Weekend drive: Sangam & Mekedatu
Around a two hour drive from Bangalore, Sangam and Mekedatu are ideal for a day’s getaway. The heat right now might deter you, but if you’re upto braving the hot sun, go for it!
A view of the Sangam confluence point
Sangam is the confluence of the river Cauvery and Arkavathi and is accessible via Kanakpura Road. The river flows through a deep gorge at the point called Mekedatu. The gorge is deep and at some points the rocks bridges the river, so a goat can leap across. Therefore, the name Meke (goat) Datu (leap).
On the way, most of the trees right now are bare and leafless – waiting eagerly for the rains. But Sangam usually sees quite a lot of crowds, despite the season. So be prepared. Bangaloreans are obviously adventurous people!
A house with colourful walls on the way
There’s hardly any water during this season and you can cross the river, take a old bumpy red bus to Mekedattu, around 3 kms away. This is actually a nice trek in winter. Avoidable now, unless you want to be roasted by the end of it!
A view of the bare trees on the way
Sadly, there is a lot of debris around. Careless, ignorant people who don’t care much – from wrappers, plastic, to alcohol bottles, you’ll find everything.
Another view of the crowds at Sangam
The road goes along the river till Mekedatu through some dry and arid vegetation. You can walk down below to the rocks, but be careful and don’t venture too much to the edge. There’s usually a policeman around but he won’t be able to do much if you lose your foothold.
The rocky terrain at Mekedattu
There aren’t too many options for food, so a good idea is to pack a picnic lunch. We couldn’t however find a shady spot to eat, so we ate in the car! There are 2 restaurants in the area, if you’re feeling adventurous.
View from the rocks at Mekedatu
On the way, you can stop of at the Art of Living centre and admire the serene surroundings. Though on weekends, it gets quite crowded. They have a nice restaurant where you can refill your stomach and get some rest before you head back.
The main dome of the Art of Living Centre with the sun in the background
Facts:
– Recommended for a day drive, it’s about 100 kms from Bangalore. After the monsoons, everything turns green and it’s much more pleasant.
– You can have a food halt at Kanakpura.
– Be ready for crowds of people though heading there. Despite the hot weather, we met them in droves.
– Carry food and water if possible.
Fantastic pics! Thanks for the write up.
Nice pics and report Anita!
Unfortunately river bed is full of broken alcohol bottles. Casual stroll can end up with bleeding legs. For all those who plan to have a dip at Sanagam ” Wear suitable slippers “. It’s easier to survive Piranha’s infested amazon than Sangam
Nice pics, esp of the colourful wall and the sun behind the Art of Living structure. Sorry to hear that the place is full of debris….
This is not a place to go with family on a public holiday. The villages on the way are much more beautiful than this drunken revelers adda.
My! Had never been to the place in summer, never through it will be this dry!
On the way to sangam about 10 -25 Kms before the destination take a left turn and you will reach CHUNCHI falls. this is another awesome place gain sadly desecrated by senseless people.
great post! must for a visit!!