Category: C.P.Belliappa’s Column

“Book Reading at Ilkley (By: C.P. Belliappa) In October 2011, I was invited by Dr. Nima Poovaya-Smith, Founder-Director of Alchemy, for a reading of my book: Princess Victoria Gowramma: The Lost Princess of Coorg,...

The General, and the Movie Star (By: C.P. Belliappa) After he retired as the Chief of Army Staff in 1961, General KS Thimayya settled down in Bangalore for a while. He was gregarious, a...

“(By: C.P. Belliappa) Masti Venkatesha Iyengar’s Jnanpeeth award winning historical novel – ‘Chikka Veerarajendra’ was first published in 1956. The 10th edition of this wonderful work has been just brought out. Masti Venkatesh Iyengar...

“(By: C.P. Belliappa) How the name Kodagu originated is still being debated. As most believe, it is very likely that it’s a derivation of the primordial name Kodinadu. Over a period of time the...

“Kopi Luwak, or Civet Cat Coffee, which in recent years has gained renewed attention worldwide, has been in existence since the eighteenth century. Kopi Luwak, a rare speciality coffee, is the most expensive beverage...

“Over the centuries the great Indian epic Mahabharata has been translated into many languages all over the world. We now have one in our own ‘Kodava thakk’, thanks to meticulous and painstaking efforts of...

When The Commissioner’s Wife Was Piqued (By: C.P. Belliappa) Circa 1922, William Penn Barton was the Chief Commissioner of Coorg. Those days the residence of the Chief Commissioner used be within the Mercara Fort...

“There is a difference between corruption and scams. Corruption is societal and is all pervading in our country. Scams, on the other hand, involve an unholy nexus between the politician, bureaucrat and the businessman....

“Hole-in-one (By: C.P. Belliappa) For a golfer, getting a ‘hole-in-one’ is a definitive feat about which he will brag for the rest of his life. Luck plays a major role over skill in this...

A Flower by Any Name (By: C.P. Belliappa) A little more than a decade ago I had been to Madurai and visited a friend’s factory. He is an avid collector of exotic plants and...