Roaring Waterfalls in Monsoon

Monsoon this year has been aggressive so far. Though it's creating havoc in many places, it is the best time to get a glimpse of the waterfalls full of life. Two such spectacular waterfalls are in Shivanasamudra also known as Bluff.  It's a 130km ride/drive from Electronic City Phase 1 on the NH948 via Kanakapura.

One of the first Hydro Electric Power Station in Asia was set up here in Shivanasamudra in 1902. We see the river bifurcating into two, giving birth to the 4th largest island formed by the Kaveri. Both the branches plunge through rocky outcrops forming two waterfalls, namely Gaganachukki (western falls) and Barachukki (eastern falls). In both, water flows over cliffs cascading into multiple side by side waterfalls.

Deviate from the (NH948) Kollegala Road by turning left on to the small village road and go about 3km to reach the Gaganachukki waterfall. From here there is a shorter route to reach the main road that goes alongside the check dam. The water level here was to the brim when we visited and water was splashing on us due to the heavy wind. The old stone bridge (Wesley Bridge) on the way to Barachukki will make you admire the engineers who constructed it. It is sad to see that our people have made this spot a convenient place to bath in the water.

Road widening on Kanakpura Road is in full swing, which means the sides of the road are almost chipped off. Expect traffic jams and slow movement of vehicles. The route gets interesting after the town of Kanakapura when the terrain gives way to rocky hillocks. During monsoon lot of shrubs crop up between the rocks, making the barren land abundant with greenery. 

Vagamon - Laurie Baker's home

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 Did you know Laurie Baker lived at Vagamon before he moved to Thiruvananthapuram circa 1960? Well, it was a serendipity for us when we reached Asha Sadan at Kurisumala.

After the novelty of monsoon showers, it was not a very good idea to ride a motorcycle to Vagamon from Cherthala. There is a shorter route from Cherthala via Vechoor-Edayazham-Kallara-Kuruppunthara-Kuravilangad-Pala-Erattupetta to Vagamon taking around four hours  covering 100km by an old Yamaha RX100. Change gears after Erattupetta for winding, steep, war field like roads. The roads are preparing for a  complete 4lane conversion and many blasts tore open the mountains. Few sections of the road reminded us of the roads in Arunachal Pradesh.

Deluge of the monsoon season berained the valleys and mountains. At 982m altitude the three hills -  Thangalmala, Muruganmala and Kurishumala at Vagamon were wet and cold requiring some warm clothes. There are frequent KSRTC buses from Kottayam and Pala. A few private buses go to Kumily via Vagamon-Elappara. The old house of eco friendly master architect Laurie Baker was bought by a nature lover and he developed Asha Sadan (Tel: 98479914519, 8281723268, dbl Rs.800, www.econestashasadan.com), simple vegetarian meals are not overpriced and very tasty. You can choose from basic rooms, cottages and dormitory. Sagar, the manager claimed upto 250 people have stayed at once there including many Malayalam movie stars.  Strolling around a lovely campus of Asha Sadan watching the lush green slopes filled with a thick blanket of fog is sheer bliss. Kurishumala Ashramam is a short walk away.




Four kilometre away from Kurishumala, at the town centre restaurants and lodges greet the tourist. Love Land Home (Tel: 9961017379, dbl Rs.700) is run by Seban and his brother Joji offering rooms and cottages. They can arrange home cooked food. Their mother Mary Kutty runs a restaurant at central junction, Kurishumala.

Vagamon is frequented by college students and youngsters looking for a cool location to consume hot booze. Film making crew and honeymoon couples throng the meadows and tea estates for shooting. Pine Valley, Thangal Para, Kurishumala Ashramam, Kolahalamedu, Suicide Point and cattle unit are the places of interest for 'sight-seeing' tourist. 

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Travellers can take a ride to Elappara (15km, 1hr) or Elaveezhupoonchira (22km, 2hr) to soak in the complete experience of the Western ghats. We got soaked in the morning, literally, after a ride to Elappara through the bad roads among the hills shrouded in the mist. Elappara is a medium sized town with petrol pump and ATM thriving on tea estate economy. Two roads in opposite direction take you to Kuttikanam and Kattapana from here. If you are driving from Munnar to Thekkady stopping at Vagamon is a good option. Less touristy and more misty.

The traveler is active; he goes strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes 'sight-seeing'. - Daniel Boorstin