Hogenakkal is a beautiful picnic spot in Tamil Nadu. The river Cauvery converges from many small streams to flow as one large river. The small streams form beautiful waterfalls, and gorges in the rock. When river and rock meet, photographers can be assured of a visual treat. Just like in Mekedaatu, the water has created very interesting patterns on the rock face over the years. These patterns, though repetitive, delight me. For one, they tell a tale of persistence. They also remind me of how the human brain is wired to appreciate abstract beauty that nature creates.

The waterfalls are a sight to behold as well. We visited in January 2014, which is not even monsoon. There was sufficient water flowing for me to make this photograph. It was sunset, and you can see the faint glow of a setting sun in the top left of the photograph. I used a Lee Big Stopper to expose this frame for around 140 seconds. This image was shot with a Canon 24mm TS-E lens, which I shifted to get a panoramic view of the waterfall and surrounding areas. My love for this lens increases every time I use it!

We traveled for around 4 hours to cover a distance of 130 km to reach Hogenakkal from Bangalore. You can find a number of eateries at Hogenakkal, but very few en-route. The best options to refuel yourself are at Hosur. We used Google maps, and drove via Palacode. The road is good for most part, but the drive is quite boring. In a way that is good, because you are not tempted to stop anywhere on the way. At Hogenakkal, the facilities provided by the government for tourists is good. Clean toilets, a well marked parking lot, and plenty of dust bins. The place was crowded when we arrived, but the tourists began to depart towards sunset. Most of them clearly had a different agenda. You have an option to go on a coracle ride, get a oil massage (and wash off in a waterfall), or drink and create a nuisance. Some people choose to do all of these. Don’t be one of them!