The Curious Case of Coffee

There is nothing like a good filter coffee to give you a start in the morning, but you’d be amazed to know that the South Indian coffee that so many of us relish, has a great story behind it! The story of Indian coffee begins in the 16th
century CE and is traced to a Su saint, Baba Budan, revered by Hindus and Muslims alike, in Chikmaglur, present day Karnataka, where he lived.

On his journey back from the Haj, Baba Budan brought back seeds of raw coffee beans from the port of Mocha in Yemen. In those days coffee was exported to other parts of the world in roasted or baked forms so that no one could grow their own
plant.

This was a ploy to ensure that Yemen had a monopoly over coffee. The story goes, that Baba Budan, managed to smuggle seven coffee beans wrapped in his garment! After returning, he planted the beans on the slopes of the Chandragiri Hills,
near the caves where he and his followers had settled. Coffee from the plants was served as drinks to the local people. Today, coffee is still grown in the hills and the area is well known as Baba Budangiri. It also houses the saint’s tomb.
The first reference to the consumption of coffee in India comes from the work of Rev. Edward Terry in the court of Emperor Jehangir, in 1616. Rev Terry was the chaplain to Sir Thomas Roe, King James’ Ambassador at Jahangir’s court. Terry
provides the first detailed account of the usage of coffee in India.

The story of Indian coffee begins with a Sufi saint, Baba Budhan, revered by Hindus and Muslims alike

Baba Budan lived in dangerous times. Records show that Chikmaglur, his home town was plagued by a series of attacks by a local tribe,that left a trail of death and destruction every time they came for a raid. Forced to move out, the Sufi
saint and his followers fled to live in the caves of Chandragiri. However even that didn’t help and Baba Budan decided to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca, while his followers waited in the cave for a year.