The Kodai Chronicle is a digital dispatch from the mountains of the Western Ghats, created by the residents of Kodaikanal and neighbouring areas in June 2021.
Launched digitally, as a monthly, it was produced as a bi-monthly print edition from May 2022 – May 2023. After a break in May, it resumed editorial operations in August 2023 and will pilot one story a month from the Western Ghats (dates to be announced soon).
The Kodai Chronicle aims to inform locals and visitors about developments within the community. We seek to inspire a sense of community, and support local produce, services, and initiatives. We also seek to increase awareness of the environment and habitat of the Western Ghats, and the value of sustaining it.
We publish coverage of current affairs and features that highlight what is special about these mountains, from culture to natural history.
Currently, we have four main sections: Community, Environment and Wildlife, Food, and Culture.
Community: People of the Western Ghats, and their relationship with their community and environs
Environment and Wildlife: Flora and fauna native to the Western Ghats—stories about wildlife, and environmental concerns such as dwindling sholas and pollution
Food: Local recipes and ingredients, recommendations, matters of cultivation, both personal and commercial—profiles of specific crops or plants and guidance for local growers and gardeners, in the region
Culture: Books, art, and music connected to the mountains of the Western Ghats, through interviews, book extracts, reviews, essays and profiles
Our Values and Principles
The Kodai Chronicle aims to be a trusted community resource, for the many communities of Kodai and the Western Ghats, as is feasible. Errata will be announced and remedied.
The Kodai Chronicle values inclusivity. We seek to present diverse points of view, from all walks of life, with sensitivity to both subject and reader.
The Kodai Chronicle seeks to create awareness around our natural heritage and build a connection with our habitat. Sustainable change is one of our objectives.
The Kodai Chronicle seeks to support local produce, businesses and services, and inspire a sense of community.
The Kodai Chronicle is an open and objective forum, offering a critical eye when it is required. We offer a respectful space for conversation and interaction.
Updated September 5, 2023