A day by the riverside...
We were in a mood to celebrate the passing of an important and memorable year and we came up with the idea of a day trip. Both of us were also badly in need of a break and it had been ages since we had planned a day’s outing from Bangalore, a city we’ve called home for over 7 years now. So on the last Sunday of 2014, we set out along with two other friends (and loads of goodies!), with a number of riverside spots within the Cauvery National Park as our destination.
It turned out to be a wonderful choice of a day, as the weather gods were totally on our side all day long, blessing us with cool breeze and overcast skies (but thankfully, no rain) in an exceptionally warm and sunny winter. It was a smooth drive to Kanakpura with minimal traffic early in the morning, and melodies from the 80’s and 90’s playing on the radio; putting us in even better spirits. However, we missed the turning at the Sathanur junction which comes soon after and proceeded on to the next junction, Hagalur. Here, we had a quick breakfast of sumptuous home-made chicken sandwiches, and I’m so glad we did! Once inside the forest, which is home to hundreds of common langurs, taking out even a morsel of food is risky business; and we had our own not-quite memorable encounter after a while.
We proceeded on a rather picturesque road from Hagalur onwards which leads to the forest and to the Bheemeshwari fishing camp (our first destination). Though a rather narrow two-way road, there wasn’t a lot of traffic and we enjoyed the pleasing drive through fields growing mostly sugarcane, millets and banana; interspersed with quaint villages and settlements every now and then. This is a fertile and green part of the state and there were ocassional water bodies too, overgrown with hyacinth and weeds, but adding to the overall rustic charm of the scenery. Needless to say, the day provided a lot of opportunities for bird watching, though unfortunately we weren’t able to capture much of it on camera. We saw over 10 species of birds most of which, though not all, I could identify. The highlights for me were the sighting of a Green bee-eater and several Purple moorhens, both of which I haven’t seen live before.
Soon we reached the forest checkpost, after which the road deteriorated significantly but was completely made up for with the scenery unfolding around us. It was amazing… the tree cover on both sides (though not very dense), the fresh cool air and stillness of the forest with birdcalls; only occasionally interrupted by a vehicle whooshing by on the narrow path. The terrain is quite hilly in many places and hence only experienced drivers are recommended on this route. Since it was not just after the monsoon, we weren’t expecting a very ‘green’ forest but what we saw instead was also quite memorable. The mostly deciduous (?) trees of the forest were drying out at different rates in the winter, leading to their foliage being in various stages of green, yellow and brown. From a distance, as we looked at the higher slopes, it gave an impression of ‘fall colours’, though of course not quite as vivid. There were frequent groups of langurs by the wayside and dotting the trees, observing the passing vehicles with patient attention. We moved on through the forest route, finally arriving in a zone where we caught occasional glimpses of the Cauvery flowing by. There were signboards highlighting that the forest is home to leopards, elephants and giant squirrel (though of course, we met only langurs along the road!) and the river is perilous on account of crocodiles and whirlpools.
By continuing along the same path, we reached our next destination: Muthati, where the river widens out and is accompanied by a rocky-sandy shoreline, almost forming a beach. This is also a place of worship and a popular site for picnics, and we saw many groups in various stages of preparation of their midday meal, including the sacrifice of the goat or chickens to be cooked. In spite of these sights, it is a tranquil and beautiful place and we spent quite some time here, relaxing at the riverside and enjoying the cool water, the scenery and beautiful weather. We didn't however spot the Mahaseer fish, which is known to populate this region of the river in great numbers. The only incident that happened here was the loss of a pack of Chiwda to a big langur within minutes after alighting from our vehicle, in spite of our attempts to fight it out (though not for long).
We started for the Cauvery-Arkavathi Sangam next; the confluence of the two rivers. The road through the forest got progressively worse making it a rather long and slow drive, and compounding our apprehension about whether we could make it to the Sangam and to Mekedatu (the highlight of our trip) in time before daylight weans away. Along the way, we encountered a forest fire over a long stretch, and though it was in the distance we could hear the crackling of burning wood and feel the smoke and heat; adding to an overall eerie feeling. We were curious to figure out whether it was a natural fire or a man-made event for clearance, but the unperturbed behaviour of the few locals we saw suggested the latter possibility.
We finally reached Sangam around 3 pm with good time in hand for Mekedatu. Public vehicles are allowed only upto the Sangam where the river has to be crossed to get to the other side, and to Mekedatu. Ironically, though the place has signs indicating the many dangers of getting into the water, in absence of sufficient water level to run coracles, the only option is to cross it on foot. The zone which was used for crossing wasn’t particularly treacherous, but it wasn’t a pleasant affair as we had to walk through waist deep cold water with the river bed either lined with sharp stones or with big slippery rocks, neither of which were visible through the water clearly. Anyhow, we got to the other side half-wet and a bit perturbed, and got into a bus waiting to take us to Mekedatu. It was a rusty, old country bus which looked like parts of it were just waiting to break off and it finally started moving along the narrow bumpy road, overloaded with passengers much beyond its capacity. The sight of the Cauvery, in her rockiest and wildest stretch, flowing by in parallel, kept us engrossed on the 15 minute ride.
Exactly around this zone is a cluster of rocks with carved surfaces, up to where people are allowed to venture. The presence of vigilante security guards gravely reminded us that it is a very risky place that has been witness to numerous deaths over the years. We proceeded to the safest surface on the rocks very carefully; where we spent some time admiring the amazing beauty of the rock structures and the immense power of the frothing, flowing water below. It is indeed a place and sight that will be etched in our memory for a long time to come.
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