Jog Falls, Sagara, Karnataka,India

Jog Falls located near Jog Village in Sagara, Karnataka. Jog Falls is also known as Gerusoppe falls, Joga jalapatha and Jogada gundi in the regional Kannada language. It is the second highest plunge waterfalls in India. It is a segmented waterfall which depends on rain and season becomes a plunge waterfall. The falls are major attractions for tourists and is ranked 13th in the world by the waterfall database.

Jog Falls is created by the Sharavathi River dropping 253 m (830 ft), making it the second-highest plunge waterfall in India after the Nohkalikai Falls with a drop of 335 m (1100 ft) in Meghalaya. Sharavathi, a river which rises at Ambutirtha, next to Nonabur, in the Thirthahallitaluk and takes the northwesterly course by Fatte petta, receives the Haridravati on the right below Pattaguppe and the Yenne Hole on the left above Barangi. On arriving at the frontier it bends to the west, precipitates itself down the Falls of Gersoppa, and passes that village (properly Geru-Sappe), which is some 30 kilometres (19 mi) distant, discharging into the sea at Honnavar in Uttara Kannada.

The Sharavati, flowing over a very rocky bed about 250 yards (230 m) wide, here reaches a tremendous chasm, 290 m (960 ft) deep, and the water comes down in four distinct falls. The Raja Fall pours in one unbroken column sheer to the depth of 830 ft (250 m). Halfway down it is encountered by the Roarer, another fall, which precipitates itself into a vast cup and then rushes violently downwards at an angle of forty-five degrees to meet the Raja. A third fall, the Rocket, shoots downwards in a series of jets; while the fourth, the Rani, moves quietly over the mountainside in a sheet of foam. The Tourism Department has built steps from the viewpoint to the bottom of the hill where the waterfall can be seen at the opposite side. There are approximately 1400 steps built to reach the bottom of the hill. Rock climber: Jyothi Raj has scaled the jog falls.

Joga is a Kannada word meaning falls. Many Kannada speakers near Sahyadri Mountains such as in Yellapura region still use the word Joga to mean falls. The word Joga may be related to or a derivative of Kannada word javugu which means marsh.

Before the onset of monsoon season, when there is not much water in the Linganmakki dam, the Jog Falls are a pair of thin streams of water trickling down the cliff, as the water collected in the dam is exclusively for generation of electricity; during monsoons local rain water is the source of water to the falls. 

Nearest railway station (distance to the location): 

Talaguppa (13 km) and Sagara (30 km)
Honnavar (68 km) Bhatkal(90 km) which are on Mangalore - BombayKonkan Railway route.

Nearest bus station: Sagara, Siddapura and Jogfalls bus stop. Nearest centre for private road transport is Sagara. While on the NH 66 northward one can take a right turn at Shamsuddin Circle, Bhatkal and when on southward journey one can take left Near Kamat Hotel, Honnavar to reach Jog Falls.

Nearest airport (aerial distance to the location):
Domestic
Hubli Airport (HBX): 130 km

International
Bengaluru International Airport (BLR): 340 km
Mangalore International Airport (India)(Formerly Bajpe Airport) (IXE): 200 km
Goa Airport (GOI): 246 km

Sahasralinga, (Unsloved Mystery of 1,000 Ancient Carved Shiva Lingas), Uttara Kannada, Karnataka, India

Sahasralinga is a pilgrimage place in the Sirsi Taluk in the district of Uttara Kannada of Karnataka state in India. The river Shalmala is today famous for more than thousand lingas which are carved on the rocks in the river bank.The Shiva Lingas were built under the patronage of Sadashivarayavarma, king of the Sirsi kingdom (1678-1718). It is also possible to see many Basava (bulls) which are carved in front of the Shivalingas.

Most of the lingas are clearly visible when the water level in the river is not very high. So it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that the name Sahasralinga means thousand-lingas in Sanskrit. It is a sacred site, and Linga is a symbol of worship of the Hindu God, Shiva. On the auspicious day of Mahashivaratri thousands of pilgrims visit Sahasralinga to offer their prayers to Shiv.

 

This magnificent site was discovered in 1969, by an ethnologist named Jean Boulbet. Unfortunately, his work was interrupted by the Cambodian Civil War and it took 20 years before the place was safe to visit.

Sahasralinga is situated around 14 km from Sirsi. One can travel by personal vehicles as there is ample parking space at Sahasralinga and is very well maintained. You can also take public bus travelling from Sirsi to Yellapura and get down at barani. You can take an auto rickshaw or walk down to Sahasralinga which is 1.5 km from the bus stop.

Catedrales ( A Natural Stone Arches), Galician Coast, Spain

Catedrais Beach translates as 'Beach of the Cathedrals'. It is the touristic name of Praia de Aguas Santas (in Galician language: 'Beach of the Holy Waters'). The Spanish beach is located in the Ribadeo municipality, in the province of Lugo (Galicia), on the Cantabric coast, and it lies about ten kilometers to the west from the town of Ribadeo. Its name is derived from the formations of its cliffs. It has been declared a Natural Monument by the regional Ministry for the Environment of the Xunta de Galicia.

The characteristic features of the beach are its natural arches and caves, which can be seen only in low tide. During high tide, the beach appears small, but still suitable for swimming. During low tide the size of its cliffs and sea caves is more apparent, ranging from small cracks on the rock to big caves whose roofs have collapsed due to the erosion of the waves. During low tide, there is access to a sand deposit delimited by a rocky wall made from slate and schist forming 30 meters arches resembling cathedral flying buttresses, large caves, sand corridors between rocky blocks, and other geologic features. Particularly low tides create access to nearby beaches through the sand extension. As the coast stretch is almost horizontal, the water covers the beach again very quickly. 

 

 

As the waters recede, a vista of natural arches, cliffs, and sea caves are revealed. The arches themselves reach 90 feet in height, while deep, eroded caves stretch back into the cliffside. Connecting all these features are sandy patches formed by the schist and slate of the rocks themselves. Playa de Catedrales has become a popular destination for those who feel a more holy kinship with nature, or seek to experience a touch of the divine in a new, unexpected setting.

 

Catedrales is so popular that you have to reserve your entry before you visit and best time to visit Beach of the Cathedrals is during August.

 

The fantastical name Praia das Catedrais (Cathedral Beach) does do it justice. The way the rocks dissolve over time turns them into surprising and extraordinary shapes that resemble the great architectural works of humankind. Arches and bridges that seem to defy gravity in the most precarious ways. Vaulted caves and mazes of stone pillars that stubbornly hold onto their foundations against the odds. It is a beach that is not so much for sun bathing or swimming. Rather, it is a photographer’s paradise with many different angles and perspectives. They are in continuous change in accordance with time, tide, and season. And it is more. It is an adventure playground for those who love to explore a natural beach with all its hidden corners and secret unknowns. Playa de las Catedrales is perfect for families, explorers, nature lovers.

Loktak Lake (Largest Freshwater Lake), Manipur, India

Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India and is famous for the phumdis (heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and organic matter at various stages of decomposition) floating over it. The lake is located at Moirang in Manipur state, India. The etymology of Loktak is Lok = "stream" and tak = "the end". The largest of all the phumdis covers an area of 40 km2 (15 sq mi) and is situated on the southeastern shore of the lake. Located on this phumdi, Keibul Lamjao National Park is the only floating national park in the world. The park is the last natural refuge of the endangered Sangai, Rucervus eldii eldii or Manipur brown-antlered deer, one of three subspecies of Eld's deer.

Loktak Day is observed every year on the 15th of October at the periphery of the Loktak lake. This ancient lake plays an important role in the economy of Manipur. It serves as a source of water for hydro power generation, irrigation and drinking water supply. The lake is also a source of livelihood for the rural fishermen who live in the surrounding areas and on phumdis, also known as "phumshongs". Human activity has led to severe pressure on the lake ecosystem. 55 rural and urban hamlets around the lake have a population of about 100,000 people. Considering the ecological status and its biodiversity values, the lake was initially designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on 23 March 1990. It was also listed under the Montreux Record on 16 June 1993, "a record of Ramsar sites where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur".

 

 

Of the two river systems which drain the Manipur state the Barak River and the Manipur Rive the Manipur River flows through the Manipur Valley. The river rises in the north at Karong, flows south of Imphal and hence is also known as the Imphal River. Along its course through the valley downstream of Imphal, the bed slope of the river is gentle. The Drainage pattern is sub-dendritic, sub-parallel and sub-radial, dictated by the structure and lithology of the area. Imphal, Iril and Thoubal River valleys also exhibit a meandering river course. At the Ithai barrage outlet of the Lake, the direct catchment area draining into the lake is 980 km2 (380 sq mi) out of which 430 km2 (170 sq mi) is under paddy cultivation, 150 km2 (58 sq mi) under habitation and 400 km2 (150 sq mi) under forest cover. The area of the lake is 236.21 km2 (91.20 sq mi), comprising large pockets of open water and marshy land formed at the southern part of the Imphal valley up to the confluence of Manipur River and Khuga River in the district of Imphal West. The Lake is divided into two zones, namely, the "Core Zone" which is the no-development zone or totally protected zone comprising 70.3 km2 (27.1 sq mi) and the balance area is called the "Buffer Zone". Within the lake and on its periphery, there are 14 hills of varying size and elevation; in the southern part of the lake are the Sendra, Ithing and Thanga islands.

 

With an average annual rainfall of 1,183 mm (46.57 in) tropical monsoon climate prevails in the valley. Temperatures range from 0 to 35 °C (32 to 95 °F). February and March are the driest months.

57 species of waterbirds and another 14 species of wetland associated birds have been noted in the lake including 28 species of migratory waterfowl (most migrating from different parts of the northern hemisphere beyond the Himalayas). Also recorded were 425 species of animals 249 vertebrates and 176 invertebrates). The list includes rare animals such as the Indian python, sambhar and barking deer. Keibul Lamjao National Park is the natural habitat of one of the most endangered deer, the brow-antlered deer which was once thought to be extinct, which was declared a national park only to preserve and conserve this species of Eld's deer. 

 

The area is inhabited by locals, who have to build their houses or shelters on the floating island. When the sun sets, the rays falling on the lake make it look picture-perfect, adding to its natural magnificence. The fishermen of the area use boats with oars when they set out to fish, which disturbs the monotony and the silence of the place. They set out early to place fish traps. Canoes, which have been popular for centuries, are used by them to set the stated fish traps. The main occupation of the people residing in the area is fishing, and therefore, the lake serves as a lifeline. Some people depend on the Loktak lake for irrigation, hydel power generation and most importantly, for the supply of fresh water for drinking. There are several huts, built out of rocks, bamboo, rods and metal plates, which act as houses for the fishermen. Another point to keep in mind that India’s first floating school is found in the region.   

Well connected by road and air, Imphal, the capital city of Manipur is 39 km (24 mi) away from the lake, by road. The lake is a unique destination for tourism. The lake offers excellent opportunities for visitors to enjoy the beauty of the lake and its several islands located inside it that are studded with floating phumdis of different geometrical shapes. The important islands which offer facilities for visitors are the Sandra and Phubala. The Sendra Tourit Home on the island with an attached Cafeteria in the middle of the lake is an ideal tourist spot. Visitors get a bird's eye view of life on the lake small islands that are actually floating weed on which the lake people live. Phubala resort, on the Phubala, is 40 km (25 mi) from Imphal. At Moirang town on the fringe of the Loktak is the Indian National Army (INA) Museum which will be of interest to tourists. The exhibits include letters, photographs, badges of ranks and other articles associated with the INA. A bronze statue of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose in uniform stands in the lawn. 

 

For more information  - Loktak Lake