Mekedatu

Mekedatu, located in the Kanakapura Taluk of Karnataka, is one of the options for a weekend getaway close to Bangalore, approximately 100km away. On a bright Saturday morning, we took off from Bangalore around 10.30 AM and hit the Kanakpura Road. Needless to mention about the traffic on Kanakpura Road, flooded with reckless bus and lorry drivers, we somehow managed a smooth drive and reached our destination at 1.00 PM. The heat drained us and we wanted a quick bite and a cool drink before proceeding further. To our dismay, there were no hotels, there was just a petty shop which sold water bottles, luckily!!

We lodged our car at Sangama (the place where River Arkavati merges with River Kaveri, hence the name) and from there had to cross the river by walk to reach the other side of the bank to proceed to Mekedatu. This was an amazing experience as we had to walk against the water current! The water level was comparatively low due to the onset of dry season. We were told that during or after rains, the water level would increase considerably and small boats, shuttle people from one bank to the other at a nominal charge. Once we crossed the river, we had two options to reach Mekedatu - either walk 4 km, along the length of the river, in the midst of a protected forest or take a mini-bus, (which is in bad shape) by paying Rs. 40/- per head (to-and-fro). The heat not permitting us for a walk, we decided to go for the bus, climbed on the top of it and enjoyed a roller coaster ride. Trust me, it was one amazing experience of its kind J

There is a mythological significance associated with Mekedatu. The villagers say that Lord Shiva disguised as a goat leapt from one side of the river to the other, around 10 meters wide, when being chased by a tiger and hence the name Mekedatu. (in Kannada, Meke – Goat, datu – leap).

 

It is an awesome sight to see the hard granite rocks eroded by the force of the water current, creating huge hollows. The rocks are pretty smooth and slippery. We were amazed to see artistry of the River Kaveri. The place to some extent resembles the Hoganikal Falls, however, much cleaner than the later.

 

 

On our way to Mekedatu, we decided to check Chunchi falls, which is a seasonal waterfall. Once we took a left to Mekedatu from Kanakpura we saw a sign board for Chunchi falls, which directed us to take left again. However sure we were, we still confirmed it with the villagers, as we felt that was the best bet. The road was narrow as we passed through a couple of small villages.

 

On reaching Chunchi falls, we had to make our own way to site of the waterfall.

We walked 15 minutes on the heated rocks and as expected there was no water, however, we got to see a thin stream of water flowing amidst huge rocks. A good pair of shoes with thick rubber sole would be recommended to trek this stretch.

Soon it was evening and on our way back to Bangalore, the beautiful sight of sunset, soothed our senses. Overall, it was great fun with not much of travelling involved.

 

Planning for Mekedatu and Chunchi Falls… ensure to pack enough food and water, just in case you do not want to spend on packaged drinking water!! And… don’t miss the busJ