Well, after living for over two years in Bangalore, and finally settling in, I planned a weekend getaway with my school friends to chill out in the so-called picturesque habitat where water heavenly gushes down from the naturally carved stone hems. It is a personal encounter, so, I won’t be formal rather blathering about the place’s pros and some cons.
The first thing that caught my attention was the fact that this place served as the shooting destination for epic Indian movies like Ravana and Asoka. It was enough to gauge its singleness and appeal.
Hogenakkal’s etymology is interesting, the prefix’s root word – ‘Hoge,’ means smoke and the word ‘Kal’ symbolizes rock. So, the literal meanings stand for – “smoke springing from the rock.” This is somewhat true. Once you reach, you can see how water wildly cascades from the top, gaining girth and character every inch. So, keep reading.
How did we reach? – The Pleasantries of the Bike Ride
I have my home in HSR, which is primarily a residential area in downtown Bangalore. Once, we (me and my other three friends) decided on this place, it was easy to find the route. We had to cover around 120 km by the road that included some 30km stretch of National Highway 48 (NH48). We decided to take the Hosur route and then return via Atibele intersection. It was a pleasant tract of the broad highway until Hosur. Thereafter, we had to set right and make our way across through two-lane highway up until Hogenakkal.
Hogenakkal’s Unique Appeal? The Pros and Cons
The first impression after arriving at the location was poor. We did not expect such a scanty outlook of the township. Maybe, that was our fault. However, the biggest challenge was to book a boat, which was something sort of a coracle (round boat) or hide-boat. We had to wait for nearly two hours. After booking the ride, which was a hefty Rs 750 BTW, the boatman set on his long and tiring stride to get the life jackets for us. This was the single most dull moment for us. We waited and anticipated and discussed some politics. Finally, we were able to sit on the hide-boat, which I presume was leaking the whole time. However, the nonchalant personality of the ferryman made our day.
How Good is it?
The river Kaveri forms in the Brahmagiri Mountains of Western Ghats and gushes down building momentum. As more and more tributaries flow into the river, it becomes grander. In Hogenakkal, the river flows through rocky terrains, forming many waterfalls, some of which are over 60 feet. The rocky part, where the vortex in Hogenakkal falls spreads the water throughout the expanse of heavenly carbonite rocks, makes it look out of the world.
The Hogenakkal waterfall is located near the border between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. You will see two different coracle types; the blue life jacket belongs to the boats of Karnataka, and the red belongs to the ferries of Tamil Nadu. That’s about it.
The Hogenakkal waterfall is located near the border between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. You will see two different coracle types; the blue life jacket belongs to the boats of Karnataka, and the red belongs to the ferries of Tamil Nadu. That’s about it.
Once you start the ride you will start hearing the hums of the water gushing down fiercely. The ferryman will take you as close as possible to the waterfall and will spin the coracle. Here you have to make sure you get a pair of extra clothes because you will be completely soaked. With the torrent of the magnificent Kaveri River, you will surely appreciate the generosity of nature in this place.
A Few Interesting Highlights
- Oil Massages:Once you reach the spot, you can see underwear-clad men roaming jovially with their oil-covered body. Some masseurs will come to you and courteously ask for oil massages. I declined largely due to my unwillingness to unclothe in public.
- Spectacular Bathing Experience: Once you have experienced the fascinating waterfall, you can head to the quietest part of the Kaveri River, where you can bath or swim. Also, you can see hordes of small fish swimming – quite an extraordinary experience!
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