A drive to Shivasamudram falls

Having been a proud owner of a Tata Indica Xeta car for the past four months, this is our first time to test drive the car on a long distance situation. I'm not going to ramble about the car performance or mileage related details but just about the journey and the destination itself. It was a totally unplanned trip (unlike me) when we (six of us) decided to drive down to Shivasamudram falls on a Sunday morning. At 9 AM on a bright morning, the traffic was smooth and the drive started well. We were driving on Mysore Road when our stomachs started grumbling for breakfast. Our first pitstop was Kadu Mane, a Veg restaurant where we had thatte idlis, vadas and coffee. Once our palate was full and the plates were empty, it was time to hit the road again. The highway was smooth with very little interruptions by the barricade lines and speed brakers here and there. It was a good idea that we decided to buy lunch parcels since there is no good place to eat after the left turn from Maddur to Shivasamudram falls.

What a scenery it was, with green fields and coconut trees on both sides and a beautiful lake filled with lotus and lillies! The white clouds dispersed as different shapes in a clear blue sky were not to be left behind. It was a visual treat. We stopped for a while to take in the beauty that's so close to the city (a couple of hours drive). Though the state highway road was bumpy with many potholes, the drive overall was very nice. The direction boards are everywhere on both sides of the roads and it really helps. As we drove down, we started seeing glimpses of the river Cauvery. After parking our vehicles, it's time to get a sight of the majestic waterfalls. What a wonderful view! Water flowing down with such a force and sound makes you admire the falls with awe. We walked along the rocks to reach a spot where the water force was less so we could take a bath. Initially I was hesitant to get close to the waterfall. But I couldn't resist my temptations. After all, it's not a day-to-day event that we drive down to such beautiful waterfalls. We got drenched for about 30 minutes, after which it felt so refreshing. We emptied the lunch parcels quickly (fearing the attack by monkeys!) and headed back to our vehicles.

After a quick stop for coffee at Indradhanush restaurant, it was time to drive back. A clear sky in the afternoon and rains lashing in the evening. This is the order of the weather these days. After careful manouvering in the rains, we reached home at 9 PM. Our first day trip in our car was worth it. No wonder, people keep driving to different places over the weekend. There are many wonderful places around Bangalore and in Karnataka which I'm yet to explore. Hopefully, I get to visit many such places soon.