Gokarna

’’There is something about safari life that makes you forget all your sorrows and feel as if you had drunk half a bottle of champagne.’’

-Karen Blixen

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Ever wondered what you are doing with your life and why you are feeling like a machine and are starting to believe that you have been programmed to be that way??

Knock!knock!knock I think it is time for you to take some days off and hit the roads!!

I have a bunch of friends who share my mind and all of us decide that it is time for us to go places (visit places I mean!!) and replenish and rejuvenate our motivational juices(Nope...never heard of motivational juices..Must be fictional!!). All of us had managed to make Nov 1st, 2nd and 3rd free for travel. It is getting harder and harder for us to meet and hang out for some time as we used to do frequently during our college days and now it seems like a distant dream.

Pilgrimage:

To the old, it has to be some religious places and to the youth like us, it has to be some ex(r)otic locations like Goa, keral etc ’cos we need these to keep us going. I still remember the excitement of our educational trips which was part of our Engg curriculum, where Goa was a must on the visiting list even though it had nothing to do with industries or the sort. Now , I have these vivid memories of many of my mates taking the first alcohol plunge in Goa and puking their stomachs out and the aftermath, revolting smell all around!!

The trip to Goa had to be dumped ’cos we decided in the last moment about the destination and came to know that there was no reservation possible for the smokin snake(train) and the bus. We were left with Kerala or Karnataka and the Kerala one was dropped because of the Cauvery water tensions (we had to go through Tamilnadu).

We hired a Tata Sumo(Indian Pajero!!) for the 6 of us and set off towards Jog falls and the rest of the locations would be decided on the way. We had a couple of road maps which I think everyone should carry while undertaking trips as it would help plan and trace our paths (nope...not the evolutionary one!!).

One the way to the Water Falls, we stopped for some breaks (breakfast, lunch and the nature’s calls). Breakfast was in one of the Kamat restaurants attached to the Gas Station, which I think is a new concept. We had idlis, vadas, Masala dosas, Set Dosas, Pongal followed by coffee and Tea. The food was tasty to say the least and all of us were visibly satisfied. It cost us 6 dollars! for the 7 of us (driver inclusive)

Plus point: I think Gas Station fitted with a nice restaurant is a good idea. Can we have more of these on the highways!?!

How to kill time while travelling in a group??

Listen to good music, admire the nature around you, crib about how miserable your peers at your office are, how bad the facilities are, singing sessions (solo and chorus) and of course our favorite this time ...Play RUMMY!! (a card game and not your BoyFriend’s name)

By the time we reached Jog falls, it was a bit late in the evening and the dark lord would barge in any time (in less than an hour) and we had to enjoy the Jog Falls with the little time we had.

An old shabby construction greets you to the water falls and the structure (Govt. building) gives an impression that it has been orphaned for quite some time and needs to be adopted by the Heritage people!!

First Glimpses of the towering falls: I was expecting to see the falls above me in front and found that I had to look down as we were on the top of the hill and the water was falling right from where we had entered. First thing that struck us was the height of the falls. We could see people at the bottom of the falls like tiny amoeboids.The place was green all around and the clouds gathered densely above made it appear dull. There were hills all around and silence was dominating the whole surrounding except for the roar of the falls.

Continuing with the experience..

As we did not have time to go to the bottom of the gorge to see the falls fall from above, our driver, a localite took us to the place where the falls was making its way down. We literally crawled on the Cliff to the edge where the Raja (king) descends and believe me, I was getting these weird imaginations of the rocks around me crumbling and giving way for a rock slide (must be the effect of seeing Mechanus Gold or the fact that a person had jumped from the place and his body still not traced according to our driver!!)

After a while, the fear subsided and we were busy with our experiments to measure the heights (Newton’s gravity and some physics laws we faintly remember!!). We took some stones and threw them down to see them touch the water below. But somehow they disappeared after 3 or 4 seconds (I know it wasn’t an Abyss). So, got some big ones (fist sized stones) and managed to see the splash when it hit the water after a good 6-8 seconds!!

The dark lord took command and forced us to leave and we had a glimpse of the falls from the opposite side of the falls.We also had a look at the power generation set up(barely visible)and left for Murudeshwara(beach cum temple) where we would spend the night!!

Concluding...

It was an experience that will be imprinted in my mind for years to come. Nature as usual gives you that ultimate kick(boost) to your senses and JOG falls was one of them. Alcohol also falls under this category(I know!!)

I would like the Tourism Industry to be more active in Karnataka and the Govt should promote places like these by giving the basic facilities and help people to enjoy nature without harming it. Kerala is doing a great job on this front. I am sure that many in India wouldnt have heard of the place and would recommend it when the Falls is in its full or half glory.

Factoids

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Location        : Karnataka, India(300-400kms from Bangalore)

River that feeds: Sharavati

Height          : 260-300 Mts. (Around 900 feet) and

is the highest water falls in India.

Visual best     : May-November (when the rain gods

are active)

Falls           : Comprises of 4 R’s

Raja (king): falls majestically (we were on top

of this)

Roarer     : Joins the raja mid way (with a lot

of water and roar!!)

Rani       : It looks womanly( with the curves!!)

Rocket     : Accompanies Rani

Links to see the picture:

FYI: If you happen to see the picture, we were on top of the left one (Raja in the pic)

https://ece.iisc.ernet.in/bu.edu/karnataka/districts/shimoga/jog-falls.html