Hogenakal Falls – Niagara of India

November 14, 2009 Leave a comment

Hogenakkal falls also called Niagara of India was the destination for this weekend’s outing. This was a place which I wanted to visit, but couldnt due to lack of company or my parents unwillingness to send me there.

After discussing a few options,me and my friend headed out to hogenakkal in my car as I wanted to go this place no matter the cost. After picking up my friend from basavanagudi at 6.45,  we zipped past the empty bylanes to reach BTM layout where we had encountered a little traffic. Soon we reached hosur road which was amazing empty since it was only 7.15 in the morning. I was enjoying the drive as there was no traffic.  We reached attibele and the road widened up as this stretch was relatively empty except for a few trucks which were blocking our path :) , I had to drive carefully as people run across the road and I didnt want to hit anyone :)

With a pedal to metal kind of driving we reached A2B restaurant around 8. A quick stop of breakfast and we were off.  My friend took over the driving and we proceeded further. Since we had the whole day i told my friend to reduce the speed and we were cruising at speeds of 80-90 kms/hr.

Crossing krishnagiri we reached dharampuri. After negotiating the traffic we entered the state highway , which was maintained neatly. We were proceeding at a constant pace when we the signboards welcoming us to hogenakal. The winding provided some good scenery, which my lens duly captured

Winding Roads to Hogenakal

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As we moved further , we reached the ghats. The road going down to the falls provided with some excellent views. A small photo-session was conducted there to capture the amazing scenery

scenery near hognekkal falls

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We reached hogenkkal falls and since this was my first visit to this place, I wasnt quite sure what to expect. I had read in numerous blogs that the moment u reach the parking lot people swarm the car/bike and ask if we want to see the falls or get a massage. The blogs do not lie :) n this was the case here.

We initially thought the falls would be located close by which can be seen from afar, which is not the case. Coracle or commonly called theppa in local language is the only way to reach the falls

Coracle /theppa is a round bamboo boat which is lined with animal hide/canvas and tar at the bottom used in South India mostly

The price for a full 2 hour ride is 600 Rs, which as per the coracle ppl is fixed by the govt. However the price can be bought down after some hard negotiating.

People come from Karnataka / TN and also from kerala to see the falls all through out the year.

Me and my friend decided to take the full 2 hour ride as we had come all the way to see the falls. The coracle guy said we can pay after seeing the falls and if we are convinced. We started the downhill ride for the first series of falls.

TN Falls

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Falls from another angle

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After spending some time taking photos we proceeded further. The rocky view provided a good spot for taking some nice photos. With the water and the rocks the place looked like a mini grand canyon

Mini GC ????

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The ride continues until we have to break and walk a further 1 km to reach the main falls.

The main falls is present in the Karnataka side and per the locals the entire was once abode of veerappan. The falls is part of MM Hills forest range. After spending some time there we headed back.

Hogenkkal  Main Falls

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After paying the guy 500 for 2 hrs we left hogenkkal at 1.30 in the afternoon. While coming we took an alternate route (Hogenakkal->Rayakottai->Palakkodu->Hosur->Bangalore)  which helped us avoid the highway.

The roads were very good and the drive was pleasurable. We reached Bangalore at 5 and I reached home by 6.30

Some facts about hognekkal

Hogenakkal is a series of 20 odd water falls present at the Karnataka-TN border. Since it is present at the border the falls are called TN falls and Karnataka Falls

Distance from Bangalore – 180 Kms

Mode of transport to see the falls – Only way to see the falls is by using the coracle

Fare - 30 at the entrance , 20 for coracle. 500-600 for 2 hrs coracle ride(price can be bargained)

Best time to visit the falls – Though the falls can be visited all year-round , best time to visit is post monsoon when the falls will be full

Note: There is no hotels in hogenkkal apart from hotel tamilnadu. The only hotel enroute is A2B

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Snaps can be found here

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Filed under South India, Tamil Nadu, Travels Tagged with , , , ,

The weekend that was almost ruined

October 29, 2009 Leave a comment

With a 3 day long weekend , I was in no mood to stay at home. I had completed lepakshi on saturday and was happy with the performance of the swift.Got back thinking of the long drive for the next 2 days. Smsed by friend asking him to be ready by 7 the next day so that i could pick him up and dozed off for an hour.

Things began to take a turn for the worse when i got up. I had recieved a sms from my friend saying he wont be able to come as he was going for the mullayanagiri-bababundangiri ridge walk. Just what I did not want as dad would not allow me to solo drive in the car.

With one guy stuck in office and a few others not interested to come I decided to go alone.

Things took a turn for the worse later on when dad forced me to stay in the house to attend an important function which i wasnt keen on attending. I was planning on leaving bangalore at 6 or 6.30 in the morning as I had planned to cover bluff, talkad,somanthpur and srirangaptna before heading to mysore. The next day being vijayadashmi and with most of the people in mysore for the procession and festivities, I was thinking of driving down to pandavapura-> KRPET->Kikkeri and govindhalli to see a few hoysala temples which was built in the helebid style.

This plan was defanitely not going to work and I was thinking of an alternate one. My bro further gave me a scare by saying the clutch on his pulsar was not functioning properly. I decided to take a risk as driving on my splendor was out of the question.

Sunday arrived and I was still in the house rather than being on the road. After finishing the function I was it was already 2.30. Finally tanking up the pulsar fully I left bangalore at 3 in the afternoon.

My first pit stop was at kanva dam. Saw a few people playing in the river. Took a few snaps of the backwaters and zipped off towards mysore.

Kanva Dam Backwaters

View from kanva Dam

Took a small break at maddur cofee day. Reached mysore at 7 at night. I was amazed to see the rush as vijayadashami was the next day. I managed to drive down to my grandma’s house.

After a quick cuppa i headed out to the mysore palace which was lit up like a christmas tree :) . A gaint pandal was erected and they were broadcasting yedurappa’s speech. Took a few shots of the palace in all its glory from a few different angles before heading back home.

Palace

Side view of palace

Next day  left home early as i had to cover a few places. Had a smooth ride till bannur. After bannur there are no roads except in patches until u reach bluff. My long ardeous ride had just began. Reached somanthpur and 8.

I found that they open the temple only at 9. With nothing to do , i got chatting with a retired wing commander who had come there with his family as incidentally was on the same route as mine. He was boastful about his bicycle rides and treks which he used to do.

The authorities opened the temple around 8.50. After a photoshoot i left for talkad around 9.30. My back and the bike’s suspension were getting a real work out driving on those roads :) .

Somanthpur Temple

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Carvings in somanthpur temple

Carvings

There was a lake just a few meters from somanthpur temple which provided a good scenic location.  I left the places taking a few snaps of the lake

Lake near somanthpur temple

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Driving another 30 kms, i reached talkad around 11. Hired a guide to show me around. Explored talkad for an hour and after taking photos, left the place at 12 in the afternoon.

Talkad Temple

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My final destination was gangan chuki and bharachuki falls popularly called as bluff. It was another bone rattling 40 kms drive till I reached bypass road from maddur which goes through malavalli to MM Hills and chamarajnagar . Reached gaganchuki falls around 1.30. After spending some time and taking snaps , I left for bharachuki falls after munching a few snacks as i hadnt eaten anything since my morning breakfast.

Gaganchukki Falls

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Bharchukki Falls

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The 13 kms drive was through good roads and i was made the most of it by clocking speeds of 90 kms. After a photo session , left for bangalore. It was already 2.30 by the time i left. Dark grey clouds began to appear on the horizon and i didnt want to get drenched. The rain started to fall heavily as I was driving towards malavalli. Had a take shelter at a bus stand. The rain dance continued for another hour , as i had to stop quite a few times so that i dont get drenched too much in rain. Contiuning on this road I reached the mysore-bangalore highway at 4. I was suprised to see it had not rained in this part of town. The road was absolutely dry.

With less traffic I reached ramangaram and had my “lunch”. Proceeding further I reached home at 7 thus ending an interesting trip.Hoping to cover srirangapatna and pandavapura route some other day

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Filed under Karnataka, South India, Travels Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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