The newly built Kollimada Karumbaiah Bus Stand in Gonikoppal and the statue of freedom fighter Pandyanda Belliappa installed within the bus stand premises. Photo by the author "This is Kaliyug, and evil reigns supreme. Goodness is no longer relevant." Hearing this refrain in different languages and at different times has always rankled me. The Gonikoppal bus stand has been named after Shri Kollimada Karumbaiah. He was a freedom fighter from Kodagu and a Member of Parliament i

The tragic death of a tourist woman and the subsequent death of an elephant at Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu should not be treated as an isolated accident. It is a warning. A warning about what happens when tourism is allowed to overtake science, safety, and animal welfare. For years, elephant camps in Karnataka have increasingly become tourist attractions rather than rehabilitation and care centres. At Dubare and Sakrebailu, close physical interaction with elephants has bec

A view of Mercara. Photo by: Bommanda Savera Chengappa Mercara...you and I have both aged. On every visit of mine, I recharge myself by just looking at the hills and soaking up on the sheer essence of you. As a little girl growing up in Mercara, I had a sense of ownership of you. I felt you were mine. In fact I still do. I remember early mornings the hills looked like little islands and the clouds surrounding it looked like the sea and it never failed to amaze me. Raja seat w

A message board placed by the Forest Department on the Madikeri–Hunsur road near Ibnivalavadi village to create awareness about forest fires. Photo by Saritha Devaiah Ballachanda. A s summer tightens its grip over Kodagu, the spectre of forest fires once again looms large over the district’s fragile ecology. Every year, rising temperatures, dry leaf litter and human negligence combine to threaten vast stretches of forest, wildlife habitats and nearby settlements. The Forest D

Kodagu Football Club was born out of remembrance and love—a tribute to a lost footballing brother Iychettira Naren Subbaya. Photo by: Shrividya Somanna K odagu has always been a land that breathes sport. From legendary hockey tales to cricketing afternoons, from golf greens to athletic tracks, sport has shaped the spirit of this region. Yet, for years, football remained on the fringes—loved quietly, played passionately, but rarely seen as a path forward. That story changed wi

This year too, both the number of farmers cultivating ginger and the area under cultivation are expected to increase. Photo/The Kodagu Express G inger is an important spice crop. Its rhizomes are used as a spice and for their medicinal properties. It is widely used in cooking, soups and pickles to enhance flavour and aroma. Ginger is also used in the preparation of medicines and extraction of essential oils. In Kodagu district, the area under ginger cultivation has been incre