[akbaree]

I have been planning a trip to a river bed with my toddler for some time now. But my stupid weekend XLRI classes just kept precluding the possibility for quite some months.

Finally got the weekend for myself. I had zeroed in on Mekedatu after following the popular thread on team-bhp - Day trip - Bangalore - Mekedatu - Bangalore

We started at 9:00AM. The weather was inviting and bangalore traffic was surprisingly lean. I haven't taken any pictures untill we reached Sangam. The gusty winds, a partially cloudy sky, the beautiful SH86/NH209, and Michael Jackson music playing at a volume just enough to make me feel that the roar of FFE is part of the background score - was too much for me to stop and take any pictures. Damn the pictures, just enjoy the drive: my heart kept on saying.

I had actually hoped to cross Kaveri by foot as I wanted my son to be able to play at the river bed. But the pictures in our popular thread are from March and April. This is July and monsoon was in full flow. All my hopes of enjoying at the river bed were dashed when I had this view of Sangam...





Sangam is where river Arkavathy meets Kaveri. Arkavathy, rising from Nandi hill region flows thru Bangalore Rural and finally meets Kaveri. It has two reservoirs built over its course including the popular Hasserghatta Reservoir. I hope one day we will be able to enjoy clean waters of this river in Bangalore as it flows from the north east border. To know why all Bangloreans be concerned with this subsidiary of Kaveri, please follow this link... http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.or...s/Akravati.pdf

As we were out there to enjoy the serene environment of Kaveri Wildlife Sanctuary, we decided to trek from Sangam. I also thought that my son will enjoy more while exploring the greens around. More benign travellers can take a ride in the bus or jeep run by the forest department. Many travelogue writers have complained about long waiting time for the bus due to lack of sufficient passengers. But today was a different day. There were two buses and two jeeps continuously plying the route.


Although I was not sure how my son would take it, but he behaved beyond my expectations. He wouldn't allowed us to carry him for almost 3 kilometers. He started enjoying his first trek from the word go.




The sight and the roar of river Kaveri were our constant companions during the trek.


We decided to walk closer to the river bed...




And play around a little...


My son still wanted to walk himself although he was wet waist down...


Finally he gave up and wanted to be with his grandfather...




But Mekedatu was just round the corner.

The beatiful view of River Kaveri at Mekedatu...


Actually the Tamil Nadu border is just meters away from Mekedatu. The cattle in this region is also very Tamil Naduish....

And as Kaveri enters Tamil Nadu.


We took the steps and reached the river bed.


To be continued...

[TheARUN]

Lovely write-up. Reminds me of the Mekedatu trip I went for a few months back. The river was a tiny stream and we just walked across at Sangam to the other side, even Mekedatu was subdued and I acutally felt disappointed. Your pictures bring out the place in its full glory

[muralisk]

Nice write up, and great pics of Mekedatu. Looks like the little fella did enjoy the trek.

[funda2max]

Excellent photos. Cauvery at its full flow now?

[addyhemmige]

Amazing pictures. I for one, always believe that the glory of nature should be enjoyed in the monsoons. Hope that there are more of the same kind.

Btw, how did you cross the river to reach the other side?

[ArunV]

We had been there during april and the water level was low, we could cross the river walking and water was only till knee level.

The ride on top of this bus is fun..

Bad thing about this place is people boozing there and throwing the bottles and whatever waste in the river.

[lohithrao]

Ananth , good pics and write up, where are the pics of Advy?

Yesterday went around Nandi hills, not exactly to Nandi hills am too bored of it this weather is ideal to travel!

[brraj]

Well written and one of my favorite spots too.

[gadadhar]

How are the roads from Bangalore to Mekedatu? Read some where it is bad, please update

[akbaree]

@TheARUN
@muralisk
@funda2max
@addyhemmige
@lohith
@brraj

Thank you so much.

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Btw, how did you cross the river to reach the other side?

Indian coracles. The return slip costed rupees 40 per head. You didn't noticed the coracles in the second picture?

Originally Posted by ArunV

Bad thing about this place is people boozing there and throwing the bottles and whatever waste in the river.

I couldn't agree less. At least 3 people collapsed due to over boozing. The forth one actually jumped into the river after boozing and swam to a remote location. Other folks in the group were looking so worried that how he is going to come back against the flow.

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Ananth , good pics and write up, where are the pics of Advy?

Advy picture - coming up...

Originally Posted by gadadhar

How are the roads from Bangalore to Mekedatu? Read some where it is bad, please update

The roads are good (mostly two laned, some times reducing to 1.5 lane on the Kanakpura - Mekedatu stretch). The town patches and last 3-4 kilometers (towards Sangam) are potholed.

[prince_pervez]

Wow. Nice pics. Nice write up even. Must visit. Ok that goes in the to-do list.

[kaushik_s]

Nice one, waiting for more. Would like to go to that place but there are too many people who visits that place on weekends and it has become a boozing paradise. Actually any place in the vicinity of Bangalore has fallen to that category. Yesterday I went to Manchanbelle dam and it's the same story there too:-(


BTW, just a note of caution: Cauvery can be very deceiving and dangerous at Mekedatu. Many people have lost their lives owing to the strong undercurrent on that section of that river, one such was from my College and his body was never found :-(

[hotstuff]

@akbaree... since my parents are in Bangalore, I was planning to take them out somewhere for the weekend and your travelogue has solved the 'where to go?' question.

Thanks for the pics + details... makes it easier for me to replicate your trip.

Wanted to check with you if it is possible to drive all the way upto Mekedatu in our own car ? or do we have to compulsorily take the forest department bus / jeep ?

[My parents have knee pain... so walking the 3 kms is out of the question and I am concerned about how crowded the Forest department bus will be - considering that your pic shows people sitting even on the top!]

[akbaree]

Originally Posted by hotstuff

Wanted to check with you if it is possible to drive all the way upto Mekedatu in our own car ? or do we have to compulsorily take the forest department bus / jeep ?

[My parents have knee pain... so walking the 3 kms is out of the question and I am concerned about how crowded the Forest department bus will be - considering that your pic shows people sitting even on the top!]

Sanjay, unfortunately bus and jeep service extended by the forest department is the only option to reach Mekedatu except trekking. Those guys fill the bus to the brim but as the journey only takes 10 minutes the young crowd generally don't mind giving comfortable seating to the older people. You can try the jeep service as well.

One more thing - when Sangam is around 8-10 kilometers, you will see a left diversion that goes to Chunchi falls. Chunchi falls are just 4 kilometers from the diversion. Although to enjoy the falls, I have heard that one need to take a small trek down the hill, you can still enjoy the sight from some distance. I didn't go as my son had slept on our way back.

[sabsubs]

Hi,

Beautiful pictures. Mekedatu is a very beautiful place to visit. I would like to appreciate every member who had posted their Travelogues experiences, and posting photographs has made it lively. This kind of information’s has given tremendous opportunities for newbies like me to ponder over and come up with some plans to venture out. Thanks a lot for posting.