A Trip to Hogenakkal Falls in India
If you are attracted to waterfalls like bees are to honey, and if you happen to be in Tamil Nadu in South India, don’t miss an excellent opportunity to visit the Hogenakkal Falls. A wonderful summer retreat for the people of both Tamil Nadu and Bangalore, the falls are located right at the border of the two states.
The surrounding areas are also deemed to be wonderful for picnics and the water is said to possess healing powers. It is not just a single fall but multiple falls that add to the splendor of Hogenakkal with the raging rivers of the Cauvery River flowing between huge boulders. With water falling from incredible heights of 60 to 1000 feet, it is no wonder that the falls are also called the Niagara Falls of India.
Getting there:- The town of Hogenakkal is situated 150 km from Bangalore. Flights and trains are available up to Bangalore from where you need to catch buses or taxis to reach the mountain side village. A 2 ½ hours drive will take you through the cities of Hosur, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri before you reach the falls.
Best time to visit:- The summer months of April, May and early June tend to decrease the amount of water in the falls. But come June and the monsoon sets in with thunder showers that fill up the trenches and rivers to the brim. The falls may sometime close down due to excess water at these times. The best time to visit would be between the months of October and March.
Accommodation and Clothing:- Accommodation is scarce and the few hotels situated at the base of the mountain range do not provide the best of cuisines. It is best recommended to bring along your own food. If you decide to stay overnight, there are a couple of quality hotels you can choose from.
Places to Visit:-
En route to the falls, there is a small village called Pennagram where you can find beautiful handmade terracotta statues. Brightly colored, these figurines are worshipped by the villagers and you can also buy some of them as souvenirs.
In addition to the exhilaration of bathing in the falls, you can also opt to go for nature treks in the Melagiri Hills. Choose a guide who has good experience and knows the terrain in and out.
There is a pilgrim center called Theerthamalai, about 16 km from the town of Dharmapuri which is known for its festivals.
The falls itself prove to be the highlight of the entire visit and you catch a glimpse of the thunderous falls, you would know your journey was not in vain. One of the highest falls in the area is the Shivanasamudra Falls. The water falls from a stupendous height of nearly 1000 feet and just standing near the falls guarantees you will get drenched by the spray.
Not far off, lies another fall called the Mekedatu falls, although it is not as high as the previous one. Nevertheless, the sight of the water dropping down the steep ridge is magnificent and you can actually get as close as possible to the falls by hiring a boat and riding into the gorge where the water falls.
If you move further down, the water calms down and starts flowing peacefully between huge boulders which look like they have been artistically carved by sculptors. The channel here is deemed to be nearly 100 feet deep and cruising through the area is quite relaxing.
Activities:- In addition to watching the falls from a safe distance, the more adventurous can get into a small boat called a coracle (also called ‘Parisal’ in Tamil). Made out of hides that are tightly stretched over light bamboo frames, these boats can carry a maximum of 4 people including the boatman.
These boats can carry you right up to where the falls hit the gorge and the boatman can deftly maneuver the boat to go under the falls and come out the other side while you get soaked to the bone. If you are more courageous, you can ask the boatman to spin the boat, an alarmingly dizzy experience.
Don’t be astonished if you are charged a hefty fee of 500 rupees for the ride. It’s a benchmark amount with all the boatmen and clever negotiation could bring the price down to up to 50 rupees per person.
Another sight that is a must watch is that of small kids jumping into the raging waters from as high as 30 feet. There are a lot of these local kids in the vicinity and you can pay a small amount of 5 to 10 Rupees to see them dive head first into the rapids. For a moment, it would look like they would never resurface and be washed away by the river, but before you know it; they would have swum to safety and quickly clambered up the ridge for another prospective dive.
If your body starts aching after all that water activity, you can always walk into any one of the local massage centers where you will be greeted by local masseurs (also called malishkarans). Equipped with aromatic oils, herbs, powders, and a deep knowledge of the central points of the body, these masseurs provide soothing massages at a fair price.
