“The production of too many useful things results in too many useless people.”
- Karl Marx
I am one of those useless ones occupied by television, mobile phone, laptop and video games, who doesn't venture out but remain longing to explore. I am of those who read travelogues after travelogues, e-travel using google maps but never take that extra effort to overcome the potential barrier. I am of those who curse themselves every time a Leh/Sikkim story pops up of Team-Bhp, stare at those breathtaking landscape shots, then turn to their mobile gallery, yeah
thousands of pictures, all selfies with funny face, well, the same funny face in a repetitive pattern
. This day was different. Sunday morning 7:00 AM pushed myself out on a Honda Activa. Absolutely no preparation whatsoever.
Disclaimer
This is my first travelogue, pardon me for my mistakes. This is probably also a first travelogue on this place.
On the route from Bangalore to Hogenakkal via Anchetty many would have stopped at a hairpin bend just before Anchetty stream to take a view of the valley. Some would have noticed a waterfall at a distance amidst the woods. This is Metre Falls, Boothattikottai, Manchi Reserve Forest, en-route Denkanikottai to Gonamakkanapalli. The locals call it Metray, sounds more like met+ray not miet+er. It is a tiny stream that plunges 50m or so and is nowhere in league of Athirapalli, Kunchikal or Jog.
At 60km from Bangalore city limits, it gets little or no attention probably because of its neighbor Hogenakkal massif. That's the beauty, it is zero touristy, zero litter, serene, absolutely pristine. With no established route, one has to trek through woods to reach the falls that majorly serves as a hangout place of local teenagers. You will find no sign boards, no travelogues, no trek routes in public database. How many times we go to a touristy place such as the likes of Ooty and Kodaikkanal and find a sign board "xyz falls" but no water
. Metray will not dissappoint you, it is perennial.
How to reach
Route 1: Bangalore->Hosur->Denkanikottai->Kundukottai->Arulalam->Boothattikottai
Route 2: Bangalore->Hosur->Denkanikottai->Salivaram->Arulalam->Boothattikottai
By Bus: Reach Hosur bus stand, plenty of buses run between Bangalore and Hosur. From Hosur, buses ply to Denkanikottai every 10 minutes. From Denkanikottai board a bus towards Gonamakkanapalli. There is one every two hours from 5:00 AM till 09:00 PM. After Arulalam get down at Boothattikottai cross. A km of walk from here would take you to the hamlet of Boothattikottai.
Preparation:
Vehicle type: 4x4?
even an Activa will do
Trek difficulty: Easy. Maybe just a kilometer and the trek should take less than 20 minutes
Shoes: well you can do it barefoot if you like
The only preparation
I beg is to prepare mentally not to litter and not to turn this gem into another sewer.
I left home at 7:15 AM with no idea how to reach this place. The only clue I have from google maps is "Arulalam" the nearest village that has road connectivity. My best bet was to reach this village and ask locals. Several things ran in my mind before I started. Can I go alone to an unknown place?, on a two wheeler?, what if someone intercepts?, what if someone robs? what if my vehicle is stolen? what if wild animals encounter? what if I get injured? bla bla bla. Ignored everything and ventured out with empty stomach not even a sip of water. Filled fuel to the brim at a local pump, had tea at Hosur railway station and grabbed a bottle of water to hydrate me. 24km after Hosur I reached Denkanikottai and continued towards Anchetti.
My vaahan. Sorry for parking it on the wrong side.
At 7km from Denkanikottai one can turn left to Salivaram village and this is route 2 that I took on the way back. For now I continued on Anchetti road for 6km to reach Kundukottai.
Turned left at Kundukottai on Salivaram road. Traffic was high on Anchetti road perhaps due to Hogenakkal tourists. The moment I turned left the road transformed, narrow but serene. It was just me and my wife's Activa
.
After 3km took a right turn and proceeded 2km to reach Arulalam. Enquired about my destination. They could not get it the first time when I said Metre falls. Being a native Tamil guy, it wasn't hard to get what I needed, they call it
"Metray". They showed me two ways to reach Metray, either way you have to walk about 3 kms in the Jungle. They suggested I cannot go without help so better continue towards Gonamakkanapalli and somewhere between ask local guys to take you there. As soon as I crossed Arulalam I came across a bridge and the stream flowing underneath is the one that powers Metray and ultimately becomes Anchetty stream. It gives an apriori idea of the amount of flow one can expect that day. Post the stream I took a right turn towards a hamlet Boothattikottai (you will not find this in google). When traveling by bus this is the point to get down.
The hamlet is about a km from the main road.
I enquired local people in the hamlet, some one said go straight there is a tree, take right, go straight and you will find a handpump: walk from there. For a moment I thought this is probably the end. A short distance further was an Anganwadi center.
I met an old lady who lives next to the center. She said, go that way, that way and that way. I wondered which way, her every gesture was pointing the forest and there is no "way". I politely asked her "can anyone take me there". At this point her son stepped in and agreed. I greeted him, parked my vehicle and followed his footsteps.