The name ‘Ajjigadde’ is derived from Kannada language. In English language it means grandmother’s fields. Nobody really knows how this name has been given to this region.
We visited the Rudragiri estate homestay during January
2014. It is situated in the picturesque region of Ajjigadde. This region is located at the border of
Kodagu and Sakleshpur. The Rudragiri estate is alternatively known as Ajjigadde
estate.
Best time to visit Ajjigadde is between September and
November. During this time it is very cold and fog covers the region. After
January, the homestay remains closed for few months for coffee picking.
There are various routes to reach Ajjigadde:
Bangalore à
Holenarsipura à
Arkalgood >> 130 kms
Mysore à
Sowmarpet à
160 kms
From Sakleshpur, the estate is around 35 kms.
The estate is spread across 110 acres of land. Primarily
Coffee is grown, along with some pepper plantations. There are beautiful rivers
flowing through the estate and some small waterfalls can also be found. There
are quite a few friendly estate dogs. During the night campfire, they suddenly
appeared out of nowhere and relaxed near the warmth of the fire. The music that played out of the speakers
made them excited and they started playing around.
Mr.T.N.Arun, the proprietor of this estate is a very
friendly and helpful person. He ensures that all the requests of the guests are
met without hesitation.
Facilities of
homestay:
The homestay offers spacious rooms and a very huge empty
ground in front of the house. There is a small open-air hut near the house,
where people can relax in the shade.
There is ample space to put campfire during the chilly
nights.
Parking is no problem, since there is large space inside the
perimeter of the house. Vehicles could also be parked out on the road in front
of the house. The road is very calm with hardly any vehicles moving around.
Places to visit:
There are a number of sigh-seeing attractions near to
Ajjigadde.
Just behind the house is the Ajjigadde river. We relaxed
near the river and time seems to slow down in this place. Even half hour seems
like 2 hours!
Rudragiri hills are situated 6 kms from the estate and jeep
could be arranged by homestay to go there. If trekking is preferred option,
then the distance of 3kms can be covered in about 45 minutes. Muneshwara cave
temple also is a beautiful place to visit.
Mookanamane falls is about 25 kms from Ajjigadde estate.
Mallalli falls is approximately 30 kms from Ajjigadde
estate. Pushpagiri hills is situated 6kms from Mallalli falls.
The breathtaking Bisile ghat is about 18 kms away from
Ajjigadde estate.
Nearest town to Ajjigadde is Shanivarasante which is about
18 kms away.
Pros:
1. Beautiful
and secluded place.
2. A
very good place to relax and just be at peace.
3. Simple
and tasty food. It is prepared by a small family of people who come exclusively
during guest visits.
4. Reasonably
priced.
Cons (it is very
subjective):
1. Mobile
network is very sparse. Only BSNL will be available.
2. The
lodging facilities in the homestay can accommodate a group of approximately
11-12 people. More than that could get a bit congested although it could be
adjusted.
Check Out 360 Degree Photos
