Chunchanakatte Waterfalls...

Last week end I visited K R Nagar to attend a function and later I planned to visit this Holy & scenic place. As per plans I caught the regular KSRTC bus it was a short journey but it took almost one hour on our superbly maintained roads, getting down in Chunchanakatte village after a few minutes’ walk I reached this magnificent waterfall.

Here Cauvery flows into Chunchankatte roaring thunderously forming a 60 feet height and approximately 300 to 400 feet wide waterfalls. The river falls in two small cascades before joining again to flow as one. It is also said that when Sita Mata was tired and weary and wanted to have a bath, Lord Ram directed Lakshman to fire an arrow at a rock, once Lakshmana fired the arrow, water in 3 different shades started pouring out, one with turmeric, one with oil and one with shigekai (fruit for hair - natural shampoo).

These shades are visible even today when there is huge amount of water flowing in the falls. These shades are visible even today when there is considerable amount of water flowing in the falls. Before the power plant was established, this place was like paradise on earth with nature at its best.

There is an ancient temple built here dedicated to Lord Kodandarama. The uniqueness of the idol installed here is that Sita is standing to the right side of Sri Rama instead of the usual left. Legend describes that Lord Rama during his tenure in the forests stayed in this place on the behest of the tribal couple Chuncha and Chunchi.

It seems during that time there was not a drop of water here, and when Rama’s wife Sita wanted to have a bath, Rama instructed his brother Lakmana to facilitate Sita Devi’s wish. Lakmana shot an arrow on the rocks and water started gushing out in plenty and Sita Devi could take her bath.

Also in this forest Lord Rama met Agnatha Rishi (Unknown Sage) and was impressed by his devotion to lord Narayana, so Rama asked the Rishi to ask for a boon and the Rishi asked Lord Rama that he desired to see Lord Rama with Sita on his right side. The boon was granted and so was the idol installed in the same manner. There are two Hanuman temples, one at the entrance to the temple and the other after the temple near the river.

The most astonishing feature of this temple is that even though the falls beside the temple makes a deafening noise, inside the Garbhagudi (Sanctum Santorum) nothing of the roar can be heard. It is as though the falls does not exist. The legend narrated for this phenomenon goes like this – it seems Lord Rama was tired of Sita Devi’s constant complaining so he cursed that women should not talk unnecessarily and add to the noise pollution.

Even though women till now do not seem to have been touched by the curse, river Cauvery’s (who is considered a woman) roar at least is not heard in the Garbhagudi of the temple.

Every time I visit temples I return back with a different energy, feeling transported to the eras which those temples were built and the masters who constructed that wonderful piece of art deserve to be honored.......