Shivanasamudra!

Prelude:
Sunday, 8th of July, 2007, 06:30 am; While most of Bangalore was still in deep sleep, 1 dude and 4 dudettes were out enjoying the early morning breeze flow through their hair and greeting the sun which was yet to adore its full glory. The car cruised on the Mysore highway at a gentle speed of 80kmph with 4 excited girls, and the Avenger rode away with the rider enjoying one of his early long rides in Bangalore.

6 30 was a lovely time. The NICE road has been one of my favourite roads in Bangalore and an empty Mysore road did to compliment it. First stop, CCD at Maddur! It was not my first choice as I would like my cuppa to be more than just a tea bad dipped in hot water with milk added to make it full. But am not complaining. Once done with the quick breakfast ,which was very likely to be the only meal of the trip as there are no eating joints near our destination, Liz,Simi Lee, Ni et moi were off again.

Post Maddur the highway breaks into a Y with a Yellow Signboard which does better than it's ancestor to point left towards our destination , Shivanasamudra.

Beware of one of the worst roads I even driven on which is hardly 20 kms long but took us close to 60 mins to cover. Driving off road was better than on road. Bikers can get through faster, just hope you have comfortable seats!

The Place:
Shivanasamudra does well to give stiff competition to its more famous cousin, the Jog Falls.
Close to 110kms from the Silicon Valley of India, the 2 falls, GaganChukki and BharaChukki falls are a must visit. The falls, a product of the Kaveri River splitting into two streams and flowing down steep cliffs only to converge further downstream, are nothing less that magnificent.

GaganChukki is the horse-shoe shaped waterfall and call be seen from a viewing platform close to 300 mts away from it. But its not far enough to stop the mist rising from the deadly force of the falls to refresh you completely. The resounding sound is trance-inducing enough. Well, atleast for a nature lover like me!
Take some time to sit on the bench and take in the splendor of the very high velocity water.

The path leading closer to the falls has been closed due to accidents claiming lives of young tourists. You will find a board of appeal from a few friends who suffered the loss of a colleague.

BharaChukki fall is about a short drive from GaganChukki. Here people get to enjoy the waters in closer proximity. Although not as breath-taking as its brother, it gives one the chance to dip his legs in the cool waters. Be ready for bathing tourists! To get to these falls one needs to climb down a fleet of steep steps etched into the hill. Think of them as you stamina meter :-)

Other things of interest:
The Hydro-Electric Power Plant: Wiki informs me that this is Asia's first hydro electric power plant. I didn't know that when I was driving through it to find the falls. The small churches dotting the place give it a very welcoming feeling.

Talakad:
Talakad is a confluence of 3 rivers (hence the name). It is about a 30 kms detour from the road and yes, the roads are extremely bad.
Its a nice place to kick off your shoes and relax on the sandy shores watching the waters flow by. Be ready for hordes of tourist through, it won't be a quiet place.One can plan to visit it when heading back from Shivanasamudra.

Tips: There are no hotels or other places to eat near the falls. If you plan to spend a day there, make sure you carry food. You will only find a small shop selling beverages and the odd biscuits and chips. We filled our stomachs with salted and spiced up raw mangoes:-)
It is better to reach there early morning ,firstly because you avoid the tourists coming in later and enjoy the waters better and secondly,you could head back earlier.
Post monsoons should be the best time to visit these falls.