18th June 2012, 10:11
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| Off-Roading into a Lost World in the Bowels of the Western Ghats Many of us have grown up watching Hollywood movies that depict lost temples and forts, deserted by civilization and taken over by the jungle, be it in the 1967 animated feature "The Jungle Book" or the 1981 action flick "Raiders of the Lost Ark". But to venture out to see one in our own backyard is an adventure of a lifetime, that too when it provides some great off-roading opportunities ! So, with my Safari geared up, we headed to explore a lost fort deep within the western ghats, near Jog Falls, Karnataka. This is a remote area, and hence, the adventurer needs to prepare well before embarking on the trip. Nearest Petrol Station : Talaguppa ( Approx 50 km away ) Nearest Mechanic : Talaguppa ( Approx 50 km away ) Nearest Facilities : Kargal( Approx 30 km away ) Nearest Big Town with Lodging : Sagar ( Approx 65 km away ) Mobile Networks : Airtel and BSNL coverage is spotty in some sections. Originally built by Chennamma of Keladi about 500 years ago, this fort, known as "Kanoor Kote" is perched on top of a steep hillock with deep valleys and mountains surrounding it in all directions, literally like in island in a sea of trees. Chennamma was defeated by Shivappa Nayaka of Sagar and the fort was captured and plundered for treasure, with all temples destroyed and fortifications damaged. The forest took over the abandoned fort and now it is totally hidden in the undergrowth.The fort is within the boundaries of the Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, though there are no manned forest check posts on the trail. How to Reach ? From NH-206 ( now renamed NH-69 ) Westbound coming out of Talaguppa, turn left at the fork beyond Gowri Kere on to Kargal Road, and traverse through the north ridge of the Sharavathi Valley to reach the town of Kargal. Enroute, the road crosses the Sharavathi river. At the first junction in Kargal, turn left on to SH-50 Southbound towards Bhatkal. Continue on SH 50, passing through the Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary all the way to the village of Biligaaru.  At Biligaaru, turn right near the sign that reads “Kanoor Kote – 18 km “. The country road is paved and is in a fairly good state except for certain rough sections. This road ends at Kanoor village beyond a short culvert across a stream. It is approximately 10 km in distance from Biligaaru to Kanoor.  The settlement of Kanoor is not more than a couple of old houses, and the only marker is a signboard that states the boundary of the Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.Sedans can reach Kanoor Village, but cannot travel beyond. However, low-clearance sedans cannot make it even this far. Beyond this, it is about 8 kms of off-roading. High-clearance vehicles can proceed further beyond a gate for about 1.6 additional kilometers up to the Trishula Shrine, crossing over covered jungle tracks and open grassland. This stretch is impassable during the monsoons. . However, 4X4 SUVs and jeeps can make it all the way up to the final stages, crossing 4 ridges and a guly-eroded track riddled with pebbles. Carrying a spare tyre is highly recommended. Beyond the Trishula shrine, the track traverses along the crest of a mountain chain, most of it being in the shade of the jungle, with occasional patches of shola. In the next section, the trail descends a saddle between the ridges in open shola, with no shade for the next 2 kilometers. There are no human settlements beyond Kanoor except for a lone house about 2 km before the fort. The difficulty level in this section all the way through to the fort is HIGH. The track culminates in two trails at a fork 1.5 km after the lone house, and the junction is marked by concrete benches installed by the forest department. The left fork is more used and descends further down the west face of the mountain, crossing streams and eventually ending up as a false trail. Therefore, it should not be chosen. The right fork is less visible and ascends the south side of a hillock. After traversing a few hundred meters on this less-used trail obstructed by fallen trees, the fort wall comes into view to the right. The fort is perched on top of the hillock with sheer drop-offs on all sides, and is totally obscured by forest undergrowth. It is impossible to see the fort until about 100 meters from the entrance. The track is impassable during the monsoons. Do not dare to attempt it even with a 1960 4X4 Willys jeep in the rain. Though I took my Safari before the rains began, I found some sections very challenging and parked the beast before moving on. A Mahindra Thar is by far the best one for this track. Initial Sections - Shola   Near the sanctuary gate  Grasslands give way to Jungle  Surrounding Hills  The fort is perched on that island hillock, completely obscured by forest and with sheer dropoffs on all sides  The end of the Track - The fork and the Two Trails  First Views of the Fort    Entrance and Defense Walls    Second Defense Line  An open well in the citadel  Ruins of the Temple Complex in the Citadel     One final view  Remember :
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18th June 2012, 11:08
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18th June 2012, 11:17
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18th June 2012, 11:22
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18th June 2012, 12:15
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18th June 2012, 12:24
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18th June 2012, 13:11
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18th June 2012, 14:50
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| Senior - BHPian  | Re: Off-Roading into a Lost World in the Bowels of the Western Ghats Nice pictures Raghu  . I had been to Kanoor fort last August (right in the middle of monsoon). It is nice to see Kanoor in the dry. We trekked to the fort from Kanoor and stayed for the night at one of the houses near the fort.Btw, did you have to take any permission to take your car? When I went, I remember seeing a gate somewhere. |
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18th June 2012, 18:00
| #9 | ||
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| Re: Off-Roading into a Lost World in the Bowels of the Western Ghats Quote:
Actually there are more photos in the tougher parts of the track, but there are of poor quality so I dare not post them here. Nevertheless, the track is heavily gully-eroded at places, and those gullies are covered with leaves. So if your tyre gets in, it is quite a challenge to get it out ! That is the worst aspect on the track... Quote:
I saw one lone house on the track, and thats apparently where you stayed for the night ? There is no permisssion needed. Its just about finding your way in. There is a gate in the initial stretch of the track but that is always unlocked, and I did not see evidence of any locking activity on that gate. | ||
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18th June 2012, 20:04
| #10 | |||
| Senior - BHPian | Re: Off-Roading into a Lost World in the Bowels of the Western Ghats Quote:
Quote:
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Yes, that was the house. A family stays there. Apparently there are 2 more houses nearby, of which one is abandoned | |||
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19th June 2012, 11:17
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19th June 2012, 12:26
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| Re: Off-Roading into a Lost World in the Bowels of the Western Ghats Simply amazing locale! Great comparison to "Raiders of the lost ..." I felt a shiver of a thrill when I saw the pics of the fort Is september too early to go? This looks like a great drive for my Gypsy. --R |
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