“I
could wish my days to be bound each to each by natural piety” (Wordsworth’s
poem, ‘My heart leaps up when I behold’)
Do you
often get pissed off with the life in a city like Bangalore? Have you ever
wished for a retreat from the mundane city life? Then, be ready for a wonderful
trip to Mekedatu /Mekedaatu through the outskirts of Bangalore enjoying the
countryside views.
We
started our trip to Mekedatu one fine afternoon when the sun god was
beautifully smiling at us. The overcrowded city and traffic congestion made our
trip less enjoyable in the beginning. The annoying snail pace journey for 60
kms till Kanakapura made us crave more and more to be in the lap of nature. As
we crossed Kanakpura, the whole scenario changed. The rhythmic swaying of the
tall areca palms and coconut trees on both sides of the road made us think it to
be the welcome gesture of mother nature. The magnificent beauty of grasslands, valleys
and mountains is mesmerizing. The animals gazing in the open land, the long row
of cow dung smeared small houses and the village dwellers leading their animals
back to homes in the evening create a certain sense of spiritual serenity, far away
from the hustle and bustle of city. The long ride through the Mugguru forest
leading to Sangama and Mekedatu rejuvenated our spirits.
Sangama
is the place where the confluence of rivers Arkavati and kaveri happens. The
scene of rivers merging in to one at the backdrop of beautiful mountains is
quite amazing. We need to cross the river in a coracle (round shaped boats) to
the other side to board the bus to Mekedatu, which is 4 kms from there.
Mekedatu' means 'goat's leap' in Kannada. It is said that a goat being chased
by a tiger made a hopeless attempt to save its life by jumping from one side of
the gorge crossing the river below, whereas the tiger couldn’t jump. As per one
myth, the goat (meke) that is believed to have leapt across the Kaveri was Lord
Siva in disguise. The goat’s hoove shaped holes can be found on the rocks and
it is believed that only celestial goats could have marked their footprints in
such hard rocks. The water flows very fast through the gorge, creating pits in
the rocky riverbed. The hollow rock formation as Cauvery gushes through a
natural ravine is a rare sight and should never be missed So, why to miss this
chance of double dhamaka of enjoying the scenic beauty and boat ride of Sangam
and also admiring the extraordinary rock formation made by the raging Cauvery
river at Mekedatu. If you are a fish lover, there are many food stalls which
sells fried fish. There is a KSTDC Mayura hotel at Sangam which provides good
food.
How to
reach:
Bangalore
to Kanakpura (62 kms)
Kanakpura
to Sangam (38 kms)
Mysore
to Kanakpura (97 kms)
Kanakpura
to Sangam (38 kms)
No comments:
Post a Comment