Jolly Miles

After wasting two consecutive extended weekends we wanted to make the next weekend count. As always all possible options were discussed and eliminating one by one we zeroed down to Shivanasamudra falls considering the demands and constraints of all. Shivanasamudra is a segmented waterfall on the Kaveri river. Google images were downloaded and a lot of travel blogs were explored to get a proper idea. A 13 seat Tempo Traveler was booked and we were all set to go.

Major attractions: Gaganachukki Falls and Bharachukki Falls

Best time to visit: Monsoons [July-October]

Distance: Our odometer read 143 km from Bangalore.

6:45 AM: We started from Bangalore as a group of 13 people. We took the NICE Ring road and then the Malavalli-Kanakpura road (NH 209). We stopped in between to have our breakfast in a roadside South Indian restaurant. It’s important to have a proper breakfast as there aren’t many places where you can have proper food near the waterfalls. We turned left near Malavalli and Gaganchukki is 20-30 mins from there. Basically, Shivanasamudram waterfall has two drops: Gaganachukki and Bharachukki.

10:30 AM: We reached the Gaganachukki falls. We parked our cab. The parking charges are Rs.30. From here itself we can see glimpses of the Gaganachukki falls. Then we moved forward and there were steps which took us down to a place where there was a vantage point. Barbed fences were laid to prevent the visitors from going any further. Gaganachukki offers an enchanting view. The sight of two humongous columns of water dropping from 98 meter splashing milky white foams with a huge roar is absolutely mesmerizing. We clicked many photographs here and then had coconut water and some fruits. There is another viewpoint of the Gaganachukki falls from the Hazrath Mardane Gaib Dargah which can be seen on the opposite side. However, most visitors agree that this side offers a better view than the dargah side.

11:20 AM: We started for our second destination, the Bharachukki falls. From Gaganachukki, Bharachukki falls is a drive of 12 to 15 Km. On the way we get to see an old and abandoned bridge. River Kaveri flows alongside the road and we can see some barrages and water channels on the way.

Actually, Shivanasamudra falls have a Hydroelectric power plant which was established in 1902 making it one of the earliest hydro projects of Asia. On our way, we were stopped and Rs.30 was charged as entry fees which also served as the parking ticket.

11:50 AM: We reached the Bharachukki falls. There are about 200 steps which take us to the bottom of the waterfall. These steps are quite big and climbing up while returning is difficult especially for elderly people. There are two vantage platforms on the way where we can get a picturesque view of the waterfall.

Bharachukki falls is quite different from the Gaganachukki falls. Here there are many dropping water columns. Unlike the Gaganachukki here visitors are allowed to go into the water. There are lots of people bathing and swimming in the water. However, the rate of water flow is quite fast and one must stay within limits of safety to avoid any accidents. The best part here is the coracle boat ride. Coracle boats are hemispherical boats made up of interwoven bamboo splinters. Local boatmen who operate these coracles charge Rs.100 per person and each boat carries 5-7 people. We took 2 boats and the boatman on our request took us very close to the waterfall. He even halted there for some time which allowed us to take pictures of the fall.

Most of us got completely drenched in the process. Nonetheless, it was a worthy experience. On our way back at a point he swiftly rotated the boat 360 degrees many times which added to the thrill. We alighted the boat and then dried ourselves before climbing back. Overall it was an awesome place to visit. We again had some snacks and coconut water before we started for Talakadu.

2:30 PM: We started for Talakadu. Talakadu is a small village nearby which is around 30 km from the Bharachukki falls. It has some ancient temples, most of them buried under the soil. It also has a river bank where visitors bath and play water volleyball and all. On our way, we had to pay a village entry fee of Rs.50 (you may escape this if you are on a personal vehicle (whiteboard)) to the villagers and then Rs.10 to the forest guards.

3:15 PM: We reached Talakadu. Here there are few local alfresco veg restaurants. There are no better places to eat so we had to have our lunch at one of these restaurants which charged Rs.75 per meal. After that, we went to the river bank. Some of my friends took bath and played in the river while others sat on the beach and enjoyed the view and visited nearby places.

5:20 PM: We started our return journey to Bangalore. Overall it was a very entertaining and satisfying trip and we all enjoyed it.

Perhaps it is the best one day trip from Bangalore and Mysore and anyone living in these two cities must not miss the opportunity to see these two beautiful waterfalls.

DOs:

1. Visit both Gaganachukki and Bharachukki falls.
2. Carry lunch and extra clothes.
3. Don’t miss the Coracle boat ride.

DONTs:

1. Don’t carry food items to Gaganachukki (lots of monkeys).
2. Stay safe and don’t venture into deep water.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Please share your views and experiences of Shivanasamudra falls in the comments section below.