Hogenakkal Falls

This one was an other of the most unplanned trip of ours. All we wanted to do when we got into our car on fine Sunday morning was to simply have breakfast from The Koshys. We were dressed casually for breakfast and didn't have plans for that Sunday. After breakfast we decided to check out Bannerghatta National Park, may be take a trip in their caged vans through the enclosures. We drove to Bannerghatta and took the van ride. It was a good trip. We had lunch from their canteen and were about to leave when a sign board pointing the opposite direction said Anekkal 80kms. I didn't know what was so special about that place but Krish wanted to take that route real bad and I agreed. Some crazy routes later we ended up in a road towards Hogennakkal.

Now I wanted to go to Hogennekkal but I wanted it to be a relaxing trip.It was already 4. It would be around 6 when we reach there. But again Krish just wanted the drive. We drove through the beautiful yellow foliage covered hills to the falls.We reached there by 5:30 and the last coracle for had left. It was 6 people per coracle and 100 per head. Seeing us one particular guy offered to take us around if we agreed to pay for the entire boat. Krish agreed . I walked down towards the falls through a river and we started the ride.

VIEW OF THE GORGE FROM THE CORACLE.

The falls were made by the river Kaveri as it fell down the carbonate rocks and cuts it to make a gorge. The rower told us that one side of the gorge was Tamil Nadu district and the other was Karnataka.We boarded from the Tamil Nadu side.

THE HOGENAKKAL FALLS

Boating was allowed only in summer when the Falls were in low intensity.The coracles took us close enough to touch the falls. He also told us that earlier when you toss a coin from the coracle to the water local kids would jump from the top of the gorge to pick up the coin from the river bed!.

TOUCHING THE WATERFALLS

There were food and drink coracles taking loops in the gorge, They were loaded with chips and soft drinks. They would row down to your coracle and serve you on the spot!.

PHOTO SHOOT!

Taking an exclusive boat had its perks. He let us climb on to the gorge and click pics and everything. He also did a rotation of the boat in mid water and even let Krishna row for a while.

ROWING ALONG KAVERI

PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE GORGE

We rowed towards the other side of the gorge to the sandy banks and let us spend some time there. It was around 6 then. We walked down to were the river was flowing really shallow but with a huge current. It was fun to play in the crystal clear waters during twilight.

TWILIGHT

SPLASHING AND FISHING :P

There were make shift stalls in the bank which sold fried fish. I didn't want to try it out from the look of it but the lady there played her sentiments as it was closing time and we ended up buying the last plate. I regretted it later on. The fish is kept coated in some bright red masala and the oil was old and black. The fish wasn't even cleaned properly and it stank. I threw it away wit. Whathout eating:(. What a waste of resource. Coming from Bangalore where we got only frozen fish caught days ago, here they make a disaster out of the fresh fish they have.

FRESH FRIED FISH

It was nearly dark when we reached the banks. On the walk back to the car along the river I was attacked by a monkey !.I threw the 7 up bottle I had at it and grabbed the bottle opened the cap and started drinking out of it. The bloody monkey scratched my leg .:@.