One day with Nature: Hoggenakkal Falls, Bangalore

Situated in Tamilnadu, Hoggenakkal is also known as Niagara of India for its hugeness and immensity. Scenic beauty is integral part of it and, apart from that, a few more activities around this falls can easily help you spend whole day there. Lot of Tamil movies and renowned hindi movies such as Roja and Ravanan were shooted at this place for its unique beauty and exquisite richness in natural resources. Since this is situated very near to Bangalore city, anyone can reach there by car or bike. Public buses are also available but, in that case, you have to do break journey. Also, public buses are not in good condition so, it is advisable to avail your own car or rented car to have easy and hassle free trip.



How to Reach:
We rented car from cab agency in Marathahalli, bangalore. There are plethora of car agents in Bangalore and you can hire as per your team size and convenience. In case you are coming from bangalore Majestic/KBS, book your cab from Majestic itself as lot of travel agents are located near Majetic Rail Station. We started from BTM layout and headed towards Krishnagiri by taking NH7 from Silk board via Hosur. From Krishnagiri, we took Dharmapuri – Hoggenakkal route and reached at site. Total travel distance is 400 km between bangalore and hoggenakkal.

Best time to visit:
Apart from monsoon season, anytime is good to visit the falls. In monsoon, water level becomes high and creates lot of turbulence in water so coracle boats do not operate for tourists in this time for safety concern. Post monsoon is relatively best time as you can see floras and greeneries everywhere, and flow of water at falls creates lot of fume at falls. Try and start early in the morning, at least by 7 or 7:30 AM, so you can reach at falls by 11:30 AM. After enjoying whole day at falls, you can start by 6 PM there and return to city by 10PM.

Road Permits and tolls:
We started from Karnataka so we had to pay Tamilnadu road permit Rs. 150/- at check-post and all other tolls and taxes will be within Rs.180 /- which includes tolls for flyovers, highway tolls, forest toll once you approach towards hoggenakkal and parking fees at site. Always pay tolls for both ways so you can get concession (eg. 35 rupees for one way and 50 rupees for two ways) in that and you can save time while returning to den.

Activities:

Scenic Beauty: Any aesthetic would enjoy to see greeneries and falls under the blue sky. You can suddenly feel the canvas of colors on mother earth which has enriched the falls and its vicinity with natures' true colors. If you reach there on sunny day you may see that rainbow has come down at your feet and begging for your serendipity. Scientifically, ray of sun passes through molecules of fume and creates color illusion which perceived as beautiful rainbow shaped palette. This falls is on river "Cauvery". Water of this river is used for water project at “Mettur” and is used for drinking purpose; therefore, you can feel the tenderness of water. It is not at all hard water and, you feel as if, somebody has refined this water at heaven for the sake of mankind.


Boating: You can not reach at main falls without small circular boat which is called “Coracle”. It is best to go to “Utmaalaai”, which is 2Km from actual tourist location and quite isolated area. Utmaalaai is actually little upstream from where stream is coming downwards and, initially, there was no boating available at this place. But if you start boating from this place you would enjoy the maximum distance on these small boats. Max six people are allowed on this boat and total charge is Rs. 1200/-, negotiable. We agreed to pay Rs. 700/- + Rs. 20/- (for some kind of ticket, I do not know what) for two people since we were not ready to share our yacht with anybody. Our cicerone, boat driver, was very modest and helped us thoroughly pass the boulders and reach at relatively best location in front of falls. We spent almost 1 hr and cared to start our yacht to explore something new. Boat journey prevails maximum for 2 hrs and it is worth to enjoy the beauty, provided the day is quite sunny and you have blue sky above. On our tour to falls, cicerone turned the boat in circular motion thrice by creating turbulence in water and believe me it was enchanting to see the whole world circling in front of my eyes. Since we started from upstream, boat wont take us there. Whenever these men feel to go to upstream, they take coracles on their shoulders and carry to upstream. After seeing these efforts he took for us, we gave him another one hundred bucks after our tour.


Eating Fishes: Do not expect to have king's lunch there because most shops provide fish in curry. Lot of local women are frying “Katla” fishes and selling them each for 10/-. We opted not to have those, since oil was totally burnt and fishes looked awfully red. Most probably, red effect comes from red chilli effect on those fishes. I felt it's good that fishes do not know how much chillis these people have put on them after their death. Finally, we went to one shop which was selling "paratha" with "veg kurma" but, after eating that "veg kurma", I learnt that it was made of fish bones and fleshes though curry was called “veg”. But if you want you can definitely try this fish to cherish in future.

Drinks: Bars are available at this tourist spot but they have only limited number of brands. Do not expect to have chicken and Chinese with your favorite beer. They provide only some terribly dry snacks and cucumber with drinks. So do not visit bars in case you feel to have nice lunch at breweries.

Loadging: It is not required to stay there because all things can be covered in one day. But hotels are available nearby. You have to check with them before booking. I do not suppose they are usually used for night stay and, hence, quite unsure about quality and services.

Massage Service: It is said that massage at this site is very stress releasing. We did not try it but, apparently, other places apart from this falls are confiscated by massage service and tourists. It is ugly to see men, all in short briefs, are enjoying massage openly. I do not know why they have not started private areas for these kind of activities, at least they would not have polluted everywhere along with water.

Pink - hows life ? Long time no see ....

Wow!! Yesterday I completed my first and glorious five years of professional experience. Of course, I am overwhelmed by the ecstasy of all those wonderful years when I experienced lot many things together. I started my career as neophyte, IT professional, in 2004, as trainee personnel, and I took training with lot many other consorts who also came on board concurrently.
For last few days we, all mates who can be traced and are still present with same employer, have initiated a group mail chain to find out all those fellows who still belong with first employer. As usual, after asking casual whereabouts, one of my peers asked me about “Life”; and I sent below impromptu response.

Life is learning...
When we came together,
we learnt together from
the affection of our dearest companions

Life is maverick...
When we flocked together,
inebriated ourselves with
the affection of our flawless dreams

Life is wisdom...
When we sail together
to the horizon of professional satire with
the affection, still holding within us

Life is rejuvenation...
when we will again
sit together, listen together
of course, affection will still be within us.

Life is laughter...
Life is challenge...
Life is attraction...
if you still preserve affection, all the way.

Sermon of Siddhartha

Siddhratha, written in Germany, is a commendable work of Herman Hesse, who delineated segmentation of life in twelve chapters. As Herman described, Siddhartha went through the virtuous life cycle of Rig Veda. Entire story has summated prime factors such as origin of life, relations among people and perishability of life. Boy Siddhartha being Brahman son with magnanimous knowledge and veneration was never satisfied with life and he always waggled to learn the inner self. Eventually, he left his house instead of his father’s indignation and adopted the path of Samana with his ardent and disciple friend Govinda. After his exorbitant learning, Siddhartha, as he described later that “wisdom cannot be given because giving wisdom is foolishness”, found that something was still missing that nobody could teach him and decided to listen to the inner self. Govinda, being enthralled by Budha’s parable, joined pilgrimage of Goutma Budha and Siddhartha took refuge of self-learning.

After few days he came to the city and met beautiful courtesan Kamala, who was like freshly cracked fig, and decided to learn about love and life from her. Consequently, Siddhartha started to enter into phase of SANSARA, lifecycle of childlike people who always engaged themselves in other’s affection and futile well-being. In this stage of life, he, Siddhartha, acquainted with merchant Kamaswami and many gamblers, and learnt about business, forbidding his austere SAMANA life. As twenty years passed by, suddenly in his dream, Siddhartha felt disastrous consequence of his exuberant life and immediately decided to leave such extravagant life and his wife, Kamala, who was bearing his child.

At this juncture, Siddhartha came to know about unique entity of life as Herman articulated main theme of his verse astutely. Vasudeva, who was a mere ferryman without any conventionally pedantic pedagogy, guided Siddhatha though his enlightenment of Atman. Vasudeva always assisted that “Listen to the river because you’ve never listened all what it says to you and all how it laughs at you”. Certain things viciously dawned in Siddhartha’s life – unprecedented death of Kamala, affront of his obstinate son – and incessantly groaned him. All these abominable mishaps reproached Siddhartha’s learning and thus gave him souvenir of his forlorn. River, like life, originates from its source, flows away down the civilization and perishes in same form. Uniqueness of entirety, OM, provided tranquil to Siddhartha when he detoured through his past -- his fortunes -- and felt distressed.

Herman has described life and relation among people allegorically through the eye of Siddhartha and, in my opinion, Siddhartha would be worth reading for those who have rejuvenated themselves through the incarnations of modesty: thinking, waiting and fasting.

Honest Appraisal

Over more than last one year World has been experiencing economic downturn, cut in business travel, fewer recruitments and less or zero hike in Salary. Many small firms were forced to shut down their businesses and many giants urged for government intervention and public's tax money. Throughout this global recession Indian IT market has soughed their modest revenues and stable workforces. Finally the gloomy days have come for Indian IT market when companies are unable to provide huge jump in salary and promised remunerations those they had given in last 10 years. Until now all major firms have announced their appraisal processes but have also declared that there would be no wage hike whatsoever. Presumably, such "indictments" are causing aversion in employees who would have expected otherwise. Indeed, for these may years, appraisal process has been a "tool" for employee satisfaction, tool providing mandatory salary hikes (in most cases) or evident promotion or both, rather than just a blunt measure of competencies. Many potential employees have argued that current appraisal process does not qualify to them unless and until such process talks about "raise".

On other hand, companies, unable to induce new clients and more businesses due to global turmoil, are keener to increase their revenues or at least trying to maintain their revenues at same level as that was in last quarter. Apart from "no hike", companies are also opting out any possibilities of salary hike and of promotion - which could provide hike in pay because of higher incumbent - by clearly mentioning that "this year's" appraisal process are designed in order to provide more emphatic feedback on employees' performance rather than anything else. In few cases, human resources do not have any clear reason to define implication of this year's appraisal process; though, indirectly they are stigmatizing this year's vulnerable economic situation.

Whether market will recover from current situation by next year and whether IT Companies will revamp their lucrative rises again are disputable; however, it is possible that very soon Indian IT will also streamline its processes for salary hike and will maintain stringent policies for any rises and promotions further.

Allegiance towards them …

Most whimsically and surprisingly, I started working with welfare organization, which devotes for well-being of poor people. This would be unethical to falsify my true intention with such comments because it has long been time since I decided to work with NGOs. After going through several websites and blogs I came to know about Down2earth, London which serves to poor people inside and outside our country though, D2E has very small unit. Perceivably small NGO organization such as D2E provides immense exposure to its volunteers to work in small unit and, of course, getting splendid opportunity to work with needy people definitely riches our sensitivity. Whether sensitivity causes thrust to welfare or vice versa is true could be a favorite debate for logic professor but the overall feeling and joviality in such kind of work are wonderful per se.

Around Mysore – Bandipur – Ooty - Mysore in 6 days

Today I came back to Hyderabad from Bangalore after a short and energetic tour. My tour was started on 22nd December 2008 evening after I had taken early leave from office. Booked my ticket with “Diwakar Travels” @ Paradise, I would recommend that “Diwakar” has a good service on Bangalore-Hyderabad route because it gave three halts and reached almost by scheduled time, 8AM, at Anand Rao Circle, Bangalore. Shuttling between Bangalore’s Majestic bus stand and Mysore, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation’s (KSRTC) Volvo buses take two hours and thirty minutes to reach at Mysore, cost 225 per person and run in every thirty minutes. Plenty of ordinary and AC deluxe buses are also available for Mysore. Train service is also available on this route, though it is less preferable because of ample availability of road transport.

Mysore, called Palace city, resides various palaces, parks and temples and serves tourists with its ample availability of restaurants, hotels and lodges. If you are looking for accommodation, I would suggest you to take an auto, which costs 25 rupees from bus stand, and go to dhanavanti Road (behind Stone building, IKR Hospital). Try to avoid any generous assistance from local hotel dealer at bus stand. One of the markets is situated near Dhanavanti road so fresh vegetables are available nearby as well as plethora of hotels and lodges. In Mysore, Places of interests are Mysore palace and Museum, which consists photos of infantry, arsenals, cavalry accessories and dresses those were used by the Emperors of Mysore, Birds Sanctuary (I didn’t see any bird except crows and crocodiles (?)), Chamunda devi temple, which is located on the top of nearest chamunda hill, National Park, Zoo, Tipu museum, Tipu palace (demolished), Brindavan Garden, which has musical fountain show that started at 6:30PM every day, government emporium and lots of other attractions. Only thing surprised me is too high charges for camera; somewhere even fifty bucks for still camera is ridiculous. Although you could spend your days in local sight seeing and evenings at local shops, it is not needed to stay at Mysore more than three days; we stayed at Mysore only for two days: 23rd and 24th December.

Bandipur Forest - on the way to Ooty

Bandipur Forest - Evening Time

On 25th December morning, we started around 5:30AM for Ooty via Bandipur National forest. We decided early to attain Jungle Safari on the way to Ooty, therefore we, hired a TATA indica cab previous day of our journey, and reached at Bandipur around 7:30AM. You could attain any Jungle Safari either between 6AM and 9AM or between 3PM and 5PM by paying 75 rupees each for bus safari. Whole forest is spread over the Nilgris range and is devided between two states: Karnataka (Bandipur national forest) and Tamilnadu (Mudumalai National Forest). Tiger project has been started since 1973 at Bandipur national forest. You must be lucky enough to observe big cat here; Bison, Deer, Elephants, and with various birds are ancillary attractions at Bandipur National Forest. You could avail the jungle safari at Mudumalai national Forest also; please check timings and costs from respective website before travel. Otherwise if you plan to stay at Bandipur Forest Resort for 1 day and visit Gopalaswammy Betta, which is around 10 Kms from Bandipur forest resort and is the highest peak in Nilgris region, you will feel real thrill and adventure of jungle.

On 25th December, we reached at ooty around 12:30PM; Ooty is the only hill station in southern part in India so you can expect to meet with lots of people from southern part of India and with IT professionals from Bangalore as ooty is accessible by 6-7 hrs driving from Bangalore. Several tourist places are the attractions of ooty such as Ooty Lake, botanical garden, Pykara falls, Catherine Falls, Doddabetta peak, lamb’s rock, dolphin’s nose, Ketti valley view, Wellington golf view, Tea factory and museum to name a few; Ooty - coonoor travel through toy train is beautiful and picturesque for visitors. Ooty has lots of tree plantations which enrich the beauty of the city. Coffee and tea packets are available directly at local shops as they process all beverages in their own shop and obviously prices are very less. On your way to local site seeing you can take several swallows of tea of different varieties such as masala tea, chocolate tea, ginger tea, almond tea, and lemon tea etc. All varieties are available at local tea stalls so you can test any flavor before you decide to buy them. I have bought lots of tea packets and coffee packets to gift my cousins and neighbors and indeed nothing could be more splendid and momentous to give to your relatives than nilgris’s original brands. We have booked tata indica for local sightseeing on coonoor side. It is wiser to book a cab from ooty and inform cab chauffeur to pick you up from coonoor rail station and show you all the local sightseeing, because firstly ooty- coonoor railway is worth to enjoy, secondly all travel companies have divided their detour in three sectors – coonoor/ooty sightseeing (day 1), film round(day 2), Mudumalai (day 3) but last two sightseeing cover same point except mudumalai forest safari which you already will cover if you come to ooty as I did, and thirdly you will save one full day for long distance travels outside ooty. Enough cab services and hotels are available at ooty but make sure you do negotiation on prices and qualities before you agree to pay for some services otherwise you might be goofed up. Foods are costly though you have to eat as Romans do while you are in Rome.On 28th morning around 5:30 AM we started for Mysore; this time also we called the same travel agent from Mysore and booked the cab. We found that cars were very good and drivers were expert to drive on hill areas. We reached Mysore around 9:30 AM and booked AC chair car tickets for Bangalore. We could have come back by KSRTC bus but we found that train journey will be more enjoyable and less hectic. Around 1:15 PM we arrived at Yeswantapur Station at Bangalore and took a good north Indian veg-lunch at a restaurant opposite to station. Well, taste of foods was really better than any other foods I have taken so far from any other same kind of restaurants in south India. Same day I took my bus for Hyderabad and reached my home by next day morning.