Kodagu
Kodagu (Coorg) is a district in the State of Karnataka in India. It is the home of Kodava people. Madikeri (Mercara) is the headquarters of the district. Kodagu is situated at 4000ft above sea level. Madikeri, a hill station, is the headquarters of Kodagu.Kodagu's greatest length from the Hemavathi river in the north to the Brahmagiri range in the south is about 96 kms and its greatest breadth from Sampaje in the west to Kushalnagar in the east is about 60 kms. The district has an area of 4,102 sq.km and 30 percent of the district is forest area. Its population as per 1991 census is 4,85,229.
The Kodavas are ancestor worshippers. Theirs is a martial race and it is not rare to find a Kodava in the highest echelons of our country's defence services even today. The local language- Kodavatak, has influences of Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil.
This districts is comprised of three taluks - Madikeri, Somwarpet and Virajpet.
The climate of Kodagu is cool, equable and pleasant. The district has very moist rainy monsoon climate. Winter lasts from January to February, summer from March to May, south-west monsoon from June to September and north-east monsoon from October to December.
History
Kodagu was a kingdom rulled by the Hoysalas from the 11th to the 14th century A.D. and thereafter by the Vijayanagar kings and the Chengalvas. The Wodeyars of Kodagu ruled from the 17th to the 19th century. The British annexed Kodagu in 1834 after dethroning Chikkaveerarajendra Wodeyar. It was administered by Chief Commissioners till Independence and then in 1952, as a category 'C' state, had a representative in the Rajya Sabha. Upon the reorganisation of states in 1956, Kodagu became a district of Karnataka State.Politics
Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) constituencies and their areas after delimitation order of 2008208 Madikeri Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 2 Somvarpet Taluk 1 Madikeri Taluk (Part) 1 Madikeri Circle. Madikeri CMC
209 Virajpet Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 3 Virajpet Taluk 1 Madikeri Taluk (Part) 2 Sampaje, 3 Bhagamandala and 4 Napoklu Circles.