Waterfalls are a pleasure to watch when they are flowing aggressively during the peak of monsoons. The falling water appears dangerous then, threatening to swallow anyone who dares to go too close to it. When we visit waterfalls in the monsoon to witness the power they have acquired from the dark clouds above, little do we realize that the turbulent opaque whitesheet of water must have hidden a chest full of treasure behind it! Perhaps the rough water also prevents us from witnessing the chiseled beauty in the rocks that support its flow!
The rocky bed of a waterfall is known to form due to erosion by the strong water currents and the stones and sand carried by it. Many times a shallow cave-like formation is formed behind the waterfall due to a processknown as “splashback” of water. This cave like formation is known as a “rock-shelter”. Moreover, when the water pounds forcefully on the rocks at its base, a deep plunge pool is formed due to the continuous erosion.
In monsoons, the turbulent waters of Ermayee falls hide numerous rock shelters, which are inaccessible then. Early in winter when the force of the water lessens, one can easily see that the bedrock has been carved out intricately to resemble a five-storied gorge-shaped structure - the rock shelters forming the five storeys in that structure, with the water flowingforcefully in the bend of the gorge. It being midwinters, the surrounding bedrock was not wet or slippery. We managed to find a way to enter one of the rock shelters with a slight struggle to climb up the steep rocks, which had verynarrow holds at some places. We climbed easily to about 30 meters on the rock and then had to move horizontally for the next 30 meters along it using only the narrow holds for support. The footholds were only a couple of inches wide at some places. It was a bit risky, lest someone should lose their grip andfall 30 meters below on the rocks. We moved cautiously, helping each other.Once on the “third storey”, we crouched to get into the rock shelter.
Climbing up to the rock shelter was worth the effort! I cannot fully describe the exhilaration of being behind the waterfall without getting wet! There were two rainbows parallel to each other in the sheet ofwater. You can imagine the beautiful photographs we got clicked by someone at the base of the falls, as we posed behind the translucent sheet of water broken at some places due to deformities in the rock; with a couple of rainbows in the water in front of us!
Later we were in for another pleasant and beautiful surprise. When you climb to the terrace of the falls, you reach yet anothersmaller waterfall. The water of this falls appears to be flowing through a roofless cave (at times the water flow becomes even lower making this sheltered spot a perfect one to camp at!) The climb to the terrace of the Ermayee falls, though, is treacherous due to the numerous vertical rocks, having very little holds, along which we needed to move very cautiously. Climbing to the terrace is not possible in the monsoons. A water pipeline runs through the topmost falls to the base of Ermayee falls. At the terrace, a bund has been built due to which, a nearly 20 feet deep pool has been formed. A few ropes have beentied along the rocky climb to the terrace, probably to assist workers to beable to climb to the pipeline. After spending sometime with this surprise at the Ermayee, we headed back to Mangalore!
The Ermayee falls had turned out to be more of an adventurous surprise…! We felt really lucky to have had this spectacular experience!
Route: Mangalore- Belthangady-Ujire
Date: 29th December, 2012
With: Fahad A.R, Nitin Shettigar, Ramaprasad, KarthikPrabhu, Manoj, Smitha Upadya, Arun Mysore, Aditi Vishwasrao, Vikram Kaparthy, Javid Karangi, Abhilash Desai, Fairoz Fahad, Madhu Ramaya, Prachi Bhosale
The rocky bed of a waterfall is known to form due to erosion by the strong water currents and the stones and sand carried by it. Many times a shallow cave-like formation is formed behind the waterfall due to a processknown as “splashback” of water. This cave like formation is known as a “rock-shelter”. Moreover, when the water pounds forcefully on the rocks at its base, a deep plunge pool is formed due to the continuous erosion.
In monsoons, the turbulent waters of Ermayee falls hide numerous rock shelters, which are inaccessible then. Early in winter when the force of the water lessens, one can easily see that the bedrock has been carved out intricately to resemble a five-storied gorge-shaped structure - the rock shelters forming the five storeys in that structure, with the water flowingforcefully in the bend of the gorge. It being midwinters, the surrounding bedrock was not wet or slippery. We managed to find a way to enter one of the rock shelters with a slight struggle to climb up the steep rocks, which had verynarrow holds at some places. We climbed easily to about 30 meters on the rock and then had to move horizontally for the next 30 meters along it using only the narrow holds for support. The footholds were only a couple of inches wide at some places. It was a bit risky, lest someone should lose their grip andfall 30 meters below on the rocks. We moved cautiously, helping each other.Once on the “third storey”, we crouched to get into the rock shelter.
Climbing up to the rock shelter was worth the effort! I cannot fully describe the exhilaration of being behind the waterfall without getting wet! There were two rainbows parallel to each other in the sheet ofwater. You can imagine the beautiful photographs we got clicked by someone at the base of the falls, as we posed behind the translucent sheet of water broken at some places due to deformities in the rock; with a couple of rainbows in the water in front of us!
Later we were in for another pleasant and beautiful surprise. When you climb to the terrace of the falls, you reach yet anothersmaller waterfall. The water of this falls appears to be flowing through a roofless cave (at times the water flow becomes even lower making this sheltered spot a perfect one to camp at!) The climb to the terrace of the Ermayee falls, though, is treacherous due to the numerous vertical rocks, having very little holds, along which we needed to move very cautiously. Climbing to the terrace is not possible in the monsoons. A water pipeline runs through the topmost falls to the base of Ermayee falls. At the terrace, a bund has been built due to which, a nearly 20 feet deep pool has been formed. A few ropes have beentied along the rocky climb to the terrace, probably to assist workers to beable to climb to the pipeline. After spending sometime with this surprise at the Ermayee, we headed back to Mangalore!
The Ermayee falls had turned out to be more of an adventurous surprise…! We felt really lucky to have had this spectacular experience!
Climb along to rocks to
the rock shelters
The Ermayee Falls flowing through
a gorge
In the rock shelters
The treacherous climb
Bliss in a cave!
The source of the falls through a closed cave
On the top of Ermayee
Climbing up to the top
(Photographs courtesy Charan S.Walke)
Ermayee Falls in Monsoons of 2008
and winter of 2012 courtesy Fahad A.R.
Route: Mangalore- Belthangady-Ujire
Date: 29th December, 2012
With: Fahad A.R, Nitin Shettigar, Ramaprasad, KarthikPrabhu, Manoj, Smitha Upadya, Arun Mysore, Aditi Vishwasrao, Vikram Kaparthy, Javid Karangi, Abhilash Desai, Fairoz Fahad, Madhu Ramaya, Prachi Bhosale
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