The Dudhsagar trek was a pending task from my must visit places list.
I have been planning this for past 3 years but because of various reasons could not execute this plan.
This time, finally most awaited dream trek comes true, Many thanks to Bangalore Hikers organizer.
The tickets were booked in advance and finally I was able to witness for beautiful waterfall.
What we know about Dudhsagar falls:
The falls is at its best in monsoon. Go now. (Incidentally this is the same falls shown in Shah Rukh Khan's blockbuster "Chennai Express" and it is best shown in "Maina" Kannada movie!)
What we should know about Dudhsagar falls:
Origin: Dudhsagar Falls(English translation: Sea of Milk) is a tiered waterfall which forms a part of River Mandovi in the Goa state, India, on Goa's border with the Karnataka state.
It is lies high up in the Mandovi River's watershed and during the monsoon season the falls are transformed into one of the most powerful falls in India.
It is a four tiered waterfall with a total height of 310 meters (1017 feet) and an average width of 30 meters (100 feet) and is 5th tallest waterfall in India.
Falls is about 570kms far from Bangalore, Where in we have only train connection to reach the Dudhsagar falls.
Difficulty level of trekking to Dudhsagar is moderate to high.
Myth:
Story has it that a gorgeous princess lived in the forest (near present day Dudhsagar Falls) in a palace.
She loved and enjoyed bathing in a lake nearby and used to drink "sweetened milk" from her "golden jug" after finishing her bath.
One day while enjoying her jug of milk she found herself being watched by a prince, who was standing amongst the trees.
Red with embarrassment at her inadequate bathing attire, she poured the jug of milk in front of him to form an improvised curtain to hide her body while the maids rushed to cover her with her dress.
It is said that it is that sweetened milk that cascades down the mountain slope as Dudhsagar Falls to this day as a tribute to the virtue and modesty of the princess.
My Memorable Experience:
We 12 Bangalore Hikers had 2 options to board the train-one from KR Puram station and other from Yeshwantpur station.
9 were boarded from K R Railway station (Santosh Kumar Gupta, Vikash Ranjan, Ankur, Surya Reddy, Lakun Patra,Keerthan Shetty,Bhavani Prasad,Manish,Debabrata Santra) and 3 were boarded from Yeshwantapur Railway station(Myself, Pradeep Nayak and Pradeep Kumar). I reached Yeshwantpur railway station at around 9:00 PM on July 11th. We three started discussing about the trek how it will be, when we will reach Dudhsagar falls and etc.,
Around 9:50 PM the whistle boomed from platform number 1 "Chennai to Vasco" caught the attention of our eyes and i screamed, " That's our train Chennai Express". I tried calling Santosh the organizer, who was just standing in-front me. We shaken our hands and we rushed into the couch S9 with the seat numbers 20/21/22. Remaining 9 people were there in S4 and S10 couches.
After our chit-chats are started and Santosh has came with declaration form to get it signed. Again we started asking him about the plan for 2 days with very enthusiasm and we cleared all our doubts. He has given us 3 packets of ready made MTR Sambar rice, 3 cup noodles and one pound of bread and he told us, that's our next day's Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
After some time we went to the sleep an woke up at next day at 6:30 in the morning. At around 7 we reached Hubli. The view from Hubli station to Dharwad was mesmerizing sceneries.
Mesmerizing train crossing curves via Dharwad
Almost at 10:30 AM we 12 hikers got down at Castle Rock. Where in there was an awesome weather covered with full off mist.
The Starting point of trek
Trek starts 12th July, Day1- Castlerock to Dudhsagar:
We had a small introduction round at Castlerock station which i missed and joined the session at last. Santosh has given some important instructions(Do's and Dont's) and distributed the tents to 2:1 with a total of 6 tents which is of 2.4 kgs each.
We started our real rial trek at 11:00 AM in an awesome chilled weather. All the DSLR cameras and chota mota cameras came out from the pockets to click each and every moment. The first snap at castle rock.
Castlerock welcoming us with chilled weather
We had 2 professional photographers Ankur and Santosh :-P . We stared our rail trek with a whooping energy in a cool weather covered with full off mist. In the meantime rain has started drizzling and all the team members were in their dream songs. Rain coats and rain covers come off.
Our goal is to reach the destination within the accumulated time, reason is to acquire the space to put the tents. We have to hike through a Scenic 14 km and to cross 11 tunnels to reach Dudhsagar Water falls along the railway track, because no other way to reach the Dudhsagar falls.
By the time we reached the first tunnel, All the team members got drenched in rain especially (Lakun and Debabrata) were walking without rain covers through out the trek.
We started singing "Rain Rain go away come again another day", Due to poor signal availability our prayers has not reached the Varuna Dev (God of rain).
12 hikers journey begins from Castlerock towards Dudhsagar
Again we started our trek in the rain when we about to cross tunnel number 2 which is 400 mtrs long tunnel we took out our torches and walked through the tunnel, a train came and all engrossed to the wall.It was mind-blowing to see the train passing inside the dark tunnel and sensing its vibration and hot air in a cool weather. Myself, Santosh, Pradeep, Manish, Bhavani and Ankur has started screaming with different noises(Wooooooooooooooo, aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh, Wow Wow, Miah, Miah, Bow, Bow)and whistling inside the tunnel. By the time we came out of the tunnel few of them got bitten by leaches and we leave Karnataka behind and entered the state of Goa.
Goa welcomes us with dark tunnel
Near tunnel 4 we found a small stream at around 2:00PM. We took a break and few of them has changed their wet clothes. Organizer Santosh(the cheap chef) has came with a vessel and fuel tablets to prepare the food. We all took out our MTR rice sambar pockets and we dipped into the hot water and finished our lunch.
Later we walked through for 2 kms on railway trak and we reached 2 nearby tunnels, the place between two tunnels was really awesome to see with small small water falls which are coming in between the rocks and when we came out from the tunnel Santosh told us to turn back for the Super scenic view it was an Awwwwwwwwwsome spectacular look of the single monolith rock with a tunnel inside and railway bridge beside. One of the amazing view of the rock i never ever seen in my lifetime.
This one is drilled through a huge monolith. We admire the skills and guts of railway engineers who made it possible almost 100 years back.Rain plays hide and seek. We are not bothered.
Lunch Preparations inside the tunnel using fuel tablets
While others were enjoying near the small water falls.
The rain cape has given us good protection so far and shoes though filled with water provides excellent grip on the ground.We continue in the rain and see a yellow board at a distance. We are overjoyed to see a railway station and are sure that it must be Dudhsagar.
Most awaited yellow board
We walk ahead. Droplets of water from the falls welcome us and after few steps we are in front of the waterfall. It is a WOW feeling at around 4:00 PM in the evening and we saw a Beautiful Majestic Dudhsagar falls(Halina Dhare in Kannada) with full of roaring sound of water in 4 different phases.
A feeling of accomplishment which removes all fatigue. It is a mighty one. Rains have made the falls into a glorious sight. Cascades of milky white water tumble down rocky terrain. Gurgle of fresh rain water falling from 310 meters fill the valley.
The mist clears and we get a good view of the water falls. Our joy is short lived as the skies open up and it pours again.The bridge is wide enough for people to stand and enjoy the close view of the falls.
Majestic and mighty Dudhsagar falls at its Beauty
Later we moved near one of the shelter and started building the tent beside the water fall (Just 100mts from the waterfall) and 5mts from Railway track. we came to our camping, prepared cup noodles and finished our dinner. It was a wonder to sleep inside the tent with torch lights,
listening to the shuddering train sound in the midnights and water gushing under the tent. Which is below 18° Degrees weather.
Camping near the falls with Small tents
Day 2, Dudhsagar-Sonalium-Kulem:
We all got up at 6:30 next morning and we got fresh up and had a random pics near the Dudhsagar falls and we packed all our tents drenching in the rain.
There is no chance of us going down the stream to take pictures of the bridge with waterfalls in the backdrop. It is risky and we did not want to take chance. Later we
had our breakfast with delicious bread & yummy mango jam. Later we started our day 2 trek (Another 11 KMS). 7kms in railway line and 4 KMS in Forest Route. Even on the second day rain has followed us.
We walked towards left side of the falls to have a glimpse of full view point of the Dudhsagar falls. Had one round of photo-session.
Glimpse of Mighty Dudhsagar from the view point
Walking on the track in rain is tricky and slippery. At 11:30 AM we reached Sonalium station and we took forest route which is of 4 kms through high peaks of western ghats and that is time for Candid Photography. Everybody took out their Sunglasses. Started posing for the pics.
After 5 kms again we got a railway track where in all were sad to walk again on railway track. Many of them who were traveling from Goa were passing by bikes.
Took bath after two days in a Natural Jacuzzi
At around 12:30 PM Santosh showed us a natural Jacuzzi (which is at the left side of the railway track). We walked near to the Jakuzzi it was like heavenly feeling for all us. A feeling of accomplishment which removes all fatigue. We enjoyed there for 1 hour we took bath and started moving towards kulem junction. We reached kulem junction at 2:30 PM.
Myself and Santosh went to Kulem village to bring the Lunch for whole team. One veg Biryani for Santosh and 11 Non veg Biryani's. Finally we took a rest for 2 hours in Kulem juntion and we boarded Goa-Howrah train to Londa. We reached Londa at 7:00 PM and had Paper Dosa and Kunda(Belgaum sweet). At around 7:30 PM we borded our last train Rani Chennamma Express to Bangalore.
Kulem Railway Staion
We reached Bangalore on 14th Morning 7:00 AM.
Finally our must awaited journey comes to end at Yeshwantpur railway station. Few of us get down at Yeshwantpurand others at Majestic.
Total time spent for the trek: 60 Hours
Total time spent in train journey: 27 Hours
Total time spent for railway trek: 10 Hours
Total time spent near falls: 06 Hours
Total time spent in tent: 12 Hours
Total time spent in Jacuzzi: 01 Hour
Total time spent at railway station: 04 Hours
Total KMS traveled: (570+14+11+605) 1200 KMS
Total KMS traveled in train to & fro: 1175 KMS
Total KMS traveled through railway trek: 21 KMS
Total KMS traveled through forest route: 04 KMS
Total tunnels crossed in the trek: 15 tunnels
Total water stream crossed in the trek: 05 Water streams.
Eatables: Chikki, Energy bars, Chocolates, Mixture, MTR Sambar rice, MTR Pulav, Cup Noodles, Bread-Jam, Glucose, Naturo, Veg and Non Veg Biryani and finally Paper Dosa.
Journey: Bangalore -> Castlerock -> Goa border -> Caranzol -> Dudhsagar -> Dudhsagar waterfalls -> Solanium -> Kulem -> Dudhsagar waterfalls(Second Glimpse of waterfalls through train) -> Londa -> Bangalore
Journey to Dudhsagar Water Falls
Trek to Dudhsagar would be a dream trekking place for all the trek freaks. to remember and cherish. There is a great charm in trekking in monsoon on the railway track. You won't regret and all fatigue will vanish when you see the beauty of nature - Dudhsagar Waterfalls in full glory!
Dudhsagar is at its Majesty no words to explain about its Beauty. Thank you for the organizer for arranging all necessary things and thank you for all my friends whom i met first time in the trek and making this trek One of the most memorable, Unforgettable & adventurous trek throughout my life.
Thanks One & All.
Written by: Lohith V N
Event date: 12th & 13th July, 2014
Place: Dudhsagar
No. of hikers: 12 (12 M, 00 F)
Event Organizer: Santosh Kumar Gupta
Photos of the event: Check here
Photo Courtesy: Ankur, Lohith, Manish, Santosh
Excellent write up Lohith. I missed the event..
ReplyDeleteNicely written !!
ReplyDelete