December 2013 – Santiago the Shepherd

Got bored with the ever repeating city life, and planning for a weekend one day tour from Bangalore?

Feel the fresh air, get exposed to bright sunlight, and enjoy the different shades of green as far as you could see.

Shivanasamudra is around 130 km from Bangalore and can be reached following two different routes.

Route-1: Following Bangalore Mysore highway, take left turn at Maddur and follow the Malavalli route.

Route-2: Following NH 209 (Kanakapura road).

At Shivanasamudra town Kaveri river splits into two streams and forms two gorgeous falls called Gaganachukki and Brachukki.

We will get the majestic views of the Gaganachukki falls from the viewing tower set up by the tourism department, but from a bit far.

Barachukki falls is a place where we can really have a lot of fun.

We need to climb down through steps cut in the rocks and through bushes.

If it’s monsoon time, you will have a feel of being in the middle of hundreds of streams coming down from heaven.

Taking the Coracle and go near the falls is fun and if the Coracle guy decides to entertain you with some swirls, it’s a bit frightening as well.

Taking bath under the falls is something everyone enjoys here but during monsoon months people are not allowed to go very near to the falls.

We can a have great view of the falls from a different angle near the “Darga Hazrath Mardane Gaib (Imam Ali)” which is around 5 to 6 km from the main parking lot.

Best Time to Visit: Through out the year, but if you want to see the falls at it’s ferocious best, visit during the monsoon months (June to August).

Where to eat: There is only limited options available nearby. Tender coconut and soft drinks are available with packed snacks.

Where to stay: There is hardly any options nearby the falls, but you can find a few options in Maddur.

Other Places of interest: We can take a slightly different route to the falls through, Kokkre bellur, a village known for the migratory birds. We need to take a left turn just before reaching Maddur and it’s around 12km from the highway.

Famous Hoysala temple at Somnathpur, known for the intricate stone carved sculptures is around 50 km from the Gaganachukki falls.

Another place worth exploring is the temples of Thalakkad on the banks of river Kaveri.

This is one place, where I won’t mind going any number of times any time of the year.

There is something special about this place, the beautiful beach, interesting rock formations, the river joining the sea and most interesting of all, the small island off the beach.