I am visiting Jog Falls after almost 40 years and on my way all I could do was try and remember what I saw, what the falls looked like. I had never heard of Niagra falls but now I was visiting after having seen quite a few water falls! The drive from Shimoga was absolutely breathtaking and what I noticed was there were policemen by roadside every kilometer or so. So I stopped and asked what is the occasion and the reply was Governor of Karnataka was visiting Jog Falls!
Jog Falls is about 380km from Bangalore and this was a totally unplanned trip for me but I am known to do trips like this! It was drizzeling all along the way and the greenery was just out of this world. Saw few monkeys but no other wild life to speak of.
I left Shimoga around 10am after having Idli and Vada saambar breakfast! That was so good, I have noticed same Idli and vada tastes so different in every different town. Some use coconut, pepper corns, curry leaves and ginger in vada or some combination there of and the Chutney is so different too! Some saambar is little sweeter than others, may be because they add sugar or jaggery? Anyway, it was filling breakfast and I was all set for my visit to Jog Falls.
I got to see Governor’s motorcade, comprising about 12 cars and jeeps, waving everybody off to side of the road and they were speeding away around 120kms. I realized he was coming as I saw the policemen coming to attention and people began to gather along the road.
It was close to noon by the time I reached Jog falls. Of course there is no comparison between Jog Falls and Niagara Falls or any other ‘Falls’ for that matter. Each have their own natural beauty but Jog Falls is unique…the river Sharavathi, splits into four distinct channels and plunges 960 feet below in a glorious fashion. The four falls have been named according to their power and beauty…Raja, Rani, Roarer and Rocket. The view from the top is absolutely spellbinding and it was my pleasure photographing these falls.
There are three different areas from where these falls can be viewed from…one is from the top, opposite to where the falls are, second is closer to the falls as the river splits and the third one is for the adventurers. There is a trail that will take you to the bottom of the falls and the experience must be out of this world. I have never been there but I could see hundreds of people down there admiring the falls am sure.
In Jog itself there are nice places to stay, managed by Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation. Otherwise one could make a day trip from Shimoga.
Here are some photographs I took of Jog Falls….
Author: Dr. K.B. Mallya- Canada
