En route to Hogenakkal, stop by at
Pennagram, a village where you will come across brightly coloured giant terracotta
statues. Referred to as Aiyanars, these are regarded as guardian deities by the villagers.
They depict everything from moustached warriors to even a modern day policemen!
Once in Hogenakkal, you can take a coracle ride across the river. The coracles or circular
basket boats are covered with buffalo hide or black plastic sheets and ferry tourists
across the shimmering, rippling river. The ride will take you to the foot the majestic
waterfalls – an exhilarating yet intimidating experience. The water here surges under
the coracle, tossing it around, raging and hissing as though it might flood and capsize
the boat any moment. The sight of Hogenakkal up close is as spellbinding, imposing and
even a bit frightening. This white water fall is particularly impressive soon after the
monsoon months when the river is brimming.
Though the boats might seem flimsy on first glance, their basic design has remained
unchanged for hundred of years and are in fact quite safe. If you are feeling adventurous,
you can even ask your boatman to spin the boat - the experience is akin to sitting on a
spinning top.
Once you have had enough of the boat ride and want to calm down your wrecked nerves, try
getting a massage from the famed Hogenakkal masseurs. The local malishkarans or the mystic
masseurs are armed with oils, powders and esoteric knowledge about the different massage
points in the human body and they are good! There are also a few women masseurs.
If you plan to stay longer than a day, you can take long treks in the surrounding Melagiri
Hills and explore the lush, rugged, landscape. |
