Mekedattu the Destination

Have you ever noticed the amount of smoke exhausted from auto rickshaws in Bangalore ? Probably you are! I had never seen that much amount of smoke in Heavy trucks and JCBs on the way to Hosur road. Emission test norms are only for poor motor cyclists. To delay cardiopulmonary diseases like pneumonia and to increase your blood oxygen level is to visit Mekedattu, a place filled with fresh air. I really lost the counts of how many times I had visited this place, but it is not less then ten times for sure. Had visited this place in all seasons, have seen almost all faces of Mekedattu. For me this is one of the ideal place for any one to spend his day in peace and happiness.

Roughly eighty Kms from Bangalore, 33 Kms from Kanakapura, an ideal weekend gateway. Roads are very nice except the one located inside Kanakapura. Remembering a Tamil movie scene, in which one guy keeps on failing in 10th grade for more then 3 times, his father explains to his friends about his son's greatness like, "Avan padithan(past), padikiran(present) and Padippan(future), he is laying a strong foundation .. It is very similar to Kanakapura road work as well. Anyway after Kanakapura roads are really good, so no worries. But I never miss Thattai Idli(Flat Idli) and Green gram dhal chatni in Kanakapura hotels. After 20Kms from Kanakapura the landscape changes from plain lands to mountains, after 30kms you will find yourself inside a small ghat road which will last for 2 kms. Thats all, you will be in plains again, this place is called Sangaman(Confluence), where river Kaveri and Arakavarhi merges here. Its better to start early from Bangalore, and be first to reach, if you do so you can enjoy the river in silence. Total travelling time would be 2 to 3 Hours. On the way you will never miss a board named "Way to Chunchi falls", most of the summer it will be dry, worth visiting monsoon times.

If you go by rainy season you might fail to realize how dangerous the river is, the surface of the river will be completely covered by water and the uneven shaped rocks will be hidden inside it. Nature does not have any mercy to whom does not respect the rules of it, if you violate the rules of nature, and wanted to be too adventurous please find some other place. There are many predecessors who tried and failed, you can see their names in boards :-( Hopefully we are going there to get some peace, but not permanent peace !! Because of the rocks on the way, this place has lots of swirls and currents. Don't underestimate the force of the water, though you know swimming. It is completely different if you go by summer, you can see the naked rocks everywhere, and water level dips to 4 to 6 feets in most of the places and its very ideal for waterplay activities.



After crossing the river in Sangama, in the other bank you will find a Jeep trial which leads to a place called Mekedattu. The distance is almost 4/5 Kms. Most prefer to walk to that place, but Jeep/Mini bus service is available. So whats special in Mekedattu ? If you walk on that trail you will notice the river flows between two mountains, which just looks like a canyon. One early morning walk in this trail I had seen a deer, few mongooses and a fox. At one place the distance between two banks of the river is just 20 feet. Thats why its called Mekedattu, in Kannada language Meke->Goat, Dattu->Jump, locals meant that a goat can jump across the great Kaveri river at this point. This place will be good if you visit by rainy season, enormous amount of water gushes through this ravine, an awesome view!! You will never miss to wonder the smoothness of the rocks here, they are polished by water. There is a round hole in the rock which is of 10 feet, good enough to push a man inside it.

Jeep trial does not stop in Mekedattu, so where does it lead to ? There is a fishing camp which is another 25 mins of walk from Mekedattu, most of them who visit here would be foreign nationals, I came to know that per day stay in this camp costs around 8000 INRs, I am not 100% sure about this, please verify it yourself. On the way to fishing camp there is a way(right turn) leads to the downhills, in which you will find a nice beach. It seems this place is used by the Fishing camp visitors. You can get an awesome view of the river here. I could spot elephant dung everywhere in this spot, mostly they are active here during nighttime. I don't know how many tourists have explored this place, but I hope it is not polluted as like the river near Sangama. Be aware of broken glass in Sangama, tourist come here just to drink and break the bottles in the river. I really don't understand why the government has not even put a single board about littering. Whenever I go there I will try to find the broken glass pieces on my way and take them out of river, I can not do much.

One time I had started from Bangalore with some of friends by 12.20AM and reached Mekedattu by 3AM. Just we slept in the river for some time, Sorry I have no words to explain that, please try yourselves !!