Hogenakkal Waterfalls

Where is it?

Around 125 KM from Bengaluru, on the Kaveri river right on the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

What is it?

They call it the Niagara of India but after stating unequivocally in my previous blog that nature is incomparable, I will just ask you to make up your mind after looking at the pictures below as some things are indescribable.

Hogenakkal Waterfalls as the moon begins to shine

Hogenakkal Waterfalls from an alternate view

Hogenakkal Waterfalls: The gorge on the Kaveri River

If the sights look familiar then you have probably seen them in movies such as Roja or Raavanan.

How do I explore the area?

If you are visiting the falls during the rainy or winter seasons then you will not be allowed to take the boat to view the falls. Instead there will be a separate viewpoint to explore the region.

My trip fell in March so I got to use the small round boats known as coracles to catch some eye-popping views.

Hogenakkal Waterfalls: Coracles on the Kaveri river

Coracles on the Kaveri river at sunset

What else do I get to see apart from the cliffs and the falls?

Once you pass through the gorge a beautiful sandy beach awaits you where most boats typically stop in order for you to take a few snaps. The beach packs some fantastic views and is worth exploring. On the way to the beach you will also get a taste of the local village life where you will see vendors selling you pineapple pieces from their own coracles.

Sandy beach on the Kaveri river

Sights from the beach on the Kaveri river

What should I take care of?

Ensure you have your life jacket on as long as you are close to the water
Sit in the boat as per the boatman's instructions and do not change positions while on water as any sudden change might imbalance the boat
Only swim in areas designated by the boatman and do not take unnecessary chances as the depth in certain areas of the river could be as high as 80ft
Pack an additional pair of clothes so that you can switch from the wet ones once you finish the ride

Kaveri River at the intersection of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

Final Thoughts

As the sun began to set on the hills and night fell the entire return journey assumed surrealistic proportions. The resplendent moon, the hue of the sky and the boats in the distance all seemed to convey a story worthy of a Wordsworth poem. You don't plan for such moments, you just take them in and feel grateful for having experienced it.

Next time you are close to Bengaluru, spare a day for Hogenakkal Waterfalls. The hills, the forest and the river all hark back to the bygone era where life was simpler and needs were less. A night under the stars, a tryst with nature, a day away from all the razzmatazz. Maybe that's the elixir we all need from time to time.

Rated: Must Visit

Until Next Time,

Your World Traveller,

Chaitanya J.J.

Comments

Goran Ivanisevic: A hero for all seasons (Part 2)

The turn of the millennium signaled the business end of school for me. With the retirement of most of my favorites I no longer found the time to follow and watch tennis. But all of that was about to change with the comeback of a hero whom no one gave a chance. 2001 Wimbledon I had just finished school when the 2001 Wimbledon Championships rolled in. I had plenty of time on hand but had no interest in the championships as Pete Sampras the defending champion was in ominous form and with all due respect to Sampras I had no interest seeing him lift the trophy once again. Two days into Wimbledon I was extremely surprised and thrilled to know that Ivanisevic was playing in the championships on a wild card . By that point Ivanisevic had almost retired with a recurring shoulder injury. If a slump in form and fitness wasn't enough his father's heart problem and sister's cancer diagnosis pushed him to the edge. Ranked 125 in the world , his final attempt at glory was a ...

Zamarrud Theatre Hyderabad

More than two decades ago a 5 year old boy (yours truly) found himself in Abids which was certainly then the microcosm of Hyderabad. Abids in the 80s <Courtesy: OkaTeluguAbbayi > The occasion was a family outing to Zamarrud Cinema. And we are stepping out for not just any movie my friends, my parents decided that nothing less than the Raj Kapoor blockbuster Chori Chori was good enough for us. To be honest I wasn't exactly enthused about watching a black and white film of a bygone era even though the movie had all the credentials of a classic. But that was before I saw Zamarrud, the theatre where the movie was being played. Nested in the heart of Abids, Zamarrud was the perfect amalgamation of Hyderabad's old world charm and new fangled ways. Zamarrud was not just any theatre, it was one of the first air conditioned halls in Hyderabad, a premiere cinema hall which used to host the best of what the film industry had to offer and the place to go for Hyderabad...

KBR National Park

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the fifth largest city in India - Hyderabad lies KBR (Kasu Brahmananda Reddy) National Park . It's difficult to imagine a natural habitat in the center of a concrete jungle but that's exactly what KBR park is - an oasis in middle of an urban desert . One of Hyderabad's prized tourist attractions which in my opinion doesn't get the attention it deserves. The Entrance <Courtesy: Andhra Aroma > I don't remember when I first noticed the park but it soon became a sight which I couldn't miss during the course of my everyday commute to work. I always wondered what lay beyond the entrance but never found the time to check it out for myself until last year. But let me back up a bit, there's a back story to my first visit to the park. In my ' Count Your Blessings ' post, I talked about how a walk around my office building started a positive change in my life. That incident made ' walking ' ...

Hyderabad a Biography by Narendra Luther

My 60th post had to bring me back to Hyderabad, the place where it all began. There are books which allow you to pass time and there are books which transport you into another time. ' Hyderabad a Biography ' by Mr. Narendra Luther belongs to the second category. I picked up this book a few years ago amidst intense work schedules and instantly fell in love with it for it's wit and charm. I've read books which either narrated history with gravity or recollected facts with solemnity but Mr. Luther's book was the first I read where history was recounted with generous sprinklings of humor. Plus how can I not love a book about Hyderabad, my hometown and one of the most vibrant cities on the face of earth. A city with a rich history of more than 1000 years and for centuries a melting point of cultures from all over the world . Here was a region which remained a country within a country long after India gained independence, braved it's period of turmoil and instabil...

10 Random Things about the First IPL

It's IPL time, the time of the year where cricket turns from a gentleman's game into a three ringed circus for the stars, the people and the players. It's hard to believe that it's been 10 long years since the IPL started but I just seem to remember it like yesterday. As soon I thought about the first IPL I remembered some tight finishes, some great performances, raw emotion, glamour that was on display and some utterly forgettable moments. So here are 10 random things I remember about the first IPL: Teams of the first IPL <Courtesy: Reddit > Akshay Kumar , the brand ambassador (Oh! the brand ambassadors was one way franchises burnt their hard earned money during the first IPL) for Delhi Daredevils (DD) zip-lined his way into the ground for an IPL match. DD followed his example of daredevilry all throughout the league phase before their stunt went all wrong crashing them into the ground in the semis . Ricky Ponting (yes he p...

Life Etc Etc

Search This Blog