Unforgettable Tales - NeGd Waterfalls

 I've been enjoying hiking to the waterfalls as i think they're very romantic, so this time i was quite excited to explore a new waterfall in UttarKannada District with my team. The entire morning hours Prsanna was driving, as navigation is difficult due to the lack of info and so many deviations. As we arrived the intersection where the road divides into South road and South-east Rd, the skies were now cloudy and Grey. And yes, there were visible raindrops.

Shakily driving up a steep and slippery muddy hill road unknowingly we lost our way and the ground turned so slippery the poor discovery which runs on NetGD region tires had no choice than to follow the ruts. After cresting a little butte the track dipped into a large, terribly rutted slippery. Then the unavoidable happened our vehicle clanked into a mud, the back tires damp clay sucks in vehicle foolish enough to stray across its path during the wet season. It was completely trapped.

I floored the right pedal but the vehicle didn't respond well. With a soft Smack the Discovery found its resting place, after careful watching the vehicle from every angle, stumbling in the mud and getting wet we came to the conclusion that it was well stuck. I was proud of myself about this deduction. So I had to come to the conclusion that I'd need some helping hand.

 A local farmer man came walking down the track and I quickly approached him for help. We both together went up to the high attitude terrain to get mobile network. Thanks to modern electronics the phone was working. He phoned to his few resourceful friends to ask more technical help, a local farmer eventually helped out by offering the rope while villagers gathered at the scene and after half an hour few more added all of their support with their immense help finally we came out from the biggest trouble. We began to relax for while and one villager agreed to join with us for further trail and we ventured to further south.

 The further trail was still quite challenging with a good deal of soapy ground and very nasty fallen trees. After 2.5kms drive we left our vehicle and started to walk on leaches surrounded muddy track.

 The trek started in a little village with an uphill than the track went along a large forest before plunging in it and following a small stream. Beginning part of the walk, the trail looks good and for most part the trail was bearable but about half in the trail passes through the vast paddy fields and it became very muddy and a hazard.

 After crossing the Paddy fields we crossed a small stream and a pale trail leading up into the deep forest again. The trail looked so beautiful and untouched that we would totally see a brontosaurus roll out into the valley. The vegetation was predominantly thick evergreen forests with green grass and the cluster of trees.

 Most of the trail in under the cover of trees so it wasn't too bad. I love that the trees above provide a lot of shade so it is a cool hike. I love the lush plants and enjoy the various giant banyan trees, bamboo forest and flowers. Didn't take too long to get to the waterfall, probably 45 minutes there and the same walking back. By the time we reached hill top opposite to amazing Canyon is the waterfalls all that effort it now seemed, had been in vain. The water is fresh water and its amazing after a sweaty hike up to it.

 When we see the falls, wow it's high. With deep narrow gorges sheltered by impressive woodland and the scenery is marvelous and generally sheltered terrain makes it an ideal outing when cloud obscures the peaks. This waterfall is most beautiful during the monsoons when the falls creates a spectacular view with water plunging down in 4 tiers of approx 500 feet height creating deafening noise that could be heard from a distance.

 Our day at NetGd Waterfalls opened up a new world of Western-Ghat to us and our philosophy of avoiding the crowds and exploring the unbeaten track once again lead us to unforgettable tales.

Bolle Mane Waterfalls

We started in the lower Kudremukh region in rainy time, a beautiful unexplored waterfalls with a set of Eighteen members. The trekking to the waterfall can be hard specially during the monsoon but the natural beauty, sound of the flowing water and the cool breeze is sure to mesmerize and keep up the energy high with enthusiasm.

The up hill trek was challenging demanding endurance at every moment. The purity of the place was commendable, pumping and making good the required energy to our tired body and soul. Most of the folks from our group not trekked to Bolle Mane Waterfall and most of the them were quite happy about the decision to be courageous for trekking and having a lifetime experience.

After another 90 minutes of delicate treading and fighting against severe arachnophobia, we stumbled into paradise. What literally gleamed in front of us was an infinity pool that cascaded over the top of the cliff and presented a view of untouched, luscious mountains, and it was all ours. At the closer view of the falls all of our tiredness vanished & all of a sudden there was zest in mind, which started jumping with great happiness seeing the falls.

We spent some time around waterfall to relax and have some splashes under the fall. Nervously we entered the depths of its waters and after another 10 minutes of ice-cold bathing and we were ready to climb back.

Bolle Mane Waterfalls is most beautiful during the monsoons, which happens with most of the waterfalls. The natural beauty sound of the flowing water and the cool breeze is sure to mesmerize and leave you spellbound.

Dodmane waterfalls

 

It had been a long time since I trekked. Last time I did some trekking was around 5 months ago. After that I always wanted to go for a trek to waterfalls during the Monsoon season. So I decided to do the Monsoon trek in Aghanashini Valley and finally our trek was on. Monsoon treks are always fun. It might be a big risk to trek in a place where it rains continuously but a trek to Aghanashini Waterfalls was worth the risk.

 

One of the best and hardest treks that I had ever been in this Monsoon. It tests both physical and mental toughness. I with 10 group of friends went to this beautiful unmapped waterfalls hoping that we would reach easily. Rain was raining heavily all along the trek. we parked our vehicle just next to the Ghat road and prepared our-self for breakneck adventure. We heard a big sound from the Ghat road.

But we couldn't see the waterfalls distinctly. So we need to mount the another side of the hill towards a edge of the valley on a slippery muddy forest. Forest is very dense and there is no marked path for us to go. We would have to walk about 15minutes along the edge of the valley holding shrubs and roots in slippery muddy woods to reach the waterfalls.As I mentioned before this hike is without trail, bush walk through the woods toward the sound of flowing water.This entire section upto the viewpoint is about half mile. Note that the ground is soft here a sigh of frequent flooding. This is why the hiking is very slow.And the final leg of hike is the steepest anf trickiest.

The place was just awesome we were in almost top of the Ghat (mountain) covered with thick forest with stream flowing in front of us. Dodmane waterfalls turned out to be quite good, water falls in 3 stages with the last being the biggest in height. We stand on edge of the valley with no conversations and everyone looking at the cascade the surrounding mountains covered with dense forest and the stream running down with huge volume to the Aghanashini Valley.

 

Two things we had to watch out here was one is for the green snakes and another one is Leaches.

There is a route next to the top of the Ghat Road which leads to the top of the falls. Other than the main falls, the small falls on the way makes this trek more interesting. We took so much of risk but finally had the feeling of accomplishing something. It was a pleasant feeling. Wonderful, memorable and eye pleasing trek it was.

Uncharted Udupi – Kotepare Islands Expedition

Just a ferry ride away from the bustle of my place by far the most visible though remotely located legacy of KotePare Island is a lush, abandoned and green getaway for adventurers. On few weeks back, one find day I decided to take risk a bit so I headed with my best friends to explore few abandoned islands in Arabian Sea.

There are three rocky islands to the northern-most island is called Daria Gadara Kallu, the middle one Daria Bahadurgad and the southern most Kari Eillada Kallu. The sea between the rocky islands and the shore is a safe anchorage for vessels during storms and rough weather.

From the Key west we boarded a ferry and set sail into open waters. This little piece of our journey began. It was a delight to witness the blue beauty all around, so close to us. Eyes seemed to be enjoying this space so serene and peacefully clean. Before all land disappears, literally in the middle of the nowhere a massive abandoned 17th century fort surrounded another two beautiful islands, after all it’s not every day to get visit such a remote tropical islands featuring a moat encircled abandoned fort.

The boat seemed comfortably occupied with the 7 of us seated in it. It take just 30 minutes journey on the ferry that was soon made ready to land Kotepare island. The deal was to take us to the island, let us spend an hour in each island and drop us back at the sea shore. In case if we caught by the Coastal Guard in the ocean either we sent back or suit case or penalty for entering restricted area. If we make it to land safely, then its OK.

Among these three islands this 40 acre island is steeped in history and represents a beautiful example of an abandoned site transformed into useful recreation space for the soul. It was so different a feeling, being on land, amidst greenery and rocks and find myself surrounded by water all around. We decided to live this moment on the shore of the island! Feel the purity of water around and the warmth of the rocks untapped.

The fort on the island of Badhragada is said to have been built by Basavappa Nayaka of Bidanur constructed in early 17^th centuary. It is gorgeous, heavily nurtured and bundled with natural treasure. On the serene lap of the tides were mighty but never seemed violent. Fort was supposed to be a main line of coastal defense but by the time it was dedicated the design was virtually obsolete. In 1763 Hyder Ali captured Bidanur and sacked the city and thus commenced his rule over Tulunadu. On his death in 1782 his son Tippu Sultan assumed the throne and ruled the fort until 18th century.

Exploring depths in Island, visitors might encounter flocks In fact all that remains of the fort are its dilapidated traces, but the lush shrubbery forests with the steep slopes surrounding the fort gives it the aura of mystery and a sinister charm. Though the fort has lost all it’s grandeur and is left in neglect for the most part, the lush green forests, blue skies as far as the eyes can see, and silence so resounding that you can hear your own breath, surely invites any heart wanting to loose itself in the lap of nature.

Entire three stairs fort wall have literally fallen into the ground. The elements especially fierce tropical storms continue to take this large Fort apart brick by brick each year, and due to it’s remoteness and policies of the states it’s not in the list for and neglected by Tourism and Archeological departments restoration funds. it’s not hard to see why rumors of haunting at the fort persist the ruins of the fort could easily serve as the setting for a horror film.

The ruined vestiges shows the major problem faced by inhabitants of the island was a total lack of fresh sweet water Originally water would drip through the underground and collect into a series of pools. However, cracks developed, and the system never worked.

The other thing that really blew me away about Kotepare Island was how much freedom we had to explore. For most Islands I’ve ever been to, anything with this level of decay tends to be completely off-limits to abdicable visitors. it really is refreshing to be able to explore such an amazing place with few restrictions. In fact, our tour was quite small and it was easily to feel like we were alone.

The western coasts of the islands are a seashell haven with seashells of various shapes and sizes littered along the coast. There is few beautiful clean sand beaches to swim and relax. Here where the seaside soft sand tickles under bare feet and the water touches with caring which is perfect corner for bathing the huge waves are stop by colorful rocks which can see the reflection of the sun. The western part of the island is scatted with basaltic rocks but there are flat slabs to sit and enjoy the serenity of the place.

 

We spent 2 hours on the island, the island provides a great backdrop for some good photographs. The ruined vast Fort adorn the island. In the distance, we could just make out the lighthouse of the Daria Gadara Kallu or Lighthouse Island. What could be more beautiful than to be on an island sit by the edge of the fort wall and watch the surrounding heaven on-shores, it was time to wrap up all the good times and take them back as memories forever...