THE MIGHTY HIMALAYAN: SEASON 1 CHAPTER 1 (SHIVANASAMUNDRA + HERITAGE WINE TESTING CENTRE)
- rakeebj
- Oct 14, 2016
- 4 min read
Well it’s been long since I wrote my last blog and obviously its overdue since I wrote something interesting. I have been beating my head around, thinking as in what to pen down as I was unable to juggle between my merciless day job and the non-stop express of live gigs I played in the past couple of months with my band SPEEDTRIP. So, at last I thought, why not start a journey which will involve a chemistry between my new found love, HIMALAYAN and the exciting road trips I do, taking her to places known as well as exploring the unknown. I hope this shapes out well and for you all guys who are adventurers, wanderers, food lovers, bike lovers and as long as the list goes on…stay tuned, coz’ things are going to turn wildly interesting and enjoyable ahead!
First of all, let me talk (read ‘brag’) a bit about my ride. I got my hands on this 411 cc sexy beast on the 26th of June, 2016 after a waiting period of almost 3 months. With a 24.5 BHP @ 6500 RPM and 32 Nm of torque @ 4000 - 4500 RPM, this mean machine literally roars with ultimate power. Royal Enfield has definitely created a masterpiece with this new design and is definitely a unique addition to their undeniable range of beauties already available. After completing my running period (60 km/hr), on a lazy Sunday, I tagged along with my partner #thevelvetradio and took this beauty for her first ride outside the city of Bangalore and trust me, the awesome Nice Road (Bangalore-Mysore Highway) didn’t even make me realize that my beast was nailing 120 km/hr without even breaking a sweat. She just blends in and the comfortable sitting position doesn’t let you get weary or tired during the whole journey. I just felt like riding on forever that day.
Shivanasamundra falls is located in the Mandya district of Bangalore and is approximately around 130 kms away from the main city. The word ‘Shivanasamudra’ literally translates to ‘Shiva’s Sea’. There are two different routes to reach this destination. One route is through Kanakpura, which is about 30 kms shorter than the other route, which I took from Bangalore-Mysore highway heading till Maddur. Immediately after Maddur bus station, I took a left and took the road to Malavalli, which straight ahead leads to Shivanasamundra. This route is a bit longer compared to the Kanakpura one and approximately takes around 3 and half hours to reach the destination but thanks to my #HIMALAYAN, I covered it in 3 hours.
Once you hit the mountain roads in the Mandya district, the view is breathtaking. Cauvery river shines in the bright sunlight to give you an excellent feeing of serenity and calmness. The roads are pretty well maintained and beautiful for the ride.
The island of Shivanasamudra divides Cauveri River into two parts that form two waterfalls, one is Gaganachukki and the other is Bharachukki. Gaganachukki and Barachukki Falls are collectively called as Shivanasamudra Falls though Gaganachukki is most commonly represented as Shivanasamudra Falls. It offers breathtaking sight in the peak monsoons.
Gaganachukki includes a huge horsetail shaped waterfall dropping from a height of 90 m and two large parallel streams that cascade down through a rocky bed from a height of over 320 feet. This view was mindblowing and the sight of the falls itself makes you realize and appreciate its majestic nature. Asia's first hydroelectric power station was set up in the downstream of the falls in the year 1905. The power generated here was initially used in Kolar Gold Fields.
Bharachukki is situated at a distance of approximately one km from the Gaganachukki (Dargah point). Barachukki is a cascading fall with a height of 70 m forming several streams through the wide rocky formations establishing superb natural beauty. We did not get a proper view of the falls from below as the road leading down the hill to the edge was closed due to some unknown reasons. Nonetheless, the sight of the falls was satisfying enough to quench the thirst.
While returning from this amazing location, we took a detour and went to the #Heritage Winery at Channapatna. Unlike my partner, #thevelevetradio, I am not an ardent fan of wines, but here I would like to defer from my likes or dislikes. Guys, you all need to visit this place. It’s a must see for people who love wines as well as for others, just to experience the hospitality of this well maintained place. It’s a huge place with a vineyard, a distillation center, a restaurant(#epulo) a basketball ground and guess what??, 7 different wine tasters for just 130 bucks. I was just excited with the last part and got myself smiling in high spirits with just 260 bucks to spare. Hick!! Played basketball for some time, reliving my school cum college days and it was time to head back to the city life.
We reached Bangalore in the evening with lots of wonderful memories and experiences and also goodies from the Heritage Winery and Channapatna toy market. It was a day well spent.
Let me know your inputs on this blog and also stay tuned for more trip adventures with my Mighty Himalayan.
Till then, Cheers!
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