Mekadatu
Mekadatu simply means ‘goat’s leap’. The place got its name because a goat could leap across, may be true, or may be it is just a legend.
Mekadatu is about 98 kms from Bangalore. We left home at 9 am we did not hazzle ourselves for a early rising, early leaving funda. We were very relaxed.
Cauvery Sangam is on Kanakpura road. Here, the river Arkavathy meets river Cauvery. At different points of the river, the level of water is different. I went in January 2005, and hence the water level was a little low.
Like any tourist center, the place was full of people. The sight of all the people playing in the water was fabulous. There are lots of shops for Icecream, cool drinks, people fried fish, chips, egg omelette, bread toast, toys etc and it was like a mela in itself.
The car has to be left in the car park. We had to cross the river to reach Mekadatu.
We just folded our pants upto the knee, and started walking across the river. The river reached upto the knee in some places, but, the water was swift. I am told that, when the river is full in the rainy season, we need to engage a coricle boat ( the round boat, made of bamboo, with rubber base ) to cross the river.
On the other side of the river, there is a bus stop. Mekadatu is 4 kms from the Sangam. We waited in the bus stop. There is a bus every 10 minutes. The cost of the ride is Rs. 20 per head. The bus started as soon as it got full, the road is bad, and the ride was bumpy. The bus also was very old, and did not have any windows. And as it was going on the bumby road, the bus was noisy.
Within 15 mins, we reached Mekadatu.
This place is scary, and you can see the fury of the river here. I am sure the River Cauvery has been flowing here for several centuries. Now the river is damed in several places, and hence the flow of water is less. But, in the good old days, the river must have been swelling in the winter season, and in Mekadatu, you can see the proof. The place is mountaineous, and the rocks have become smooth because of the force of the water over the years. I remember seeing a program on Nat Geo about the Grand Canyan, and how the place formed. They formed because of the flow of the River Colorado in the region. The river was so wild, that over the centuries, it hollowed the land where it flowed, and the Grand Canyan was the result.
Mekadatu is similar. The mountain is cut into smooth stones, and resulted in a deep gorge due to the force of the river.
There are no safety barricades. So, one has to be doubly careful. The gorge is more that 150 feet deep, and I had to crawl to the edge, to see the water flowing below. There is not much place, where you can stand safely and watch the river flow through the narrow gorge. All places are completely smooth, and the footwear available these days, is not really suitable to walk around these smooth stones. A slip can mean instant death.
We did not have the guts to stand at the edge of the gorge, and see the water flow below. Therefore, we crawled, rested flat on the floor, and saw the water flowing below. We stepped back a bit, and could see the gorge, from left to the right, and the river flowing slow….through it. The water seemed very still, and I don’t know, how deep the water can be at that place. There is a proverb that silent waters run deep. I am sure, that the water flows…but, it is not visible to our eye.
From the bus stand, we could have a wonderful view of the entire gorge..the entire place is less than 50 mts in length. Before that and after that, it is plain flat land. The gorge, as I told u, formed in the mountain because of the flow of water over the years. And trust me, the place is scary. There are several cravesses in the mountains, dunno how deep, when I peeped, I could not see anything.
We saw several young college students, wearing Hawaii chappals and walking all over the smooth gorge. I was getting really scared, and wanted them to come away from the area.
We got back into the bus, and reached the Sangam, crossed the river, got into the car, and came back. It was already 4.30 pm in the evening, and wanted to get back to Bangalore, by 6.30 at least. Chunchi falls is about 10 kms from Cauvery sangam, but, we could not go there, as it was getting late. Chunchi – some other day.
Getting there :
Road : 98 kms from Bangalore on Kanakpura Road. From Kanakapura to Sangam, by road. After about 25 km on the road to Sangam, take a left-turn at Eelehalli for going to Chunchi Falls.
Trip Duration : 1 day
Best time : Any time
Accomodation : It is a single day driving trip. But, you wanna stay around that place, Jungle Lodges Resorts has a couple of properties around the area.
Cauvery Fishing Camp, Doddamakalli, Bhimeshwari & Galibore Resorts – All of these are Jungle Lodge properties along the river, and you can have a swell time here. They have tents and log huts, that cost Rs. 1500 per person per night. 3 meals and the coricle rides are included the cost.
Email : Reservation@junglelodges.con, info@junglelodges.com
Ph : 91-80 – 25597201 / 91 – 80 – 25597025 / 91 – 80 - 25597025
Mekadatu is about 98 kms from Bangalore. We left home at 9 am we did not hazzle ourselves for a early rising, early leaving funda. We were very relaxed.
Cauvery Sangam is on Kanakpura road. Here, the river Arkavathy meets river Cauvery. At different points of the river, the level of water is different. I went in January 2005, and hence the water level was a little low.
Like any tourist center, the place was full of people. The sight of all the people playing in the water was fabulous. There are lots of shops for Icecream, cool drinks, people fried fish, chips, egg omelette, bread toast, toys etc and it was like a mela in itself.
The car has to be left in the car park. We had to cross the river to reach Mekadatu.
We just folded our pants upto the knee, and started walking across the river. The river reached upto the knee in some places, but, the water was swift. I am told that, when the river is full in the rainy season, we need to engage a coricle boat ( the round boat, made of bamboo, with rubber base ) to cross the river.
On the other side of the river, there is a bus stop. Mekadatu is 4 kms from the Sangam. We waited in the bus stop. There is a bus every 10 minutes. The cost of the ride is Rs. 20 per head. The bus started as soon as it got full, the road is bad, and the ride was bumpy. The bus also was very old, and did not have any windows. And as it was going on the bumby road, the bus was noisy.
Within 15 mins, we reached Mekadatu.
This place is scary, and you can see the fury of the river here. I am sure the River Cauvery has been flowing here for several centuries. Now the river is damed in several places, and hence the flow of water is less. But, in the good old days, the river must have been swelling in the winter season, and in Mekadatu, you can see the proof. The place is mountaineous, and the rocks have become smooth because of the force of the water over the years. I remember seeing a program on Nat Geo about the Grand Canyan, and how the place formed. They formed because of the flow of the River Colorado in the region. The river was so wild, that over the centuries, it hollowed the land where it flowed, and the Grand Canyan was the result.
Mekadatu is similar. The mountain is cut into smooth stones, and resulted in a deep gorge due to the force of the river.
There are no safety barricades. So, one has to be doubly careful. The gorge is more that 150 feet deep, and I had to crawl to the edge, to see the water flowing below. There is not much place, where you can stand safely and watch the river flow through the narrow gorge. All places are completely smooth, and the footwear available these days, is not really suitable to walk around these smooth stones. A slip can mean instant death.
We did not have the guts to stand at the edge of the gorge, and see the water flow below. Therefore, we crawled, rested flat on the floor, and saw the water flowing below. We stepped back a bit, and could see the gorge, from left to the right, and the river flowing slow….through it. The water seemed very still, and I don’t know, how deep the water can be at that place. There is a proverb that silent waters run deep. I am sure, that the water flows…but, it is not visible to our eye.
From the bus stand, we could have a wonderful view of the entire gorge..the entire place is less than 50 mts in length. Before that and after that, it is plain flat land. The gorge, as I told u, formed in the mountain because of the flow of water over the years. And trust me, the place is scary. There are several cravesses in the mountains, dunno how deep, when I peeped, I could not see anything.
We saw several young college students, wearing Hawaii chappals and walking all over the smooth gorge. I was getting really scared, and wanted them to come away from the area.
We got back into the bus, and reached the Sangam, crossed the river, got into the car, and came back. It was already 4.30 pm in the evening, and wanted to get back to Bangalore, by 6.30 at least. Chunchi falls is about 10 kms from Cauvery sangam, but, we could not go there, as it was getting late. Chunchi – some other day.
Getting there :
Road : 98 kms from Bangalore on Kanakpura Road. From Kanakapura to Sangam, by road. After about 25 km on the road to Sangam, take a left-turn at Eelehalli for going to Chunchi Falls.
Trip Duration : 1 day
Best time : Any time
Accomodation : It is a single day driving trip. But, you wanna stay around that place, Jungle Lodges Resorts has a couple of properties around the area.
Cauvery Fishing Camp, Doddamakalli, Bhimeshwari & Galibore Resorts – All of these are Jungle Lodge properties along the river, and you can have a swell time here. They have tents and log huts, that cost Rs. 1500 per person per night. 3 meals and the coricle rides are included the cost.
Email : Reservation@junglelodges.con, info@junglelodges.com
Ph : 91-80 – 25597201 / 91 – 80 – 25597025 / 91 – 80 - 25597025
posted by Sandhya Reddy at 2:54 PM
