After so much whimper about my Nokia E65, I decided to take a Windows mobile/Pocket PC , by exchanging my two and half years old Nokia N72. It is my first Windows(6.1) mobile- ASUS P320. Though it is the smallest Windows mobile in the market; it looks so elegant, cute, rock, sexy and sleek. I simply love this.

Telugu review on this : http://manasumaatalu.blogspot.com/2009/06/bangalore-to-hogenakkal-route-bike-ride.html

Hmm it is 29^th May 2009 Im some how clear in my heart after getting out of few disturbances in my life and then thought of rejuvenate my self...As I am frantically thinking about a bike ride for a longer distance since long time ; “Hogenkkal” is the place got in my mind. No second thought just googled it for more details; many blogs helped me in finding the shortest route and history about the place. I should confess myself that this place don’t need really this much browsing.Finalized the place, with great confidence on my roomies. Yes, they accepted and then thought of informing people who shows interest in bike riding. At last we became 8 people to start next day morning from Bangalore. Got all the bikes fueled and ready for ride. Though many told me about the good things about the place we truly have no speculations. After reading blogs bit confused about the routes to Hoggenakkal falls and its distance; still we strongly decided to ride that's all.

4 bikes on 4^th gear …Moving ahead.

All of us (Gopal,Syed,Pradeep, Ramana, Nagaraju, Meeravali, Surendra and me)Gathered around at 7 AM at Silk board. Discussed about the route we will be riding. We finalized the best and shortest route to reach Hoggnakkal.

Bangalore - Attebelle - Mathigiri - Denkanikottai - Anchetty - Hoggenakkal (Just around 120 KM)

After reaching falls I saw my bike’s Milo-meter; it was exactly 122 KM from Koramangala.

We geared our bikes and set out to explore the real speed of our bikes.Whole route is single lane forest “ghat” road with hair pin bends and so many turns in deep ups and downs. It was really thrilling and even weather added its effects by breeze and drizzles. We really enjoyed the lush full lands both sides our bike as if we are riding our bikes in a videogame which has landscapes shown in WinXP default theme. There is no chance of breathing when we are on 90 speed and suddenly noticed the deep valley beside us.

One of our sojourns is at a bridge where we had a pleasant experience of small streams of water in between mounds and green trees. Looks like this place is untouched and hardly there are no people except one are two vehicles crossing this bridge in an hour; hence we were able to savor the silence. We walked around this place had some photo session with the help of our creative photographer Pradeep(we call him PK).

Next stop is at a place on the pathway covered with dense trees bloom many wild flowers on the road. Don’t know why all of us really like this place.We had deep breaths here and of course photo session is quite expected where ever we stopped all the day.Through out the entire route we passed few villages but saw very less people and latter we smacked our ride as the route (around 10 KM) is ot good, it is bumpy one.

When we reach the destination most of us are ravenous; so decided to have lunch before planning anything. We found a hotel named “Tamilanadu Hotel”, quickly ordered chicken along with meals. Of course; I’m a veggie that day (Saturday) so far away from famous fried fish slices and other non-veg stuff. After lunch, successful talks between our mate and the coracle people lead us towards the falls.

Hognekkal has created many disputes between Tamilanaadu state and Karnataka state, just for the reason of beautiful water resources by Kaveri River here. In a year many times this place will be in news due to this. Actually the present situation here is like there two entrances to this place one from Karnataka entrance and another is from Tamilanadu. Unknowingly our route took us to enter from Tamilanadu. Actually we can see different boatmen and different stalls in both entrances. Even boatmen classify the whole place into two parts (in which water falls) showing one big rock as Tamilandu’s and another as Karnataka’s. Our great Indian politicians are creating these sensitive issues due to regional weakness in people of this place.

Actually the coracle (Small round shaped boat made of bamboo sticks and tar sheets like any skiff) ride is the major attraction here and body herbal oil massage is the nest best here. The whole place is fully crowded and there are many kids due to the summer holidays for schools. There are enough number of small stalls and shops for eatables.

People can recollect the “Nagamani Nagamni ..”Song from “Roja” movie which was shot here while traveling in coracles. During this ride we can touch the drizzles when we go near to canyon flow from high hills. That was really a splendid experience for me. While we were enjoying this we could see dare kids jumping from top of big rocks into water just for 10 rupees. We can’t even imagine it from a normal people and there we can see the real rock climbing by those kids after jumping from the high. With a soothing music of water fall we reached island.

We frolicked in the island for around 3 hours and some of us had oil massage here then returned to see the main falls view by crossing a rope bridge. Really an amazing view it is. The falls force is so high, though we are standing very far from the falls we are able to sense the strength of it just by the hitting water droplets in the drizzles.

Then around at 6 PM we started our return ride in the same route. Don’t know why, but my sixth sense expected a rain and the same happened in less than an hour. As planned; before light failure itself we were able to cross the bumpy road. And at one stop (It’s a newly opened petrol bunk on that forest ghat road) we took shelter due to heavy rain after half an hour we started and crossed the elephant’s zone. Then again it rained cats and dogs and we took another stop for almost 2 or 3 hours we were stopped. But at that point it was just 40 to 50 KM to cover so we were least bothered and I personally enjoyed this thrilling ride in the rain. Then we reached RK Dhaba near Electronic city around at 11:30 PM and finishing dinner there reached my room exactly at 1 AM.

Note: People going in the short route I mentioned above should be careful while going as there won’t be any service shops if your bike got any repair.

P.S: One should not miss this falls when it is heavily flooding and one should be with enough care while playing near this falls.
Blogs on this : [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Hurray !! I got my first salary from my blog which is 100 + $'s...

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