Category: Travel

                                                                Monjira Bhattacharyya

It was a day to remember. It was our maiden trip to the lesser known Sathodi Waterfalls in the Indian state of Karnataka. I think in comparison to Karnataka’s Jog Falls; Sathodi Falls was a more delightful sight to behold. Unfortunately it has never got its share of limelight.

Nestled amidst the dense forest lies the mighty falls. The waterfall is formed by several unnamed streams near Kallaramane Ghat in Uttara Kannada District near Yellapur. It is approximately 32 km from Yellapur. We had also visited Magod Waterfalls which is an hour’s drive from Sathodi Falls.

Sathodi Falls is a block type waterfall approximately 15 m tall, the stream flows into the backwaters of the Kodasalli Dam & then into the Kali River.

We started our journey in the wee hours of morning & reached the waterfall within 2 hours of drive; halted midway at Yellapur for refreshments. As we commenced our journey by 6 in the morning the roads were empty & the climate was extremely pleasant to say the least.

Yellapur town was bustling with action as early as 8 am. There were many food joints & shacks operating early morning and we comforted ourselves by sipping piping hot creamy south Indian filter coffee & idli wadas accompanied with spicy tangy sambar.

We resumed our journey post breakfast and finally after 45 minutes drive reached our destination. We fought through slippery roads within the forests; the last 1 km stretch was very difficult to drive. Due to the incessant rains the road within the forest is difficult to maintain for the authorities.  We parked our bike and took baby steps towards the waterfalls. During monsoon the narrow roads prove quite a challenge for the driver. Therefore we visited this place post monsoon months i.e. October.

The view of milky white foam like water gushing past huge rocky outcrops rendered us speechless. Sathodi is among the few waterfalls in Karnataka whose plunge pool is accessible to the people. We crossed over steep rocks and logs to reach the plunge pool & were extremely cautious as one wrong step would have landed us in the flowing water of the stream which can either lead to injury or can prove fatal. Once we crossed these rocks we came face to face with the white water cascading down the steep slope which flowed on its way, nonchalantly, as if nothing had occurred. Its gushing sound was serene & permeated our minds.

The waterfall is formed by Dabbesal, which is the tributary of River Kali. One has to take a small diversion of about 2 km to see the point from where the falls originate. The view is breathtaking and does justice to the name ‘Niagara of Karnataka’.

Travel Pointers

1. Pack some snacks when going there as nothing is available, alternatively one can eat full stomach at Yellapur
2. Avoid going during Monsoon, as roads are very slippery and water logged. Visit during October as the roads are less water logged and the waterfall is in its full flow
3. Riding in a 4 wheeler would be safer than on a 2 wheeler
4. It is around 70 km from Sirsi, 17 km from Yellapur, 85 km from Hubli; 215 km from Shimoga and around 450 km from Bangalore
5. Combine Magud falls with Sathodi falls in a single trip as both are nearby

                                                                          Subhayan Bhattacharyya

From the moment I started chalking plan to travel to Maldives, all I had in my mind was pristine white sand and turquoise blue water. Being a traveler who moves around on shoestring budget, it was always difficult to manage everything yet miss nothing.

It took me one month of planning and then finally I was on my way to this enthralling destination with my best travel mate, my better half. From the moment the flight took off both of us were thrilled, and then came the moment after one and half hours when we saw tiny islands spread amongst blue water of the Indian Ocean, like clouds in the sky.

We landed at the Ibrahim Nasir International airport in Male against the backdrop of a setting Sun. The juncture we stepped outside the airport our jaws dropped as we had never imagined that we will see blue water just outside.  From there our journey took us to South Male Atoll; though we were on a speed boat it seemed everything had come to a standstill and we were not looking at each other but to the captivating view that was surrounding us. We reached our destination in less than an hour’s time having crossed many beautiful small islands on our way.  We relaxed in the evening in anticipation of the adventures that waited us.

The next day the adventures started: First to come was the thrilling experience of scuba diving in the lagoons of South Atoll. The moment one enters the water one feels otherworldly. Visibility is superb in the warm waters surrounding the atolls. Healthy corals are virtually untouched by humans. Large pelagic including whale sharks are attracted into the channels to feed on the profusion of smaller reef fish schooling close to the coral walls and submerged thilas. We were lucky enough to see reef sharks, manta rays, star fishes; snappers, soldier fishes, moray eels etc., but missed out on the whale sharks & the turtles. We came out after a two hour sojourn in the underworld. In the evening we took to snorkeling and were again amongst the small fishes, reef sharks & rays.

The next day began with a learning experience in kite surfing. I got lucky as one of the tourists was ready to teach me the basics. After a few hiccups I did manage to start to kite surf but the experience was very tiring and not a satisfying one. May be I need to get my physics right the next time. In the evening we went for a dolphin ride into deep sea. It was a stupendous experience. The dolphins were swaying on the ocean surface to the tunes of the whistle of our boatmen.

The next day was the penultimate day of the trip. Again we took to snorkeling to relax ourselves and then we spent our time feeding manta rays and playing volleyball in the beach. In between all the things I mentioned we also had awesome food which mainly consisted of Mediterranean flavors and some amazing sea food.

From the moment our flight had taken off to reach Maldives to the moment we boarded the flight to return home we never realized how time flew by.

“Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heart-warming!” – Joseph B Wirhtlin. We were taking back with us unforgettable memories which will last a lifetime.

Travel pointers:

1. If travelling from India, book flight tickets from Kochi and 45 days before to economize travel costs. Free Visa on arrival for all Indians!
2. Also if you are not a food traveler then try to book full board meal plans at the place you choose to stay.
3. If your interest lies in scuba diving then dive in South atoll to see untouched coral reefs and whale sharks or in North Atoll to see manta rays & turtles. There are resorts available which specialize in scuba diving only and hence understands your needs better. Best time for scuba diving is January to March as visibility is up to 40 m.
4. Maldives has excellent climate round the year so you can plan your visit any time of the year for a vacation.