Kodagu district, also known as Coorg, is a district in the southwestern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. Lying on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, it is the smallest district in Karnataka by area and is known for its hilly terrain, coffee plantations, and distinctive Kodava culture. The district headquarters is at Madikeri.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Karnataka |
| Headquarters | Madikeri |
| Region | Western Ghats, southern Karnataka |
| Major language | Kodava takk; Kannada is the official language |
| Other names | Coorg, Kodavu |
Kodagu is bounded by Dakshina Kannada to the northwest, Hassan district to the north, Mysuru district to the east, the state of Kerala to the south, and the Arabian Sea coastal belt to the west via the Ghats. The terrain is largely mountainous, with elevations rising to peaks such as Tadiandamol and Pushpagiri. The river Kaveri rises within the district at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range, making Kodagu hydrologically important to peninsular India.
The district receives heavy monsoon rainfall from the southwest monsoon, supporting evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, parts of which fall under protected areas including Nagarahole National Park and Pushpagiri and Talakaveri wildlife sanctuaries. The forest cover and biodiversity place Kodagu within one of the recognised biodiversity hotspots of the Western Ghats.
Kodagu is administratively divided into talukas, with Madikeri, Virajpet (Veerajpet) and Somwarpet historically forming the principal subdivisions; further taluks such as Ponnampet and Kushalnagar have been created in subsequent reorganisations. The district is administered by a Deputy Commissioner and elects representatives to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and the Lok Sabha as part of larger constituencies that include parts of Mysuru.
The region was ruled in the medieval and early modern periods by the Haleri dynasty, a branch of the Keladi Nayakas, which established Madikeri as its capital. After conflicts with the rulers of Mysore in the late eighteenth century, Coorg came under British control following the deposition of Chikka Virarajendra in 1834, and was administered as a separate province of British India.
After Indian independence, Coorg continued briefly as a Part C state of the Indian Union. With the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, Coorg State was merged into the then Mysore State (later Karnataka) and reconstituted as Kodagu district.
Agriculture and plantation crops dominate the district economy. Kodagu is among India's largest producers of coffee, growing both Arabica and Robusta varieties, and is also notable for pepper, cardamom and oranges. Forestry, tourism centred on hill stations and wildlife reserves, and remittances from Kodavas serving in the armed forces contribute significantly to local livelihoods.
The district is the homeland of the Kodava community, who speak Kodava takk and follow distinct customs in marriage, ancestor veneration and martial traditions. Festivals such as Kailpodh, Kaveri Sankramana and Puttari (the harvest festival) are widely observed. Other communities resident in the district include Kannadigas, Tuluvas, Malayalis, Muslims and a substantial Tibetan refugee population settled around Bylakuppe near Kushalnagar, home to major Tibetan Buddhist monasteries.