Talasi Abbi waterfalls

It was still raining hard and we were all soaking wet on our way to Talasi Abbi Falls. We walked through a short stretch of forest and approached the Talasi Abbi Falls. Well, as expected it was beautiful.

Once you get on top of Talasiabbi, the view was even better. We did not just Talasi Abbi Falls take some photos and all it was also a chance to experience the cold and relaxing water flowing from it.

Talasi Abbi is more the 40 feet in height and 20 feet wide, some of us decided to bottom of the fall though there was no way at the left side sliding downhill was really difficult. There were parts that the climb was almost 70 degrees. After a risky attempt holding on to wet rocks, trees, whatever we could find finally we made it to reach almost base of the waterfalls.

The views from the base were simply stirring. The roaring sound of the falls which created fumes all over were relaxes my body and soul.

We weren’t able to swim because we still have to explore some parts of the province. But we knew that the water was cool and relaxing, by just wading into it.

Trip to Sathodi Fallz

I visited the Sathodi falls during the February month with Manju and his group. I visited this waterfall twice in a year of time the first time I saw the falls in post Monsoon season we happened to show up fairly early in the morning so that couldn’t took good clicks against the sun.

Considering that it was pretty hot and humid during our second visit at gorgeous sunny day thus I believe that the water volume I witnessed was probably either at its best on early summer or close to it. We had to pass through the back waters of Kodasalli along the rough mud track. The access to the falls was strangely not well defined trail leading to it.

There are many streams that join together in the Kallaramane Ghat and cascade into a 15meters picturesque Sathodi falls. This is popularly known as the Mini Niagara. This falls forms a part of the Ganeshgudi forest range. It presents a great view when one sees it cascading down from a mountaintop with lush green hills as its backdrop.

As it touches the ground it flows towards the backwaters of Kodasali Dam and finally mergers into it. The serene environment of the adjoining area is instrumental in attracting travelers to the Sathodi Falls. After Vehicle Park 10 minute’s easy walk across the Kali River back water laid us to the bottom of the waterfalls.

At that time, there were a handful of people cooling off in its waters or just chilling out in the shade caused by the nearby overhanging cliffs. The bright sun also made the scene very bright making it tough to take that long exposure shot which leaves the shady confines of the gorge and tumbles into an open amphitheater baked by the sun.

We got drenched at the winds as well as the maid of the mist, after spending for 30 minutes few of us decided to take bath on rime water and we also got to hear and feel the power of the falls from very close distance. There was solid composition of red, crystalline limestone. The mighty rocks have been roughened by the vagaries of burning Sun uncontrolled winds and torrential rains.

This waterfall caused the rocks of this layer and those layers underneath to erode and break away the falling rocks some larger than a house fell down to the stream bottom. It is these rocks which restricted the water flow of the Sathodi which has resulted in the rapids in Monsoon time.

 Brown Vine Snake

Ahaetulla nasutus Variety Isabellinus Vine snake Non venomous. They have a slender but long body with a pointed head. The pointed beak-like nose and the horizontal eye slit is characteristic of these snakes. Its head is the same width as its body. The under side of the body is light brown or yellow. When threatened it flattens its entire body to exhibit the white and black color present between the scales. They are so completely blended in their surrounding environment that they are almost invisible.

A Taxing Journey to CKR Waterfalls and The Isolated lands of Western-Ghats

Unexpectedly it rained for the entire night on October 1, and a little more on the next, and has been continued for three days. Udupi, Ghat regions received most of rainfall on October 2, a day when I went to one of the most treacherous pass in the Ghats to trek the most isolated waterfall I’ve been on this year. It is raining as I write, but October month was not supposed to be rained on this region, it was good Monsoon in our district then compare to some other places even though it rained late.

After an elongated drive we able to find one person who known well about this waterfall and also the entire region.  After 10 minutes walk we crossed one small brook, by now we have started to understand that this is not going to be an easy trek ahead. We found a great diversity in plant life along the way. We are certain that we didn't miss any alternative trail along the way but there is still no clear way ahead.

Halfway down the views were amazing. We then hiked through the rain forest for several hours, where it was raining. Somehow discovers that there is a sparsely vegetated walkway through the dense bush ahead, and claims that the trail is lying beneath it. We move into the vegetation, unsure of what we are placing our steps on. Within a few minutes, any possibility of a return becomes remote as the trail we just passed through becomes untraceable. The trees are blocking any view of the outside world.

At least it was when we could still see the sky. We are in a soaked and shadowy world. But we need to go ahead. We can't accept defeat so easily. An hour passes by we are still alive and have reached the edge of the rocky plateau. Guide said because of weather condition it can’t able to approach further downer levels, the rain and overflow in river the waterfalls becomes not accessible to reach. Our legs don't really want to walk further because of uncertainty, so we decided to try this waterfall in some occasion.

The River becomes visible to our right. Few hundred meters downer of us lays Roaring River with overflow and it's time to take some rest on plateau. We are somewhat hungry but decide to take lunch on the completion of day's trek. The watch shows its 2 pm. The trouble starts shortly once again heavy rain started we restart our journey and the track became worst and more slippery than before. Because of thick fog the jungle become denser as before and the trail is not clearly visible.

Wherever there are rainforests, there is the potential for leeches, during the trek, we found dreadfully leeches everywhere on our legs sucking blood, those Leeches got inside the boots and under socks; we doing a leech check often but still they are in huge numbers so we couldn’t flee from leech bite. I found Detol and Vix to rub around the tops of my socks kept them out of shoes. I believe they inject some sort of anticoagulant to make the blood keep flowing.

In the end, I had to take off at least 50 leeches from my body. They're clever! - They crawled under my sock and inner-wear so I wouldn't spot it until after it had a good feed the leeches would have loved it. We got all the leaches off then began to return home.

There are numerous trekking routes throughout the Reserve, some involving risky camping in the jungle so the Reserve is certainly for the adventurous. For most of the trails, it's sensible to get a guide - unlike climbing mountains, I can imagine it would be easy to get lost by yourself - also, there no signposts or details available. There is a Grass canopy hill is called Gopigudda at western-end of the Reserve. Here at sunrise and sunset, you might see millions of birds and also sight of Arabian Sea on a clean sunny day from the top of the hill. Most of these places seemed to me to be very isolated, innovative and attractive.

Shettihalli Church

  The Rosary Church at Shettihalli was built by French missionaries in 1860 for British estate owners around Sakleshpur. Every year as the monsoons fill up the reservoir, the church retires to the submerged world and as the water level recedes it emerges in all its glory.The ruins have a mysterious charm to them but I visited this place at last summer.

The church was reportedly built with mortar and bricks and a mixture of jaggery and eggs - the secret sauce that helped it withstand the elements for almost 150 years. It was submerged during the construction of the Reservoir across Hemavathy River at Gorur, to irrigate lands in Hassan, Tumkur and Mandya districts. It stays submerged in water half the year and lives above it during the other half! It is difficult to believe that there was once a thriving population around the church. When the reservoir was built, the villagers were rehabilitated to Channarayapatna and Arkalgud.

The architecture looks very European which adds all the more charm to the setting. The Church built in typical Gothic style; it has got pointed arches and ribbed vaults. The height of the structure, judging by what remains, is considerably more than its width - another standard feature of the Gothic style. It is built in the Latin cross plan, with a long nave making the body of the church towards the western facade, and two transverse arms to its either side.

The nave and the transepts are adorned with long pointed arches in cluster of three. There is a partly destroyed tower behind alter which probably had a huge bell hanging on the top. I can only imagine the majesty of this structure in its peak days, with possibly stained glass covering those big arches and windows! The atmosphere was so mesmerizing, especially with the setting sun adding its own beauty to the mix.

The church as such is relatively huge with nothing but the skeleton of the structure in place. The columns, the architecture and few walls are preserved just so much so that one can fill in the missing pieces of puzzle to imagine what it would’ve looked like.