September 26, 2014

Jog- The Mighty Falls...!!



It drizzled as I crossed Shimoga and the dark clouds that hovered for miles, made me smile. Rain was what I longed for, and thankfully it rained intermittently all the way past the winding roads and the green carpet of paddy fields on either sides. The beautiful landscape made it a delightful drive through the western ghats to Sharavathi adventure camp, the newly opened resort from Jungle Lodges and Resorts. 6 Kms away from the camp lay the reason behind this travel- to see Jog falls in the monsoons. My last visit to Jog wasn't really a memorable one. Jog is best experienced between July and September when Sharavathi river gushes at its furious best.

The road to Jog falls
Talakalale reservoir as seen from Sharavathi adventure camp
It was a pleasant surprise to hear that the Linganamakki dam had been opened up due to the previous night's rain. This happens only 4-5 times during the year, mentioned my guide as he stopped our vehicle on the bridge over the dam during the early morning drive from camp to the falls. I was thrilled to see the huge volumes of water thrusting its way and was even more excited at the prospect of seeing Jog at its very best as it is the same waters that take the plunge at the falls. Sharavathi flowed beautifully thrashing the jutting rocks between the thick vegetation on either sides. It drizzled as our vehicle made its way through narrow roads and splashed puddles en-route the Jog. The heavenly drizzle, the wet earth, the petrichor and the lush greenery made Western ghats absolutely mesmerising and surreal.

Water gushing when the Linganamakki dam opened
I gasped for a while staring at the furiously flushing falls as I got out of the vehicle. And then, all I did was to stare in oblivion for a long time. It was quite misty and drizzled intermittently. Mist covered the falls for a few seconds and then opened up spreading the beautiful four falls that make up Jog. The mist appeared and disappeared throughout my stay at the view point. Sharavathi was at its glorious best, plunging many meters and thrashing on to jutting rocks on its way down. Never have I seen a falls with such brute force looking so beautiful. It was a spray of droplets everywhere and seemed like fog as it splashed itself on to the rocks below.



Jog falls which is also known as Gerusoppa falls and Jogada Gundi, is made up of four falls, namely Raja, Roarer, Rocket and Rani. Raja is at its majestic best and is well known for being the second highest plunge waterfalls in the country at 830 feet after Nokhalikai in Meghalaya. Roarer is only partly visible as it falls through a vast concave drop before meeting Raja on its way down. Roarer is the most furious of the lot and one can have a better view of the same from the view point across. Rocket spurts out numerous jets and is definitely the most gorgeous of the lot. The way it splashes as it hits a jutting rock and creates a spray of fog all over is absolutely mesmerising. Queen is the elegant one of the four and makes her way amidst the greenery that sprout all over the rocks during the monsoons. It is not a plunge falls and cascades over the rock as it makes its way to the bottom. There are also many more tiny falls which are not as majestic and beautiful as these four. The two twin falls between the Roarer and the Rocket remains unnamed but are quite attractive. 


Rani to the extreme right, Rocket next to it and Raja to the extreme left. Roarer is invisible from this view point
There are steps which takes one to the base of the falls, but was closed the day I visited. One can also visit the the British bungalow viewpoint opposite the main view point which offers a different perspective to the falls with amazing views of the same. Roarer is best viewed from here. One visit did not satiate me, and despite the drizzle, I visited Jog falls again on my way back to Bangalore. All that I did was to gape at the falls and soak in the monsoons as the mist played around and curtained the falls frequently, only to open up shortly and spread the breathtaking scene at its very best.

Signing Note- Majestic, furious and spectacular...!!

Route- Bangalore- Tumkur- Arsikere- Tarikere- Shimoga- Sagar- Jog Falls
Distance- 385 Kms

29 comments:

  1. Awesome indeed! I am yet to witness such spectacular waterfalls.

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  2. Wow!! Look at that!
    Perfect time to see the falls, I'm sure. I can almost hear the roar as the water gushes down.
    I'm sure the drizzle and mist added to the experience.

    I'm dying to go see some water, somewhere :D

    Nice pics, Nomad. :)

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    1. Thank you, Nambiare. Head there soon. It is the right time. You will love it.

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  3. Spectacular! Lucky you! Last year it wasn't great though it rained much!

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    1. Yeah, second time lucky. My last experience was quite bad. Hardly a trickle.

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  4. Wow! Lovely pictures. You are lucky that you were there when the gates opened which does not happen often. Possibly once in 4-5 years as dam does not get filled easily. BTW, how come no pictures from Bombay guest house? That will be fantastic. If you have clicked, do upload them as well.

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    1. Thank you. Yeah, quite lucky to visit the same day the gates opened. I did not vsit the other side. So no pictures. Am sure Roarer would have looked spectacular from there.

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  5. Awesome pics and info dear, I would like to come with you with my photography gears 
    lucky you. Recently I have visited Munnar with my cousins and it was wonderful experience.

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    1. Thank you. Yeah, should travel together next time. Saw your neelakurunji pictures. Lovely they are.

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  6. Great place and beautiful waterfalls!! Nice photographs.

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  7. Pics are really nice...You are lucky to be there on the day when gates were opened. You might have not got enough place to stand or sit as it is the high time people visiting Jog falls.

    There was a hit movie Mungaru Male in Kannada which made people from all over the state to madly rush to this falls.

    Sometimes may be once in many years due to heavy rains water in Jog falls will be roaring and you can't make difference between all four streams - Raja, Rani, Roarer and Rocket.

    Did you get a chance to visit Honnemardu in Sharavathi Back waters? Usually they organize nature camps and train swimming, trekking, boating etc.,

    regards,
    technophilo

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    1. Thank you. Yeah, the place was quite crowded. I have seen Mungaru Male. It is beautifully shot. I have seen the pictures when all the four falls merge as one. Would love to see that some time. Probably, next monsoon. :) I dint visit Honnemardu.

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  8. Jog at its best. Last year we were fortunate to see this wonder in full roar

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  9. The most awesome spectacular and intriguing falls in the country !

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  10. Jog has also been my dream place. Have been there many times but nvr had this grandeur as in these pics. Amazing

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  11. Spectacular...I think Mizoram has also lovely falls.

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  12. Went to Jog in August 2014. Definitely not as mighty as your pictures! Perhaps a year of bad rain! Lovely pics!

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    1. Thank you. I had gone a month later in september. :)

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  13. Have read so much about the Jog falls....even as a child in my geography text book.
    Would love to visit them sometime. Would they be as grand in winters?

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  14. Visit them during the monsoons. There is a stark difference in the amount of water after September. It reduces to a trickle.

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