JOG FALLS (SHIVAMOGGA):The Forest Department in Shivamogga district has opened up a unique property of its to tourists at the famed Jog Falls. The guest house, located at the mouth of the gorge, offers an exhilarating and so far unseen view of the waterfalls.
Jog Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in India, has once again come to life this monsoon. Poor rains in the last two years had deprived tourists of the magnificent view of the falls.
The Forest Department has renovated the guest house, built during the British era, and has opened it for tourists for the first time.
The property was in a dilapidated condition for many years and was given a temporary renovation during the shoot of the Tamil movie ‘Lingaa’ starring superstar Rajanikanth. The movie crew had made the guest house their base camp for three months in 2014.
The run-down guest got a new look when it was painted for the shooting of the movie. “Since then, senior officials in the department were planning to restore the property. Its uniqueness is the view of Jog Falls, which is unmatched.
The Mavinagundi waterfalls on the Sharavathi gorge can also be viewed from this property,” said Mohan Gangoli, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Shivamogga division.
In the last six months, the property has given business of close to `1 lakh to the Forest Department and a large share of it has been deposited in the account of the Village Forest Committee (VFC) in Talakalale. The committee is now running the property on behalf of department.
“Tourists can avail accommodation at `1,000 per day in three of the newly-built rooms. Boarding charges are extra and the staff must be informed in advance about the food requirements. In the coming days, we are planning to add more activities for tourists. A trekking route has been earmarked along the ridge of Sharavathi gorge and it will be opened to tourists after the monsoon,” explained Praveen Basaroor, the Ranger at Jog Falls.
The department is also planning to create an orchid garden and work is already under way. “We have ordered for different varieties of orchids and medicinal plants to take up planting at the camp site. A wood museum and rock garden are also in the pipeline,” Basaroor said.
The Forest Department can be contacted on 9449618056 for reservations.
Celebrating Jog Falls
It is one of the highest waterfalls in India with water plunging to a maximum depth of 21m
The Falls has four branches -- Raja, Roarer, Rocket and Rani. Raja gets its name from a large boulder next to it, called Arasu Kallu (King’s stone). Roarer gets its name from its roaring. The third straight waterfall is known as Rocket and the mild waterfall on the edge is called Rani or Lady.
Acharya Vinoba Bhave visited Jog Falls in 1953. He had suggested that the waterfalls be named as Rama, Hanuma, Lakshman and Seeta, respectively.
In 1904, when Sir M Visveswaraya visited the waterfalls, he remarked, “What a waste to my countrymen”
In 1949, the power generation unit was set up at Jog Falls
After the Linganamakki Dam was built in 1964, the inflow to falls was reduced; during monsoon months, Jog Falls returns to life
It is located 416 km from Bengaluru and 171 km from Hubballi