Long Weekends are like breathers between a high-intensity workout. But when you work back to back and the desire to escape the mundane reality of life crosses the threshold, the destinations within the radius of your city come to the rescue. One such destination is Shivanasamudra, which is a small city in the Mandya District (Karnataka). Located at a distance of 140 km from Bangalore, this waterfall is one of the massive waterfalls in southern India. Hopping, skipping and jumping over the ravines of the Deccan Plateau, the water of the Cauvery River divides into two and drops off in form of Gaganchukki and Bharachukki waterfalls. A trip to Shivanasamudra can also be clubbed with a visit to the town submerged in the sand- Talakadu.
How to Reach (From Bangalore)
By Train
There are direct trains to Mysore (nearest railway station) from Bangalore. Shivanasamudra is 81km from Mysore.
By Bus
Regular overnight bus service is available from many main cities to Shivanasamudra. We would suggest Redbus for booking AC sleeper bus.
By Road
Blessed are curious, for they shall have adventures. Road trips offer you that scope for adventure. Here, too, we vouch for a road trip to this waterfall. It usually takes 4 hours to reach the destination but the smooth road and the scenic landscape will definitely be a treat for the sore eyes.
We planned for a day trip to Shivanasamudra and Talakadu and returned to Bangalore by evening. Starting as early as 6:00 AM, we rented Ola outstation and began our journey. There is a bifurcation that separates the two parts of the falls. It is also advisable to go during the monsoon season or rather check with someone who has visited the place recently if you want to see the waterfall in its full glory. Although we went in July, we couldn’t really enjoy because of less water.
There is no entry ticket. We first went to Gaganchukki and spent an hour or so there. Following this, we headed to Bharachukki falls. The former is the larger of the two. It isn’t allowed to go/walk/trek down and swim, for the rocks are dangerous. The view is sure to leave you enthralled. The place is glamorous without being ostentatious.
Our trip to Talakadu wasn’t planned. Since there was plenty of time left on our watch, we decided to take a detour and explore the city submerged in sand.
Talakadu is characterized by numerous temples that have either been submerged in sand or have been excavated. The most disappointing part is the sand passage that leads to the Kirtinarayana temple because of excessive sand that seems to have been intentionally layered. Nevertheless, the temples are beautiful. We spent around 2 hours walking the distance and covering almost all the temples and then we started for Bangalore.
Though this trip was the shortest compared to our other travel itineraries, it was fun.
One liner for the trip: Oceans of stress could only be relieved with the milky white water of the waterfall!
Your wings already exist. All you need to do is FLY!
Till the next time, Happy Travelling!