BY: Waseeem Khan
Some call it the ‘Scotland of the East’ while others call it the ‘coffee capital of India’. This enchanting hill station in Karnataka is the perfect destination to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
While, coffee, spices and greenery pretty much sum up Coorg, the elusive Evolve Back Resort is just the right place to rest your weary bones and pamper yourself.
As soon as you step into this garden paradise, you will find yourself reliving the bygone era of the gentleman planter. The 300-acre Chikkana Halli Estate, rich in its botanical heritage, is enveloped with lush green life. With a subtle but intoxicating aroma of coffee in the air, and the chirping of exotic birds at a distance adding to the enchanting experience, this place is sure to transport you into a peaceful trance.
It is an abode in the midst of nature with all the modern amenities. Indulge in the lavish Lily Pool series of Villas and Kodava styled Heritage Pool Villas, spread out in delightful clusters.
While the Lily Pool Villas offer you a glimpse of the privileged life of the gentleman planter, the Heritage Pool Villas are inspired by the ethnic Kodava architecture and is perfect for the traveler craving some solitude.
A Foodie’s Paradise
What is travel without food, you ask? Well, the brilliant local cuisine served at Plantain Leaf – the pure vegetarian Indian restaurant – is possibly the best version of a South Indian thali meal I have feasted upon till date.
Loaded with delicious curries, lentils, and subtly flavoured spiced vegetables, these meals are an absolute delight. If I have to pick my top favorite meal from their wide selection of delicacies, I will go for the Plantain Leaf’s version of the South Indian thali meal any day.
As an additional treat to the foodie in you, there is the Granary Restaurant, which serves Indian and Western delicacies, including some famed Coorg specialties like the Pandi Curry. This lakeside western cuisine restaurant has a delectable view of the lake, and serves some mouth-watering dishes like Roast Mutton, Grilled Fish and Crème Caramel.
Ode to the Kodava Sari
Other than being a picturesque abode, Coorg is also the birthplace of the traditional Kodava sari. The locals here believe that Cauvery, wife of sage Agastya, transformed herself into a river to serve the people at the sacred site of Tala Cauvery. Folklore has it that when Agastya tried to stop his wife from becoming a river, hersari was pushed back, leading to the tradition of Coorgi women wearing their saris with pleats at the back.
To celebrate this legend, our millennial divas Pallavi Das and Prathiksha Shetty, with special help from the resort manager Kanti, draped themselves in Kodava style saris for a shoot styled by Zeeshan Ali exclusively for BOLD Outline.
I simply can’t wait to go visit the Evolve Back, Coorg, again soon.
