Enchanting Coorg

Iruppu Falls

Although this trip happened a couple of years ago; the memories are so fresh that I thought I must share it with y'all!!!

It all began as a group of colleagues getting into a discussion about "escape" from the drudgery of work. So the "slave" gang began listing places that could be visited over a weekend as taking days off during the week was out of question.

While there are plenty of places near Bangalore (Bengalooru) (yes; It is THE Bangalore!!!), the unanimous vote was to drive down to Madikeri about 250km (about 160 miles) away.

Madikeri lies in the Western Ghats in the state of Karnataka, India and is a popular hill station. It lies at an altitude of 1,452 meters above sea level. The nearest cities are Mangalore to the west, and Mysore to the east. With the maximum day time temperatures ranging from 6-11°C (43-52°F) in winter (December - February) to 28.6°C (83°F) in summer (April- May) the place is a heaven-send for those who like the hills and greenery!!
Madikeri was formerly known as Muddu raja keri. Muddurajakeri which means Mudduraja's town, was named after the prominent Haleri king, Mudduraja who ruled Kodagu from 1633-1687. The form of the name often used in English, Mercara, is derived from Madikeri by a standard transformation of the retroflex 'd' to an 'r' consonant.Elephant Ride on the banks of River Cauvery
Madikeri lies on theKarnataka State Highway 88 that runs from Mysore to Mangalore. It is 120 km from Mysore and 136 km from Mangalore. From Bangalore, the state capital of Karnataka, one can take the State Highway 17 (Bangalore- Mysore Highway) and take a deviation just after the town of Srirangapatna to join State Highway 88 towards Madikeri. From Bangalore; Madikeri is at a distance of 252 km. Nearby towns are Hassan (115 km) in Karnataka state and Cannanore and Tellicherry in the Kerala state (each around 114 km away).
Iruppu Falls
The Irupu Falls (also Iruppu Falls) are located in the Brahmagiri range in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, India, bordering the Wayanad district of Kerala. It is a fresh water cascade and is situated at a distance of 48 km from Virajpet on the highway to Nagarhole National Park. The Falls are also known as the Lakshmana Tirtha Falls, derived from the name of the tributary of Cauvery which starts from these falls, the Lakshmana Tirtha river.
Iruppu Falls
Cauvery River
Cauvery River
Buddhist Monastery near Kushalnagar