience which i will never forget.

the meandering road disappearing into the mist adds to the mystery.

IN THE BACKDROP BABABUDAN HILLS ON TARIKERE ROAD

Malnad =Malenaadu in Kannada, derived from words meaning 'hilly region' as 'male' means hill in Kannada.

Malnad also covers portions of Shimoga, Chikmagalur, and Hassan districts.

The hills of Malnad are richly forested, and coffee is grown in great abundance. Mudigere, Sakleshpura, Devarunda, Balehonnur and Thannodi are towns in the coffee-growing region.

malnad chicken cooked in local fashion is a delightful preparation.

as you move towards tarikere on the way to kemmangundi the hillstation made popular by the erstwhile ruler of mysore krishnaraj wodeyar you can see the entire bababudan range on your left.

beyond this lofty range and beyond the coffee plantations lies the bhadra wildlife sanctuary.

pictured below are typical malnad houses on the tarikere road.

• Pros:fresh air lovely landscape trekkers delight good coffee flowers
• Cons:lack of information
• In a nutshell:please leave this place isolated in its pristine beauty