Mekedatu

At Mekedatu, the amazing power of water is demonstrated not just by gushing river and waterfalls, but craggy rocks that have been carved by its force for millennia. Located about 120 km to the East of Mysore, the rivers Arkavathi and Cauvery join hands at Sangama to rush through a rocky gorge to create Mekedatu (literally, a goat’s leap), a stone ledge chiselled to such finesse that a goat can jump across. The water at Sangama is shallow enough to wade through but at Mekedatu the water is fiery and dangerous. Clamber over a series of giant rocks to see the water gushing and tumbling through finely sculpted channels with a deafening roar. The rocks are sometimes slippery and the water hides many whirlpools so it is best to be cautious while getting in. But from a vantage point on the rocks, the scenery around, of water, rocks, river banks and forest beyond, is quite breathtaking.