The onset of monsoons breathes in a new life into our surroundings and makes us wonder at the bounties offered by nature. A similar opportunity to be awestruck by the beauty offered by Karnataka is seeing the Shivanasamudra falls in its full splendor. Shivanasamudram is one of the cities in the Mandya district of Karnataka which hosts the Shivanasamudra falls – emphasized by the Kaveri river which finds its way through the rocks and ravines of the Deccan Plateau and drops off. At a distance of 120 kilometers from Bangalore, roughly translating into a drive of 3 hours, Shivanasaudra falls can be visited either by following the Mysore road to Channapattana followed by a diversion to NH209 or the NH209 directly from the Nice road, Bangalore. This is what translated to our Shivanasamudra Falls Day Trip from Bangalore.
Starting off early in the morning gave us a head start towards our destination. The roads are dotted with lush green trees providing the much-needed delight to the tired eyes of city geeks like us. Proceeding ahead on the NH209, the diversion to the Gaganachukki waterfalls is chanced upon at first. This is primarily the watchtower providing the best viewing angle of the waterfalls. Out come the selfie sticks with the intention of capturing the beauty of the Gaganachukki section of the Shivanasamudra waterfalls. There are not many food options nearby so it is always advisable to be well stocked in terms of water and food.
The island town of Shivanasamudra divides Kaveri into twin waterfalls and forms part of a segmented waterfall chain. Being a perennial waterfall, the best time to visit Shivanasamudra falls is during the monsoon season of July to October. The Kaveri river splits itself into eastern and western branches before Shivanasamudram resulting in the Bharachukki & Gaganachukki waterfalls. The latter can be viewed best from the watch-tower of Shivanasamudram. Reaching the former waterfall requires everyone to head back to NH209 and proceed ahead towards the temple town of Talakadu. The Bharachukki section of the waterfalls has a viewing platform and plenty of food options for the enthusiast. Gazing at the mist rising from the flow and drop of the Kaveri river can leave nature enthusiasts awestruck. Add to it the serene beauty of the surroundings which make it a must visit for a quick one day trip.
While backtracking from viewing the wonderful waterfalls of Shivanasamudra, we decided to pay Mekedatu a visit. Located along the Kaveri river, Sangama is the place where the river Arkavati merges with Kaveri. Beyond the same, the Kaveri river makes its way through the rocks and deep ravines of the Deccan plateau. The deep narrow ravines of hard granite form the major attraction of this spot.
Mekedatu basically can be decoded as ‘Goat’s Leap’ in Kannada. The rocky precipices of the gorge is believed to be shaped as hooves made by a goat. Legend says that the goat was none other than Lord Shiva himself in disguise. This is further compounded by the belief that only divine presence can mark their footprints in such solid granite rocks of Mekedatu.
Monsoons cause the river to flow through the gorge furiously, thus sculpting the rocks into some amazing shapesand patterns. Driving up to Sangam and enjoying the beauty of the unexplored place is a must-do on a day trip from Bangalore. We made our way back to Bangalore by sun-down after having an eventful day out!
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