Aldur and the region’s coffee history

Discover Aldur through the coffee history of the wider area. Yellikodige Estate is located in the Aldur area of Chikmagalur: the estate covers 152 acres and sits at an elevation of 3,800 feet. It is more than a century old. This scale and history provide a tangible context for coffee cultivation in the region.

Coffee and history in the Aldur area

C.H. Godfrey, the original owner of Yellikodige Estate, sent most of the coffee grown there directly to London. Coffee cultivation thus connects the estate’s history with a history of trade that reached beyond the region. The coffee grown on the estate is certified organic by I.M.O. If this is important to your choice, check the current certification status.

Chikmagalur’s coffee history also goes back a long way: according to historical accounts, the country’s first coffee was grown at Baba-Budan Giri in 1670 AD. The Coffee Museum in Chikmagalur is located behind the Zilla Panchayat Office and is open to tourists. It offers its own perspective on coffee, while the history of Yellikodige Estate focuses on a specific estate and its former trade.

Coffee plantation tours are also part of the coffee experience in the wider Aldur area. Alongside the estate’s history, they offer another point of interest for travellers interested in coffee. The subjects are distinct: the estate is known for its long history and for shipping its coffee to London; the tours take place at plantations in the wider Aldur area.

Culture and architecture in Chikmagalur

In the wider Chikmagalur destination, religious sites and architecture complement the coffee history. The Ishwara Temple in Hiremagalur has a distinctive, rounded figure of Jademuni, standing 1.22 metres tall. The temple also has a Yoopastambha, which, according to tradition, was erected by King Janamejaya during his snake sacrifice. Both details connect specific features of the temple with a story passed down through tradition.

The Sri Kodandarama Swamy Temple is also located in Hiremagalur. It is said to have been the first temple in South India dedicated to Rama. In Chikkamagaluru itself, the Kodandarama Temple combines Hoysala and Dravidian architectural styles. The similarly named temples thus represent different aspects of Chikmagalur’s religious and architectural history.

The Jamia Mosque is among the revered religious monuments in Chikkamagaluru. Bababudan Dargah/Dattatreya Peetha is a sacred site for Hindus and Muslims. These places add another dimension to Chikmagalur’s cultural landscape, alongside temple architecture and tradition. Ratnagiri Bore–Mahatma Gandhi Park also has a miniature railway, adding a different kind of attraction to the selection.

Choose the right focus for your trip

When choosing a holiday rental, it helps to decide on your focus first: are you mainly interested in the coffee history of the Aldur area, including the plantation tours offered there? Or would you like to explore temples, a mosque, a museum and a park in the wider Chikmagalur destination? These topics differ in character and location. A holiday rental in Aldur may suit your search if Aldur is your desired destination; if you plan to visit the places mentioned in Chikmagalur, take their specific locations into account.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Balehonnur, Maragadi, Ulluvagilu, Chikmagalur, Attigundi, Lakkavalli, Allampura, Pandaravalli.

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