Our Shivanasamudra Waterfalls and Somanthpur trip

Shivanasamudra Waterfalls:

Overview:

A huge river passing peacefully through a rocky area filled with coconut and banana plantation. Next thing you will see river falling down from a cliff into a gorge with a beautiful sound and transforming into some scenic waterfalls. Here we are at Shivanasamundra Waterfalls.

Shivanasamudra waterfalls are situated on the river Cauvery. It is actually a series of twin waterfalls. It is also famous for India’s first and Asia’s second Hydro-electric power station. They are also known as Bluff and Shimsa falls.

Here Cauvery got separated into two branches, left segment (Western Branch) forms the Gananachukki fall and right segment (Eastern Branch) form the Bharachukki fall. These falls are around 12KM apart. To reach other bridge over Cauvery need to be crossed. Normally people visit Gaganachukki fall and assume left side of it as Gaganachukki and right as Bharachukki fall.

Some 35KM from Shivanasamudra waterfalls are famous Somnathpur temples.

Route:  

UP:         Bangalore-Maddur-Malavalli-Shivanasamudra-Somnathpur
               Bangalore-Kanakapura-Malavalli-Shivasamudra-Somnathpur

Down:    Somnathpur-Bennur-Maddur-Bangalore

Location:

Shivanasamudra is 135KM from Bangalore.
Somnathpur is 35KM from Shivanasamudra.
Bangalore is Shivanasamudra is 150KM from Bangalore.

View Shivanasamudra in a larger map 

How to reach:

Private Transport:

You can either hire cab or can go by you own vehicle. It will take around 3hr.

Public Transport

By Bus:

Reaching Shivanasamudra by public transport may be a bothersome experience as it’s not directly connected from Mysore or Bangalore.  Buses on Bangalore-Mysore highway will drop you at Kollegal and from Kollegal, you will have to look for other commutation till Shivanasamudra falls.

* There are also KSRTC busses from Bangalore to Malavalli from where you can further chase for transportation to Shivanasamudra falls.

By Train: Maddur is the nearest station but the preferred one is Mysore (60 km). There on again you need to either hire a cab or take bus.

* For Bike enthusiasts, It can be a one day moderately exhausting excursion from Bangalore.

Our Trip:

Planning:

No plan at all. One Friday evening in August when we were sitting after dinner (4 friends cum flatmates) and were discussing what for weekend. Suddenly idea to to visit Shivanasamudra waterfalls came. All agreed and did required preparation. Got up at 5:30AM in the Saturday morning and started by 6:30AM in car.

Start:

Roads were absolutely free, climate was great. We decided to take Mysore road. Due to Metro and other construction work initial patch of Mysore road is not good but once that is over it was good road. After some time our stomach started growling. To satiate that growling, what could be better then Kamat Lokaruchi. By 7:30AM, we reached Kamat Lokaruchi. There we had fresh and filling breakfast. Whenever we go to this side we always have breakfast at Kamat Lokaruchi. By 8:00AM we started again. 

We got lunch packed from Maddur Tiffany’s as we read on Net that there is no good eating place nearby falls and almost everybody suggested to get lunch and water. Water anyway we were carrying in a 20 Lt water bottle in my WagorR.

After Maddur, we turned left. From Maddur, it is around 45 KM. Some 25 km stretch of road was not good but it is not bad as this point of time. Finally around 9:30AM we hit Shivanasamudra waterfalls.

Shivanasamudra Waterfalls:

First comes Gaganachukki waterfall among the Shivanasamudra waterfall twins.

Gaganachukki’s magnificent view

Gaganachukki Waterfall:

This is one of twin falls normally people hit first. It is well maintained and has better tourist facilities. Near by is Riversedge Resort which is good in case you want to stay overnight. It is a view point. From this place, you can see the water fall and take good pics but you are not allowed to go down.

Gaganachukki’s Closer view

We stayed there for around 1 hour, enjoyed the nature. However we wish people don’t litter that much. Everywhere lots of garbage. When we’ll learn to preserve our nature :(.

Around 11:00 AM we started to Bharachukki, other among twins. It is around 12KM away from Gaganachukki waterfall. To reach Bharachukki we had to cross Cauvery over bridge.

Bridges on the river Cauvery

Bharachukki Waterfall:

 Bharachukki Falls

Gaganachukki to Bharachukki drive offers you great view. We took almost 1 hour to reached Bharachukki and reached around 12PM. Bharachukki waterfall is slightly wider then Ganagachukkki waterfall. This is more popular and easily accessible also. There is a stairs passage to reach bottom of the fall. Climbing down a little difficult but it is completely worth it. It has some shallow water also where you can enter and have bath.  
A word of caution: Water flow is quite fast, better everybody in group hold hand of each other and form chain. 

Coracle Boat Ride

Water is crystal clear and falls are awesome. We stayed there for 2 hrs. Took the ride in a boat (caorcle boat) and also took the bath in falls. This waterfall is much vibrant and also has many island formed between small streams. Best part is coracle ride that will take you till the mouth of the gigantic waterfall.

After enjoying for 2 hours we started back however climbing stairs back was a like climbing Everest. Some how we managed. Now we were feeling very Hungry also so we had our lunch there only.

After food with nature surrounding, we started for Somanathpur Temple and we reached there around 4.00 pm.

Somnathpur Temple:

Kesava Temple

Somanthpur is famous for its rock cut temple belonging to the Hoysala Dynasty. Other temples of this kind are found in Belur and Halebid.

Closer view

The temple in Somnathpur is about 750 years old (according to the guide). It is a dead-temple, i.e. the deities in here are not worshipped. It is built in the Hoysala dynasty characteristic style on a star-shaped base. Unlike popular belief that it is cut from one rock, it is not so; the work has been done on different pieces of rocks which have been put together. The temple houses 3 incarnations of Vishnu – Janardhan, Keshava and Venugopala.

Back to home:

We started around 6PM from Somnathpur and reach home around 9PM.

Best time to visit:

Though Cauvery has water throughout the year but in monsoon it will have much more and hence Shivanasamudra waterfalls would be at the zenith in monsoon. Monsoon season in Karanataka is between June to September. However in Winter/Summer season you can reach the bottom of the waterfalls and can enjoy delicate natural beauty.

 Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary

Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary:
These waterfalls and surrounding hills fall into Cauvery Wild life sanctuary which provides a wide opportunity of excursion, trekking in the forest, rock climbing, bird watching, fishing and other activities for naturalist. Though we couldn't go there.


Things to remember:
1. Get your lunch and water.
2. Try to visit in monsoon season.
3. Reach early to avoid crowd. Specially in case you are coming on weekend.
4. Somnathpur Temple would be closed at 5:30PM.