Trip to Talakad, Somanathpura, Shivanasamudram, Gagana Chukki, Bhara Chukki

One day trip to Talakad, Somanathpura, Shivanasamudram, Gagana Chukki, Bhara Chukki 

We were around 15 members this time; almost all are looking for a trip since long time, which was Ugadi festival - holiday for us. We were in search of places to go from Bangalore. Many recommendations but these are the places which were finalized - Talakad, Somanathpura, Shivanasamudram, Gagana Chukki, Bhara Chukki. One of us booked a tempo traveler, accommodate all of us. As planned, we started around 6 AM in the morning from Koramangala. I should say a big thanks to my friend who fed us “Ugadi pachadi”. With the combination of different tastes and different persons in van our journey started. 


First place we reached is Somanthpura
It was really a fantastic historical place. The sculptures and design of the temple is amazing. The polished stone on the temple attracts our eye. The designs carved on the temple walls are worth watching here.


Second place we reached is Talakad
Before reaching Talakad we visited one Siva temple which is on a hill. Not sure what is the village name? But it is on the opposite bank of “Jaladhama” resort. 
This is a historical place with a small bay of Kaveri river. Though we can’t enjoy this place with much sceneries and authentic services we can really enjoy the river bath if water was there. We can go for a raft ride with very littlie amount. We won’t find any Hi-Fi hotels or restaurants here, so all we need to do is to depend on the small hotels there. With our request they will cook non-veg as well immediately and serve us. Though it was not so great we had some food. Then we visited the temples buried under sand. Got to know some littile history with our guide (Mariyamma). Actually with out guide itself we can get more details, as I feel guide is not at all required. We wasted most of our time here other wise we could have covered many other places.


Then we had been to Bhara chukki water falls, it’s really good. Some of us enjoyed water splashes here. By that time slowly darkness came into pictures so we quickly moved to Gagana chukki falls and had glance of it. On the way, we saw “Sivana samudra” electricity generation plant. Reached Bangalore by 10:30 PM.Due to heavy sun we slept deeply that day.I love visiting Archeological places so I really enjoyed this trip.
Thanks to everyone : Ramana,Surendra,Kishore,Ravi teja, Nataraj(Teja's uncle), Anand,Ravi,PK, Chandu etc.


Route map:
  • Bangalore -> Ramnagar -> Channapatna-> take left turn -> Malavalli and then follow the sign boards.
                OR

  • Bangalore-Bidadi-Ramanagaram-Chennapatna-Maddur-Malavalli-Bharachukki-Gaganchukki-Talkad
Some thing from other web pages about this places :
·          Somnathpura : (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somanathapura)
                           Somanathapura (also known as Somnathpur) is a town located 30 km from Mysore city in Mysore district, Karnataka, India. Somanathapura is famous for the Chennakesava Temple (also called Kesava or Keshavatemple) built by Soma, a dandanayaka (commander) in 1268 CE under Hoysala king Narasimha III, when the Hoysalas were the major power in South India. The Keshava temple is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture and is in a very well preserved condition. The temple is conservated by Archeological Survey of India under the category of protected heritage sites
·          Talakad : (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talakad)
                         Talakad(also known as Talakadu) (Kannada: ತಲಕಾಡು) is a town on the left bank of the Kaveri river at a spot where the river makes a sharp bend. It is 45 km from Mysore and 185 km from Bangalore in Karnataka, India. A historic site, Talakad once had over 30 temples that today are buried in sand. Now it is a scenic and spiritual pilgrimagecenter.[1] Here the eastward flowing Kaveri river changes course and seems magnificently vast as here the sand on its banks spreads over a wide area.[2]
·          Shivanasamudram : (http://wikitravel.org/en/Shivanasamudram)
                             Shivanasamudra is the location of a HydroElectric project, but more pertinently it is also home to a few lovely water falls. It is located in Karnataka.Shivana Samudra Falls on the Cauvery River near Mysore .The Shivanasamudra falls are formed on the Cauvery river. A little distance before the falls, the river splits into two, forming an island. The two streams falls down to the same point and flows downstream. The two falls are called
  • Gagana Chukki (90 metres) (Waterfalls) :
  • Bhara Chukki (69 metres) (Waterfalls) :
The two falls are really majestic in the monsoon season. Shivanasamudra is probably the largest waterfall in the region after Jog Falls. The place is also credited for hosting the first hydroelectric project in India. Here, Kaveri splits into two, falls into a valley in two separate places called Gaganachukki and Bharachukki and re-unites downstream. A good lot of water falls down from both the waterfalls. Gaganachukki especially is a steep fall where water gushes down with great velocity. The two waterfalls are around a 15-minute drive apart and make beautiful picnic locations. 
Some thing about place:
The eastern falls - Bhara Chukki 

After getting down the bus at Shivasamudram, which is popularly called Bluff, we walked along the banks of Cauvery for two km through green fields interposed hither and thither with multitudes of young trees before we approached the waterfall.

From the watchtower, one can view the falls where the river plunges downward in a wonderful cascade, sending up dense clouds of mist, presenting a breathtaking scene. We sat on one of the stone benches overlooking the falls which plunges to a depth of 300-350 ft. Shivasamudram falls is the second biggest water falls in India.
Cauvery, called the Ganga of the South, takes its birth at Talacauvery in western ghats in Kodagu district and traverses through Hassan, Mysore, Mandya and Bangalore districts, joining with rivers Harangi, Hemavathi, Lakshmana Thirtha and Kapila. Before coursing into Tamilnadu, it leaves behind many resplendent waterfalls in its course, among which Shivasamudram falls is an important one.
The western falls - Gagana Chukki 




At Shivasamudram, the river branches into two, creating the second largest island in its course. There are a group of ancient temples situated in this island. It is believed that very long ago there was a village in this island. Each branch of the river at Shivasamudram has a separate falls - the western falls known as Gagana Chukki and the eastern falls, Bhara Chukki.

The 90-metre falls on the river rushing through the huge boulders attract the tourists during July-August when the river Kabini also floods along with Cauvery.
Bhara Chukki lies a km or so away from Gagana Chukki. On the way to Bhara Chukki, we visited an ancient dargah situated along the bank, which attracts hundreds of Muslims everyday to visit and worship. After a few yards of walk, we found Bhara Chukki falls, raising a dense mist to a height of about 300 ft. Multitudes of tourists, new couples and youngsters come here to see the natural beauty in its magnificent glory. Compared to Gagana Chukki, Bhara Chukki wears a more serene look, owing to the steady sheet of water falling without many boulders hindering its course downward. Both Gagana Chukki and Bhara Chukki are a paradise for the nature lovers.
After the turbulent fall, the river traverses in a quite manner through a thick green valley at a depth of about 400 feet towards the east.
Shivasamudram is also famous for its hydro power station which was started in 1902 by Sheshadri Ayyar, a dewan of Mysore. This is said to be the first hydro power station in Asia and from here power was supplied to Bangalore -- the first city to get power in India - in 1906 and then to Kolar Gold Fields and Mysore.
In the hydro station, power is produced by running the water through a pipe having sufficiently larger diameter and kept at an inclined position from a height of 350 ft. Through a turbine, the hydraulic force of water is transmitted to an alternator which generates electric power.
There was a trolley for the visitors to see the working of the hydro station. But now, unfortunately, those who want to go for a trolley ride, return with disappointment. It is because the use of trolley was stopped six years ago when a militant group vowed that it will blow up the hydro station. If the authorities commence the trolley ride again, it will attract more visitors.
Shivasamudram lies in its unpolluted ambience which adds beauty to the place. Nearby the falls, there are no shops, bars and restaurants or any other kind of disturbance. However, it needs basic facilities such as water, shelter and toilet. Better facilities will no doubt attrabct more tourists.
Best Blogs I found about this place:
http://deepakvenkat.com/2008/09/a-trip-to-somnathpura-talakad-and-shivanasamudram/
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/33814-bangalore-shivanasamudram-talkad-back.html
http://thejeshgn.com/2008/01/10/talakadu-talakad-beauty-underneath/

http://www.go2india.in/karnataka/talakad.php

http://www.cauvery.com/shivasamudram.html





Somanathpura,Talakad,Baarachukki,Gagana chukki

Wednesday, April 22, 2009 // Labels: // 10 comments //

10 comments to "Trip to Talakad, Somanathpura, Shivanasamudram, Gagana Chukki, Bhara Chukki"

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Whoever writes Inappropriate/Vulgar comments to context, generally want to be anonymous …So I hope U r not the one like that?
For lazy logs, u can at least use Name/URL option which doesn’t even require any sign-in, The good thing is that it can accept your lovely nick name also and the URL is not mandatory too.
Thanks for your patience
~Krishna(I love "Transparency")

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