Kodagu District, Karnataka

Kodagu (ಕೊಡಗು), internationally celebrated as Coorg and affectionately titled the Scotland of India, is an enchanting mountain district perched atop the crest of the Western Ghats (Sahyadris) in south-western Karnataka. Renowned for its emerald coffee plantations, misty valleys, cascading waterfalls, and rich martial warrior traditions, Kodagu is universally revered as the sacred birthplace of the life-giving Cauvery River at Talacauvery.

Encompassing an area of 4,102 square kilometres, Kodagu recorded a population of 554,511 in the 2011 Census of India. The indigenous Kodava community possesses a distinctive cultural heritage characterized by martial customs, unique traditional attire (Kupya and Chele), and deep reverence for ancestors and nature.

Kodagu is India's largest coffee-producing district, cultivating world-class shade-grown coffee alongside aromatic black pepper, cardamom, and the GI-tagged Coorg Orange. Explore the taluks, Gram Panchayats, and villages below to discover comprehensive civic data.

Kodagu was historically an independent highland kingdom ruled by the Haleri dynasty from 1600 to 1834 CE, who established their picturesque mountain capital at Madikeri (Muddu Raja Keri) in 1681 under Mudduraja.

During the late 18th century, King Dodda Vira Rajendra allied with the British East India Company to protect Kodagu's autonomy against Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. In 1834, following the deposition of Chikka Vira Rajendra, the British annexed the region, administering it as a separate Chief Commissioner's Province (Coorg).

Following India's independence, Coorg was recognized as an independent 'Part C' State with its own legislative assembly and Chief Minister (C. M. Poonacha). On 1 November 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act, Kodagu joined Mysore State, preserving its rich cultural identity.

Kodagu occupies the southern spine of the Western Ghats, bordered by Hassan to the north, Mysuru to the east, Dakshina Kannada to the west, and Kannur and Wayanad districts of Kerala to the south. The elevation ranges from 900 metres in the valleys to 1,748 metres atop Thadiyandamol, the highest mountain peak in Kodagu.

The district is the sacred cradle of the Cauvery River, which originates at Talacauvery on the Brahmagiri hill and is joined by the Lakshmantirtha, Hemavathi, and Harangi tributaries.

The administrative machinery of Kodagu district is organized into several revenue taluks, each administered by a Tahsildar under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate. Local rural governance is delivered through three tiers of Panchayati Raj institutions: the Zilla Panchayat at the district level, Taluk Panchayats, and Gram Panchayats serving rural village clusters.

Explore the interactive taluk cards and accordion directory below to discover verified counts of Gram Panchayats, inhabited hamlets, and canonical revenue villages registered in the national Local Government Directory (LGD).

Kodagu's economy is strongly anchored by premium coffee and spice plantations, high-end hospitality, and nature-based eco-tourism. The district produces more than thirty-five percent of India's total coffee output, supporting hundreds of coffee curing works and estate homestays.

Eco-tourism around wildlife reserves like Nagarhole (Rajiv Gandhi National Park) and Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary provides vital non-farm employment. Pure forest honey, spice trade, and traditional weaponry crafts represent niche artisanal enterprises.

Plantation agriculture forms the economic foundation of Kodagu. High-altitude estates cultivate shade-grown Robusta and Arabica Coffee beneath native rainforest canopies, intercropped with aromatic black pepper, green cardamom, and vanilla.

Valley floors feature lush terraced paddy fields cultivated during the torrential southwest monsoons. The district is also famous for the GI-tagged Coorg Orange, renowned for its sweet-sour flavor and aromatic peel.

Kodagu is home to the landmark Sainik School Kodagu at Kudige, Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa College, and the College of Forestry (Ponnampet) under the University of Agricultural Sciences. A dedicated network of public schools serves all mountain settlements.

The KarnatakaInfo.com database holds 634 school records for Kodagu district (UDISE+). This dataset covers schools only; colleges and universities appear in the text above where verified.

• Primary with Upper Primary285
• Primary110
• Pr. Up Pr. and Secondary Only84
• Secondary Only67
• Higher Secondary only/Jr. College28
• Secondary with Higher Secondary23
• Pr. with Up.Pr. Sec. and H.Sec.20
• Upper Pr. and Secondary13
• Up. Pr. Secondary and Higher Sec4

School listings are available on each village and taluk page.

The Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KOIMS) operates the 450-bed Teaching Hospital in Madikeri, delivering specialized emergency trauma care, cardiology, and maternal health services, supported by sub-divisional hospitals at Virajpet and Somwarpet.

The database records 374 public health facilities in Kodagu district. This is the dataset available on KarnatakaInfo.com and should not be read as a complete list of all hospitals.

• Immunisation Facility295
• PHC79

Kodagu offers a remarkable variety of historical, cultural, and natural tourism destinations, spanning ancient stone temples, fortresses, scenic river ghats, and wildlife sanctuaries.

Visitors explore diverse heritage circuits across the district that showcase Karnataka's architectural excellence and natural splendour.

Kodagu's cultural heritage is renowned for the proud martial and agricultural traditions of the Kodava community. Traditional festivals like Kailpodh (festival of weapons), Kaveri Sankramana, and Huttari (harvest festival) celebrate nature and valour.

Traditional folk dances like Bolak-aat and Valaga-thaat, accompanied by traditional Kodava songs (Pattole Palame), reflect an unbroken oral heritage.

Coorg cuisine is celebrated across India for its distinctive spicy-sour flavors. The signature dish is Pandi Curry (spicy pork curry flavored with Kachampuli - wild dark fruit vinegar), served with soft Kadambuttu (steamed rice dumplings) or Paputtu.

Other favorites include Akki Rotti with bamboo shoot curry (Baimbale), wild forest honey, and freshly brewed aromatic Coorg estate coffee.

Kodagu forms part of the Western Ghats global biodiversity hotspot, with dense evergreen rainforests harboring Asian elephants, Bengal tigers, and rare lion-tailed macaques.

The Brahmagiri catchment forms the vital water tower of southern India, giving birth to the Cauvery River.

Kodagu is connected by National Highway 275 (Bengaluru-Mysuru-Madikeri-Mangaluru corridor). The nearest railway stations are Mysuru Junction (120 km) and Hassan (115 km).

Kannur International Airport (CNN) in Kerala (90 km) and Mangaluru International Airport (IXE) (140 km) provide convenient domestic and international air access.

KarnatakaInfo.com brings together the administrative hierarchy of Kodagu district: its taluks, Gram Panchayat counts and revenue villages. Each taluk has a village directory, and each village has a profile with Census population and literacy figures where available, land-use data, nearby schools, healthcare facilities, post offices, nearby tourist attractions and distances to the nearest bus and railway stations.