Miles and Trails: Apsarakonda Falls, Apsarakonda

A captivating name. Tucked amidst the forest. No fellow homo sapiens. We in solitude. Couple goals.

Route: Mirjan-Kumta-Haldipura-Karki-Honnavara-Apsarakonda

We were coming to Apsarakonda from Mirjan Fort. The journey took around 40 minutes to reach. Time wound have been 9:30 or so, still no sign of anyone. In the thick of greeneey we could hear streaming water. Sigh board is well-marked. We started our downward journey. The fallen leaves crunched beneath our feet. The trees hum with life all around us. And birds sing sweetly as if to welcome us.

Down the path there is a stream. It is not the kind of torrential pour, but the gentle sort. The nearby rocks were slippery. The slow flow created a shallow pool. The water is crystal clear, refreshing and cool. We had no intention either to take a dip or swim.

However, famed tale about this place is that Apsaras (celestial nymphs) used to take bath in the very pond (konda) and relax, hence the adorable name. And we could understand why. But for the steady sound of gushing water, there is absolute stillness. The water falls directly on the sacred fig tree before falling to the pond. It is said there are few natural caves behind the tree, which we could find by squinting a little. The thick canopy blocked the sunlight as if they spread a thick blanket around them.

Our solitude was disturbed by the arrival of people. Immediately after coming down the steps they all jumped into the pool playfully, screaming, splattering water. It was our cue to head out of the place and we did.

There was shop just beside the temple where we purchased cool drinks, ice creams, snacks, and buttermilk. Here we had a conversation with the shop owner who told how the place is gaining popularity especially among city folks. Even though he was a businessman it was his pet peeve that he does not want too many crowd as they tend to spoil the serenity of the place. He suggested us to visit Kelginoor pond, an artificial waterbody; Apsarakonda Beach; and Apsarakonda Park. We thanked him and decided to visit the park and giving a miss on other two due to time constraint.

After paying a nominal price of INR 10 we entered the park, which was maintained by the Forest Department of Karnataka. The park was landscaped differently with distant carved stones benches and ornamental trees. There were two to three dilapidated buildings that were designed peculiarly with stone patchwork. Somewhere down the line a tiny pond was tucked along the jungle. Well-paved pathway lead us to a pavilion from where we could see the sandy beach of Apsarakonda. A planter was spread across the roof of the pavilion beautifully. The atmosphere was calm and relaxing. We would get lost in the quietness endlessly if we have not had the long onward journey.