Like the heady waft of coffee brewing, Nammakadu leaves a smile on your thoughts. Nammakadu means 'our forest' and true to its name, it is a charming homestay in Coorg that embraces you warmly. The protective trees on the driveway lead you to the enigmatic red brick walled, sloping roofed hideaway. Amidst the tall trees and coffee bushes stands the Nammakadu cottages; holding promises of lingering memories.
The place offers percolated conversations and if you wish, luxurious silence just like a childhood friend. Amidst the chirruping of birds and the gentle rustling of the leaves, you can choose to withdraw into a private bay window inside the cottage or step out into the wooden balcony and extend friendship to the winged visitors.
You would have heard of 'Puli Inji', the lip-smacking combination of ‘puli' (tamarind) and ‘inji' (ginger). This sweet-sour relish that Malayalis serve in a sadhya (feast) is close to a discerning foodie's heart. At Nammakadu, our stay was made absolutely delectable by the gorgeous ginger coloured Golden Retriever called Inji and the playful tamarind coloured Labrador called Puli. Their adorable combination literally added a loud smack to our Nammakadu visit! The kids even got to give them a rollicking bath and the pleas for their own dog haven’t ceased ever since!
The closest you can get to being a tourist (if you so wish!) is by visiting the Iruppu falls, which is a 15-minute drive away from the homestay, through quiet roads and quaint towns. Since we went to Nammakadu at the onset of monsoon, standing under the cold, gushing waterfall was both thrilling and therapeutic. Although during or after the monsoons that might not be a wise thing to do! The water is supposed to have no mercy at all. That I will mark as yet another reason for me to go back there during a different time of the year!
Anuradha Venkatnarayan
