Flow…contained

Mekedaatu is located 100 km from Bangalore. At this spot, a goat is said to have crossed a deep gorge by jumping from one rock, to another. Very close to Mekedaatu is also the confluence of the Arkavathi and Kaveri (Cauvery) rivers. In fact, one most cross this confluence by wading across, or by coracle, before reaching the actual spot where the goat made the leap. The distance from the confluence, or sangama, to this spot is 4.5 km. There are buses to ferry tourists to and fro.

Like many natural spots, Mekedaatu is usually highjacked by uncouth youth who came to bathe, revel and party. This behavior robs the place of its serenity. There are a lot of interesting naturally occurring phenomena to notice at Mekedaatu. For instance, it is very interesting to see how the water has eroded the granite rock over the years. We also noticed small fish being thrown out from gushing waters in large numbers.

The above photograph is a representation of the fury of the Kaveri at Mekedaatu. In nature, very few elements can withstand the force of water. Even the rocks that contain this flow, are slowing eroding. It is a matter of time, before the river wins over the rocks that contain the water. But will the river last till then? Or will man deplete all natural resources and let the river run dry? I am not sure how many think about this. So many of the hordes visiting the place get so caught up with their boozing, shouting and drinking to notice even what is in front of them. I wonder, if such a distant thought would occur to them at all. I have no problems with people partying, but to do so at the cost of the serenity of nature and ending up trashing the place with bottles and waste is certainly not good. And this is our collective failure as a society. We have failed to ensure that every human has the sensitivity to give some thought to what goes on outside of his own little mind.