One day trip to Gaganachukki & Bharachukki falls and Keshava temple (Somnathpur)

k149in · 18th December 2009, 22:15

It was a short one day trip on a saturday. Started by around 5:30AM from Bangalore (MG Road) and we reached MG Road again by 8:00PM.

Thanks to hotstuff for his help with directions. Just after Maddur, we took the left to Malavali. The road till Malavali was not great and certain stretch was bad. We could not travel at more than 30-40KM/hr. From Malavali till Ganaganchukki, the road was good. It was newly laid I think. The journey from Maddur to Gaganachukki took close to 90 minutes. We reached Gaganachukki by 8:30AM. Though the waterfalls was not at its best (as I have seen in few other photos), still it looked good. There was not much of crowd when we went, but before we could return, lot of school children arrived by then. We spent close to an hour. Some photos I took on the way and in Gaganachukki.

k149in · 19th December 2009, 00:37

We then started the journey to Bharachukki. The road until Belakavadi was good and thereafter it started to deteriorate. For few meters, there were no roads. 1 or 2 KM before the waterfalls, couple of guys stopped and asked Rs.50 as the entrance fee for the car. They definitely did not look like a government posted personnel and tickets looked fake. We argued for some time and they did allow us without paying any money. I am not sure if anyone encountered this.

We spent two and a half hours. We even took the coracle ride to spot where the water falls. This person charged Rs. 100 for the ride.

condor · 19th December 2009, 07:49

@K149in, lovely pics. Loved the Barachukki stuff. Pls post any details of food availability there.

venki.bala · 19th December 2009, 08:39

Hi K149in

Excellent pictures. Looks like falls will look majestic after the rainfalls. I have always felt Bangalore has lots of options for a day trip during weekends and one more place is added to my list, whenever I visit Bangalore.

MuraliR · 19th December 2009, 10:15

@K149in, the photos of the waterfalls are very nice.

Please continue and tell us about your visit to Somnathpur.

nandans2005 · 19th December 2009, 11:55

hi,

the pictures are really very nice.You seemed to have taken real good shots. What camera and lens do you have in your kit ?

k149in · 19th December 2009, 23:47

@condor, I followed the tradition of packing food from my home as suggested by hotstuff. So we did not try any food outside and hence I cannot really comment about different roadside hotels we saw in Belakavadi.

@venki.bala, I used to think Mysore was better gifted than Bangalore with so many lovely places nearby. These falls, yes, better times to visit may be between July to September. Thank you for your appreciation.

@Murali, yes I have two more sets of photos to be uploaded. I will do them ASAP.

@nandans2005, Thank you for your appreciation. I am using a basic PNS digital camera Sony W5. (Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W5 Digital camera reviews - CNET Reviews)

Nikhilb2008 · 19th December 2009, 23:57

Lovely lovely photos! I think you will present more treats to our eyes if you get a DSLR!

It's amazing how you got such brilliant pics with a basic P&S. We had that camera for quite a while and I never knew it was so good!

k149in · 20th December 2009, 00:04

I tried to resize my images using Microsoft Office Manager and I notice that pictures posted so far has lost some quality from them.

By 11:30AM we started the drive to Somnathpur. I took the left turn soon after the bridge near Belakavadi. I drove through 39KM distance with virtually no roads. The needle on the speedometer did not cross 25KM/HR for 98% of the distance. We covered this distance in two hours time or it may have taken more than that. But the route was beautiful in its own ways. There were lot of green rice fields. For the distance until sky touched the ground, we could see just green rice fields. Finally we reached Somnathpur and had our sandwiches that we packed at home.

The Keshava temple was very good with intricate and very detailed carvings. No doubt Maniratnam chose this magnificient temple to shoot the song "Sundari" in the superhit movie starring Rajinikanth, Mammootty and Shobana. There were lot of tourists including school childrens on this place. The temple is open to visitors from 9:00AM to 5:00PM. ASI collects Rs. 5 per person as entrance ticket charge.

Some remaining photos of Bharachukki, some taken on the way to Somnathpur and in Keshava temple, I am posting them now.

k149in · 21st December 2009, 21:43

Thank you Nikhilb2008. Yes, Sony W5 is a very good camera. I just love it.

Some more photos taken in the Keshava temple, I am posting them now.

k149in · 21st December 2009, 22:37

We started the return trip by 4:30PM and we took the route to Bangalore via Bannur-> Mandya. The Somnathpur-> Bannur-> Mandya road condition was no different to the one between Belakavadi to Somnathpur. The road conditions were equally bad. We managed to reach MG Road by 8:00PM. At the end it was a very well spent day.

ms001 · 22nd December 2009, 09:48

very nice pictures, how far is this place from bangalore?

chandras · 6th October 2010, 11:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms001

very nice pictures, how far is this place from bangalore?

140 Kms from Bangalore.

ms001 · 6th October 2010, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by chandras

140 Kms from Bangalore.

thanks i have been there twice after December

hondadude · 6th October 2010, 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms001

thanks i have been there twice after December

How is the road these days from Maddur to Gaganchukki and Barachukki?

18th December 2009, 22:15	#1
k149in BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 127 Thanked: 89 Times	One day trip to Gaganachukki & Bharachukki falls and Keshava temple (Somnathpur) It was a short one day trip on a saturday. Started by around 5:30AM from Bangalore (MG Road) and we reached MG Road again by 8:00PM. Thanks to hotstuff for his help with directions. Just after Maddur, we took the left to Malavali. The road till Malavali was not great and certain stretch was bad. We could not travel at more than 30-40KM/hr. From Malavali till Ganaganchukki, the road was good. It was newly laid I think. The journey from Maddur to Gaganachukki took close to 90 minutes. We reached Gaganachukki by 8:30AM. Though the waterfalls was not at its best (as I have seen in few other photos), still it looked good. There was not much of crowd when we went, but before we could return, lot of school children arrived by then. We spent close to an hour. Some photos I took on the way and in Gaganachukki. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

19th December 2009, 00:37	#2
k149in BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 127 Thanked: 89 Times	Bharachukki waterfalls We then started the journey to Bharachukki. The road until Belakavadi was good and thereafter it started to deteriorate. For few meters, there were no roads. 1 or 2 KM before the waterfalls, couple of guys stopped and asked Rs.50 as the entrance fee for the car. They definitely did not look like a government posted personnel and tickets looked fake. We argued for some time and they did allow us without paying any money. I am not sure if anyone encountered this. We spent two and a half hours. We even took the coracle ride to spot where the water falls. This person charged Rs. 100 for the ride. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

19th December 2009, 07:49	#3
condor Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Speed-brkr City Posts: 15,864 Thanked: 16,017 Times View My Garage	@K149in, lovely pics. Loved the Barachukki stuff. Pls post any details of food availability there.
	() Thanks

19th December 2009, 08:39	#4
venki.bala BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 379 Thanked: 274 Times	Hi K149in Excellent pictures. Looks like falls will look majestic after the rainfalls. I have always felt Bangalore has lots of options for a day trip during weekends and one more place is added to my list, whenever I visit Bangalore.
	() Thanks

19th December 2009, 10:15	#5
MuraliR BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 361 Thanked: 35 Times	@K149in, the photos of the waterfalls are very nice. Please continue and tell us about your visit to Somnathpur.
	() Thanks

19th December 2009, 11:55	#6
nandans2005 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore. Posts: 640 Thanked: 42 Times	hi, the pictures are really very nice.You seemed to have taken real good shots. What camera and lens do you have in your kit ?
	() Thanks

19th December 2009, 23:47	#7
k149in BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 127 Thanked: 89 Times	@condor, I followed the tradition of packing food from my home as suggested by hotstuff. So we did not try any food outside and hence I cannot really comment about different roadside hotels we saw in Belakavadi. @venki.bala, I used to think Mysore was better gifted than Bangalore with so many lovely places nearby. These falls, yes, better times to visit may be between July to September. Thank you for your appreciation. @Murali, yes I have two more sets of photos to be uploaded. I will do them ASAP. @nandans2005, Thank you for your appreciation. I am using a basic PNS digital camera Sony W5. (Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W5 Digital camera reviews - CNET Reviews)
	() Thanks

19th December 2009, 23:57	#8
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,138 Times	Lovely lovely photos! I think you will present more treats to our eyes if you get a DSLR! It's amazing how you got such brilliant pics with a basic P&S. We had that camera for quite a while and I never knew it was so good!
	() Thanks

20th December 2009, 00:04	#9
k149in BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 127 Thanked: 89 Times	Keshava Temple I tried to resize my images using Microsoft Office Manager and I notice that pictures posted so far has lost some quality from them. By 11:30AM we started the drive to Somnathpur. I took the left turn soon after the bridge near Belakavadi. I drove through 39KM distance with virtually no roads. The needle on the speedometer did not cross 25KM/HR for 98% of the distance. We covered this distance in two hours time or it may have taken more than that. But the route was beautiful in its own ways. There were lot of green rice fields. For the distance until sky touched the ground, we could see just green rice fields. Finally we reached Somnathpur and had our sandwiches that we packed at home. The Keshava temple was very good with intricate and very detailed carvings. No doubt Maniratnam chose this magnificient temple to shoot the song "Sundari" in the superhit movie starring Rajinikanth, Mammootty and Shobana. There were lot of tourists including school childrens on this place. The temple is open to visitors from 9:00AM to 5:00PM. ASI collects Rs. 5 per person as entrance ticket charge. Some remaining photos of Bharachukki, some taken on the way to Somnathpur and in Keshava temple, I am posting them now. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

21st December 2009, 21:43	#10
k149in BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 127 Thanked: 89 Times	Keshava Temple Thank you Nikhilb2008. Yes, Sony W5 is a very good camera. I just love it. Some more photos taken in the Keshava temple, I am posting them now. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

21st December 2009, 22:37	#11
k149in BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 127 Thanked: 89 Times	Keshava Temple and way back to Bangalore We started the return trip by 4:30PM and we took the route to Bangalore via Bannur-> Mandya. The Somnathpur-> Bannur-> Mandya road condition was no different to the one between Belakavadi to Somnathpur. The road conditions were equally bad. We managed to reach MG Road by 8:00PM. At the end it was a very well spent day. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

22nd December 2009, 09:48	#12
ms001 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: bangalore Posts: 1,003 Thanked: 162 Times	very nice pictures, how far is this place from bangalore?
	() Thanks