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Serene beauty of the misty village, Agumbe

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Almost 100 Kms from Mangaluru, nestled in the dense rainforest of the Western Ghats, lies the tiny village of Agumbe with its lush greenery and sparkling water falls which conserves the beauty of nature. With all these features and many more, the land is called as the ‘the Cherrapunji of the South.

This village adorns this title with grace and is called by other names like ‘Hasiru Honnu’ meaning green gold and ‘Cobra Capital’ of India because of the number of Cobras that are found here. They could also be encountered while driving along the Ghats.

Situated in the Thirthahalli taluk of Shivamogga district of North Karnataka, Agumbe is one of the best getaway locations for travellers to enjoy the rich biodiversity of the western ghats. It is one of the last surviving rainforests in India which receives an average of around 7,000 mm of rainfall annually and has a population of about 500 people.

Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, Agumbe offers many hotspot locations which are situated right in the lap of Mother Nature. The major attraction of Agumbe is its dense forests where tourists enjoy trekking, hiking, rafting and bike-riding. Travellers make it a point to stop at the famous sunset point on Agumbe to witness the hazy red sun retreating into the Arabian sea. The dedicated viewing deck lets the visitors enjoy a captivating view of the setting sun burning through the sky.

The cascades of waterfalls come to life in the monsoon season and rejuvenates the land and brings to life the flora and fauna of the western ghat regions. Within a short radius of 5kms from Agumbe, one can experience several untouched waterfalls such as Barkana falls, Jogi Gundi waterfalls and Onake Abbi falls. Though the roads leading to these places maybe a bit rough around the edges, the waterfalls are indeed worth the trip!

Another favourite of the travellers is the Koodlu Theertha falls which offers a mesmerizing view of the beauty this land holds. The waterfall is known to be one of the most beautiful and most pristine falls in Karnataka by all standards. Water from the mountains takes a deep plunge into the pond that exist below and locals believe that thousands of years ago, a sage used to meditate near the place where the pond exists today. Hence this place is considered holy by the people. This isolated beauty is located within the depths of the dense jungle and it can be quite a journey to reach the destination

People often come in search of the sparkling waterfalls of the Agumbe that ranges from serene, breath-taking to tranquil, when it comes to atmosphere that it provides. The area on the way to and around the falls are kept as pristine as possible and the authorities urge the visitors to not pollute the place.

Nearby attractions include hilltops such as Kundadri Hills (16 kms), Sringeri (30 kms from Agumbe) and Kuppalli (45 kms from Agumbe). These places offer a complete overview of the dense forest of the land which is thickly populated by different species of butterflies, snakes, deer, scorpions, moths and many more fauna.

Post monsoon period is considered as the prime time to visit the place as the temperature remains between 16 degree celsius to 23 degree celsius and the high mountains are covered with dense fog.

With conservation of land becoming a problem in many parts of the world, we see more and more natural diversities getting extinct or destroyed. Agumbe holds together a piece of nature and the land and thus will remain as a precious jewel to the state of Karnataka. Let’s hope that its beauty remains the same for generations to see.

 Image courtesy Roland mendonca, Shashidhara halady, Prasanna lakshmipura and Dinesh Valke from Wikimedia commons

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SC H Varghese

Harshita Mary Varghese graduated with a Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication from St. Aloysius College Mangaluru and is quickly learning the ropes of the emerging Media Industry. She has excellent language and reportage skills. She excels at human interest and travel stories.

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