Culture

The word Kodagu has come from the word "Kudu" -"Hilly place". Madikeri is one of the most picturesque hill stations of South India with wonderful and lovely natural scenery. It is the birthplace of river Cauvery.


The Kodavas worship the Cauvery River and call themselves the children of Cauvery. Besides their fame as agriculturists, the Kodavas are renowned for their hospitality. You can enjoy the hospitality if you visit Madikeri.


From the earliest period of recorded history to the end of the 16th century, the history of Kodagu has to be traced chiefly from inscriptions. Kodagu was not ruled entirely by any one dynasty till the beginning of 17th century. Several dynasties ruled only a part of Kodagu at different times. The chieftains and local princes till about the end of 17th century ruled different parts of Kodagu, and they owed allegiance to some bigger ruler outside Kodagu.


The various inscriptions over stone and copper plates found in Kodagu points to a plethora of rulers dating back from 888 AD by the Ganga dynasty to 1633 AD by the Haleri dynasty. The Gangas, Kadambas, Cholas, Kongalvas, Changalvas, Hoysalas and Nayakas have ruled Kodagu.


Kodagu Nayakas were the rulers for the first time, and they were overthrown and eliminated by the succeeding Haleri rulers. Sometime before the Kodagu Nayakas came to power the mighty Vijayanagar kingdom also had its share of dominance over Kodagu.