A dream which came true unexpected.....It was hot summer sun was burning at around 40 degrees in Hubli...So we planned a getaway from this scorching we had planned off to Jagalbet which was around 65 km from Dharwad...And later visit the local places around there...Our group is very fortunate enough to have a friend whose dad is a forest officer...So after visiting Jagalbet later spots were already planned....Once we reached there one of the clerk in the office said that we are going for a trek to Dudhsagar via Kuveshi....the moment I heard this I was shocked and my internal mind freshened up with joy to the fullest...We were given a forest department's jeep along with a driver and a forest guard joined us in Castle Rock cross check-post and we later headed towards Kuveshi and started the 6 km trek from there and reached the head of the falls.........A dream came true..
(A breath taking view from Dudhsagar plunging point)
Started at 8 30 AM from Hubballi
We started of to Jagalbet at 8 30 in the morning and took the following route: Dharwad-Haliyal-Ganeshgudi-Jagalbet...Dharwad - Haliyal was the route which I had traced many times since it was summer(05 APRIL 2017) all the trees were dried up and there were no leaves on the trees at all....Haliyal - Ganeshgudi was completely opposite to the Dharwad - Haliyal route..even though it was summers all the trees were fully lit up with lights of green we could see few streams alive in such heat as well..and the specialty of this road is that you will be welcomed by beautiful butterflies which fly in front of your vehicle as and when you approach them..
(Ganeshgudi road from Haliyal)
Then we had accidentally entered KPCL area Supa damsite in Ganeshgudi which is restricted for public then later we realised that and took the right way to Jagalbet....We took left road towards Anshi - Karwar instead of Jagalbet - Londa - Khanapur road...We could see the beautiful backwaters of Supa Dam..which is the biggest dam built across the Kali river whose height is almost half a kilometer the other dams built across Kali are Kadra, Kodasalli, Bommanahalli, Tattihalla....Then we reached Jagalbet at around 10 30 AM...Snacks and Tea was already waiting for us in the IB at Jagalbet.....Then we were given a Jeep for to reach Kuveshi and start trek there....we were assisted by a forest office jeep driver..And we with our heat ignited bodies and minds with full excitement started our journey towards Castle rock...
Jagalbet - Diggi Cross - Kuveshi ///via Jagalbet - Castlerock road
We took londa route and after few kilometers we can see a left road with a huge banner with image of dudhsagar..this route was heaven with narrow roads wandering along the tributaries of Kali river...amidst the thickest forest I have ever seen..
(Jagalbet - Castle rock road near Chandewadi Village)
Later we crossed the bridge built across Pandri river which is the left tributary of Kali river which joins Kali in back waters of Supa dam...
(Pandri river as visible from bridge of Castle rock - Jagalbet road)
from Jagalbet, Castlerock is around 25 km and this bridge marks to be the approaching point of Castle rock...Many such streams we encounter on this road which are responsible for the huge inflow of Supa dam during monsoons.....these streams overflow during monsoons which makes the lifeline of many villages in Joida taluk...these streams combined together form inflow of about 50 ,000 cusecs during peak monsoons..The culture here mostly matches with kokan in Maharasthra..with Konkani and Marathi mostly spoken..Then we reached the Diggi cross from where we were joined by a Forest guard we were tension free about the wild animals...The forest here literally makes one to get frightened with very tall trees which seem to touch skies..This road wanders along the tributaries of kali river all the streams flow southwards ie.. on towards left moving towards castle rock... so you wander along the right backwaters/North west of Supa dam.....
(Diggi cross <<<<<left --Kuveshi,Diggi,Banjarkunang Castlerock,Anmod right>>>>>>>>>>>)
One has to take left to go to Kuveshi(Trek point to Dudhsagar top) and Diggi (one of the birth place of Kali) and right for Castle rock which later connects to NH 4A Dharwad - Goa road...After this point very dangerous jungle starts where probability of spotting any wild animal is very high and some time forest authorities don't allow you to take the route with proper permission...
(The most remotest villages which amidst the dense evergreen forest)
(A board stating details of construction of diggi cross - Kuveshi road)
Diggi Cross(CastleRock) - Kuveshi Off-road
From this point the birth place of Kali is 40 km and Dudhsagar is about 15 km and Kuveshi is 12 km and since it is a dedicated wild life reserve area according to the govt. no dedicated asphalt roads can't be constructed hence the complete 12 km is mud road with huge curves and a gradient road which is fun to ride if you don't spot any wild animals....you can here roaring of tigers and other wild animals on this stretch for sure if at-least you didn't see one..You can here beautiful chirping sounds of birds and roaring of various animals en-route..and also numerous boards stating about the wildlife around.....
After about 9 km of ride in the dense forest...we came across the beautiful stream river Khandepar a tributary of Mahadayi / Mandovi river which forms the majestic Dudhsagar falls...
(Khandepar river-a tributary of Mahadayi which forms majestic DUDHSAGAR falls)
About Kuveshi village
The village has some 29 families..it falls under Dandeli - Anshi Tiger reserve hence government has made several plans to relocate them but since villagers were unwilling to do so..and according to forest laws no development is to be made in the reserve forest areas...Electricity was the dream to the villagers since decades and the village has got it some 8 months ago...The language spoken is Konkani and some slangs of Marathi...They neither understand Kannada nor Hindi..The main source of food is Paddy which they cultivate by themselves....The village has k'taka govt run Primary Marathi School...The village becomes inhabitable to human beings during monsoons as it rains 24 hrs a day..
Since there is no proper bridge built across the river one has to cross the river crawling through actual flow..which makes Kuveshi inaccessible through roads during monsoons as the results of super heavy rains rivers over flow with floods here...Therefore villagers can reach outside world only during off rainy season ie..January to May midst before the monsoons start...Meanwhile they can cross the river with the bamboo bridge which can hold 2 to 3 people at a time..
We crossed the river through our jeep before Kuveshi...after about a km we reached Kuveshi village and forest check-post and after the village we traveled a km and reach to the starting point of the trek....
The trek difficulty is medium where it is descent for some time and later after walking for about 2 km the route is very steep...so steep that if you start walking you cannot stop by yourself until there is some tree to which you can hold and take support to stop...
The 4 km trek...
The forest was so green and lush that my camera was not making justice to the actual view...After trekking a km we came across bamboo made bridge which was very scary to cross as the bridge would fall anytime...
About Khandepar river (DUDHSAGAR river)
(Source : mohan-pai-blog,total exploration of mandovi)
Khandepar river originates in the Western Ghats on Karnataka side and enters Goa through the Castlerock heights and plunges down as the beautiful Dudhsagar waterfalls.It is also called the Dudhsagar river in this stretch. After the falls it runs in a deep valley for some distance till the village of Colem turning north. Calem Nala, its tributary which originates on the Karnataka boudary in the Western Ghats and runs westward till Pimpalquin and then turns north till it joins the Dudhsagar (Khandepar) river with a total length of 29 km. Khandepar river valley is broad with alluvial embankments and is dominated by plateau heights occasionally showing peaks. It has a large drainage area through its tributaries in the south, draining the area of north Sanguem and Ponda talukas in its wake.......
(bamboo built across Khandepar river)
this bridge marks to be the border between Goa and Karnataka
Final Trek and Reaching the plunging point
As we trekked further we could see glorious view of Valley of Bhagwan Mahaveer sanctuary the rocky bed surface through which Mahadayi flows finally in Karnataka and is now ready to leave the Deccan plateau and through Sahyadris is ready to enter coastal plains of Goa....
(Khandepar river before the rocky bed)
(Rocky surface before the plunging point)
(Our beloved forest guards carrying food for us)
(Bhagwan mahaveer sanctuary valley)
(Mahadayi saying final good bye to Karnataka and says Hello to Goa)
(Beautiful view of the Valley and Khandepar river)
(Dudhsagar Plunging point, The Railway bridge is visible at the foot,look for the C shaped railway line )
After spending about 2 hours we had mini lunch and enjoyed the beautiful valley...This was the most beautiful and most memorable lunch in my life till the date..Then we started our trek back to the starting point where our jeep was parked and we were completely exhausted for 8 km trek up and down...
Kuveshi - Castle Rock- Jagalbet
We headed back to Castle rock which took us an hour to reach there we reached there at around 5 PM had our lunch in Castle Rock Nature Camp where food was arranged for us.It is a special IB for forest officers the food was super tasty and were very much hungry...We rested there for a while took photographs in the view point and headed back to Jagalbet
(Castle rock Adventure Nature Camp)
(View of Dudhsagar Valley from Castle rock Nature Camp)
Jagalbet-Usoda-Dharwad
While returning we took shortest route via Usoda to Dharwad....We reached Dharwad at around 8 30.......................The trip will be always the best one in my life...
"If I remember my Engg life then this trip always stands first at my memory..."
"If I remember my Engg friends then it would first remind me this......"
This day we made one of the biggest memory in our memory lane of our life.....
