Forces Of Nature

In the poem Ulysses, Alfred Lord Tennyson says,
I cannot rest from travel... I will drink life to the lees
I too cannot rest from travel and definitely want to slurp life to the lees! This post is the byproduct of an awesome day trip to two small towns which have etched thier name in history.
Talakadu - A temple town located at the confluence of the Kapila and Kaveri rivers in the Mysore district of Karnataka. Made famous by the curse of Alamelamma, Talakadu has given archeologists and geologists plenty to ponder about...
Shivanasamudra - An island town positioned on the banks of the river Kaveri in the Mandya district of Karnataka. As the river splits and dives into the deep gorge, the spectacular waterfalls Gaganachukki and Bharachukki are conceived.



It was a refreshing sight to see lush green paddy fields and lanky stems of cane that flanked the road to Talakadu. Karnataka definitely lives upto its tourism slogan "One state many worlds". Just wish the government did a little more than putting up those boards all along the way!



Antiquity midst the sand and the sky... Talakadu boasts of rarities like dense vegetation in the sand and a plethora of temples tucked deep below the ground. This is one of the temples that was recovered from the sand dunes and is currently undergoing restoration.



While geologists attribute the sand to the gusty winds which transport it from the dry river bed, the locals believe that it is the result of the curse of Alamelamma which translates to,
"Let Malangi become a whirlpool, Talakadu become sand and let the Mysore Maharajas fail to beget heirs".



The waterfalls at Shivanasamudra. This is our grand lady Kaveri as she plunges into the ravine. The melody of a meandering river and the soothing sight of the green vegetation create the perfect ambience to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of nature.



A well fed river lashing her fury agianst the rocks. A gentle spray of water carressing my face. The company of some good old friends. Lovely hues in the sky. A sweet little rainbow too! A magical evening indeed.



The fury of the river is channelised into hydro-electricity. The first hydro-electric power station in Asia was set up in Shivanasamudra and the Kolar Gold Fields was the first consumer of the power generated at Shivanasamudra.


As a disclaimer I would like to add a quote by Fitzhugh Mullan,
Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey.
Bringing your car home unscathed after driving on the roads which lead to Talakadu and Shivanasamudra is going to be quite a challenge. Embark on the journey if you are upto it!