Coffee, Cauvery, Cardamom and Convalescence in Coorg

The son has been vomiting for the second day in a row. Add to that an upset stomach and you get the picture. Besides his health I have been losing sleep over some major changes and my own personal health. That much needed weekend break seems to be fast going up in smoke. The always-stern-with-me father but melts-at-the-drop-of-a-hat-when-it-comes-to-his-grandson grandfather thinks we would be better off if we called off the trip. The come-on-be-a-man father thinks  nothing is wrong and we can easily go. And  men complain about having to balance between the mother and the wife! Trusting in the prescribed medications, some home remedies and invoking the name of the mother Goddess (for it is Mahaasthami, - 8th day of the Durga Puja) I'm off to the land of coffee plantations and spices - Coorg.

On the road I barely notice the change in landscape from plateau to hills, from the ubiquitous glass and steel of Bangalore to the seemingly unkempt coffee and spice plantations. Neither do I notice the cottages or our host or his coffee plantation amidst which we will be spending the next couple of days. I am just thankful for having reached with my kid in one piece.

Rangefield homestay

It is only when night falls that I am aware of the complete darkness all around. The regular sounds of a city have been replaced by the chirping crickets and other insects of the neighbouring forests. My body and mind relax naturally and for the first time in a long while I get a peaceful night's sleep.

The next morning is even more therapeutic as we bathe elephants in the cold waters of the Cauvery at an elephant camp. At this bend, the rapids in the river are rather unimpressive especially when compared to their counterparts in the upper reaches of the Himalayas and it is rather funny how some youngsters seem to be getting the thrill of a lifetime just navigating the slightly choppy waters in a raft. The elephants however turn out to be a lot of fun. Completely accustomed to humans the pachyderms enjoy the spa treatment being meted out by the numerous hands scrubbing, patting and massaging them. The children squeal in excitement as the younger calves playfully spray water onto them.

Suddenly the rather unassuming Coorg has worked its charm. Nestled along the leeward slopes of the Western Ghats, it is gorgeously green this time of the year just after the monsoons. The rest of the weekend is spent just walking around the numerous coffee and spice plantations and a visit to the charming, little district town of Madikeri. The quaint restaurant of Raintree here deserves a special mention.The Coorg cuisine is a revelation. Accompanied by steaming cups of my favorite beverage, I just can't seem to have enough of the rice based, spicy cuisine.

Coorg is like this small, magical place tucked away in the southwestern corner of Karnataka. There is no dramatic contrast of relief but the place grows on you in its own quiet way with its gentle rolling hills, small sleepy towns, dense plantations, small rivers and streams, mild climate and simple but delicious food.

Namdroling Monastery, Kushalnagar

The morning that we are to leave we meet this group of retired cousins who meet once every year to follow up on their family tradition of angling. We strike up a conversation over breakfast and there is the usual exchange of travel experiences. Then the oldest among them puts it so aptly, "Thank heavens we still have such numerous, unspoilt places in India to enjoy!"

Rejuvenated? You bet!

In The Abode of The Clouds

“So, where are you going for the holidays?”

“Kohima.”

“Where?”

“Nagaland.”

“I know Kohima is in Nagaland but who goes to Nagaland? What’s there to see?”

A conversation I had had 20 years ago comes back to mind when I tell people I am going to Shillong. The reactions are similar, revealing how little people know about the North East and how less traveled these regions are. Having a mad-hatter of a father, growing up,  I have seen quite a bit of the North East of India – Miao

Flowers in bloom in a house in Shillong

(Arunachal), Sibsagar (Assam), Kohima (Nagaland) to name a few of the lesser known places that I have visited. I have found each one of these places to be unique and beautiful in their own way. Yes, the North East like the rest of India has the full package: nature, wildlife, culture and history. In the process I have learned one key thing about traveling – to go with an open mind and to expect the unexpected.

I was pleasantly surprised therefore to walk into Café Shillong and see some twenty-something-year olds listening to a sixty year old Lou Majaw strumming his favourite Dylan numbers. I know Shillong is referred to as the Rock Capital of India and quite a few famous international rock bands

Church at Mawlynnong -"cleanest village of India"

have graced its Polo Grounds but somehow I just could not stop being surprised at how relatively untouched by Bollywood music the place was. Even the cabbie was playing Mr. Big! Shillong definitely knows its music and loves it!

However music is just one of the many interesting facets of Shillong. Touted as the “Scotland of the East” for nestling lakes in its mountainous laps, I wanted to see what all the hoopla was about. I have not seen Scotland but when I saw Lake Umiam (formerly known as Barapani) it literally took my breath away!

  

In this blog I will not dwell much on the written word but rely on pictures in the hope of persuading my reader to go visit a part of the North East that may not be as famous as the Golden Triangle or “God’s Own Country” but is as incredible as the rest of India. Most of them are the better known sights of Meghalaya but one could always get off the beaten path and discover their own Meghalaya. If nothing, you could always catch a cloud around the bend in what is known as the abode of the clouds (Meghalaya).

Elephant Falls - one of the numerous falls in Meghalaya

Living root bridge

Environment friendly cane dustbins at Ward lake

Khasi architecture at Ryi Kinjai resort - cottage roofs made from upturned boats

Naturally occurring orchids in the villages of Meghalaya