This is one
place that you should never miss… especially if you are on either side of the
border… Across the Tamil Nadu / Karnataka Border, you can go and visit this
place… Beautiful falls where many movies have shot their panoramic scenes, Roja
for one… Remember Dil Hain Chotta Sa??
To get there I
rose early in the morning and decided to head towards Hogennakal. The best way
to reach there is to catch a direct bus from Salem Bus station; else you also
have an option of going to Dharmapuri and from there to Hogennakalu.
P.S It’s also
the place where Veerappan used to dwell somewhere in the deep jungles near the
Karnataka & Tamil Nadu Border…
My early morning
breakfast, where I ate a really amazing double dosa & some Malabari Parota
with Kadala Curry :) Yes I was that hungry.
Ramesh
Anna, preparing hot Dosas...
While I was doing that, this guy 'Ramesh
Anna' was like a ‘Masterchef’ dishing out some Malabari Parota… He was so quick
in making them that you would just awe at the whole experience…
Malabari
Parota in the Making
Malabari
Parota & Kadala Curry
First
up was the visit to the Aquarium, right near the Bus Stand… This is quite a
place before you get to the waterfalls. A must visit as soon as you reach
Hogennakal, after about a 3 hours ride
on the bus from Salem which, by the way just costs Rs. 26, thanks to the truly inexpensive and
amazing Tamil Nadu State Transportation :)
Tiger Shark
Gold
Fish
Next up is the Crocodile Park &
Rehabilitation centre. This is one thing you have got to visit… You can see the
crocodiles up close and personal, is a completely different experience… A lot
of them are severely injured… Of course, due to fights amongst themselves. But
the real fear of this animal strikes you in the eye… even though they are lazy
and slow, they are some creatures not to mess with… P.S Entry to this centre is
Rs. 1. 1 Km from Bus stand…
Crocodile
Park & Rehabilitation Centre
Once you are done with the crocodile park,
head straight to the Main falls… On the way, you can take a few pics of scenic
falls, but really, don’t bother as you will get great views when you go down
and take a ride in the single oar boat… They also serve cold drinks and chips
on other boats around you.. :)
Hogennakal
Waterfalls
The Waterfalls up-close & personal
All in all, this experience is certainly a
must do if you want to relish the beautiful serene waterfalls along with some
natural beauty around the waterfalls. If you are a nature lover then you will
certainly enjoy this trip.
Srinivas Kulkarni