Sangam of Rivers - Cauvery-Arkavati

November 25, 2007

90 km south of Bangalore, in rural Karnataka is Sangama – the confluence of the rivers Cauvery and Arkavati. The scenery en route is picturesque – verdant valleys rolling into misty blue mountains.

We reached Sangama at around 12 in the afternoon. The place was already crowded. People were cooking/selling fish (constantly being supplied from the river) on open fires. The sizzling black pieces on the huge griddles looked like charcoal to me.

People were frolicking in the knee-deep water – splashing, falling, carrying gas cylinders and water cans across. We crossed the shallow stretch - about 300 feet barefoot. The stones provided good acupressure.

The plan was to trek 5 km through the forest, along the flowing rivers to the falls.

At the falls the rivers squeeze through the rocks - the distance between the rocks is said to be so little that a goat could jump across – so the name Mekedatu – meaning a ‘goat’s leap’.

Chulbul was a little unwell we got onto a rattle box. We had earlier thought these buses were caravans – they looked as if they’d grown roots there. But they moved – and how.

Most people preferred to travel on the roof – must have been fun. We were chicken.

The falls were breathtaking (sorry, no photo!). We sat on the rocks overlooking the deep gorge through which the river roared ferociously. Had puri-aloo-pickle-salad-chocolate with most people ogling unabashedly all the time. Dinesh sulked because the drinking water we were carrying got over and he gave us a lecture on how drinking water has to be shared equally :( Fortunately, we could buy more soon (only after another session of acupressure though :) ). We were back home by evening.