Talakona - Tirupathi

August 21st 2009, early morning 6.45 AM, I and my family members started our journey to Tirupati as we do it every year, a ritual that we have been practicing from past few years.

This time there was a little change in the plan. I had introduced the visit to Talakona waterfalls before going to Tirupati, that’s why this time we started the journey early in the morning. I had visited to Talakona when I was around 10 yrs thru a school trip.

We stopped at woody’s (Kolar) for breakfast. The road till Mulbagal was little risky as the entire stretch was under repair for 4 lane construction.

By the time we reached Chandragriri (after Chitoor) it was 12.30 PM. From here Talakona is another 46 kms (chandragiri to Bhakarapet 23 Kms & Bhakrapet to Talakona 23 Kms). The whole landscape around Chandragiri is covered by beautiful mountains; you will experience it till you reach Bhakarapet on Tirupati – Madanapalle route. The stretch is really wonderful, road is also good.

It was a hot noon (never expected to be so hot), but as we reached close to Talakona we started feeling the fresh air and little bit of gentle wind.

Talakona is considered to be the threshold to the hills of Tirumala. As soon as you reach Talakona, you will see a sign board directing towards waterfalls & the other taking you to the Lord Siddeshwara Temple.

If you wish to go to waterfalls take the route to waterfalls directly (entry fee for cars is Rs 50), otherwise if you would like to pass thru temple premises you have to shell out Rs 20 extra. There is an entry fee of Rs 3 per head for temple and as usual once you have entered the temple the priest will not let you out unless you put some dakshina to him.

On the way close to Talakona I could see a way leading to some biotech park and also a small dormitory near the temple premises.

The forest here is also known as Sri Venkateshwara Park. From the car parking area a walk for about 10 minutes (around 1 km) would take you close to the waterfalls. It’s a 270 feet (82 m) waterfall hidden inside the forests. This one is the highest waterfalls in Andhra Pradesh & a very well known spot for movie shootings & picnics. If you further climb a little you will reach the halfway height of the water falls. Here you can dare to take bath and play under falls. If the water force is not too high, then it’s a good time to stand below the falls & get some good massage.

The only discomfort here is some alcoholics. The bad breaths and the idiotic behavior may bother you, but sometimes they even create some funny situations entertaining all the tourists.

We spent almost 3 hours enjoying the falls, listening to the chirping of birds, viewing the greenery across the hill range, seeing the playing monkeys, taking some photos, some entertainment by alcoholics.

In the quest of reaching Talakona as early as possible we had forgot to take lunch in the afternoon. There are no good hotels available except for some local shops which can supply you cool drinks, biscuits, coffee/tea and also lunch (you may have to decide to have it or not). We had cool drinks and left the place.

I forgot to tell, around 5 kms from Chandragiri is Srinivasa Mangapura, it is here that you will join the Tirupati and Madanapalle highway. From here take left to reach bakrapet, straight to reach Srivari Mettilu, right to go to Tirupathi. At this place there is Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami temple. According to legend, Lord Venkateswara stayed here after his marriage with Sri Padmavathi Devi, before proceeding to Tirumala. Annual Brahmotsavam and Sakshatkara Vaibhavam are celebrated in grand manner.

6 kms from this junction is the Srivari Mettilu, the other route to climb the hill by foot (the shortest distance to Tirumala by walk) apart from the one that starts from Alipiri in Tirupati.

During all my visits to Tirupati, I have walked to Tirumala from Alipiri. Next time I have to try this other route.

On the way back from Talakona, we visited the Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami temple and from there to Tirupati in search of some good hotel. Everybody was very hungry. We could get some good doasas at Vasavi Restaurant close to Alipiri.

This time all the four of us (me, mom, sis & bro) decided to climb by steps. All was well till we reached the Big Anjaneya Statue. Then the rain started all of a sudden. The skies suddenly filled with thunderbolts, heavy drops of rain; we were witnessing heavy downpour. All of a sudden the centipedes, scorpions, frogs of different sizes, rats, insects and some sort of big flies started to appear on the walkway making it very difficult for the people to walk. More over the entire walkway is not covered by overhead shelter. For every fifty meters there is around 5 - 10 foot gap. By the time we crossed many 5 - 10 foot gap we were all wet. Since morning it was very hot and hence we dint carry the umbrella and the jackets, but now we felt the need for all those. We were all wet and all of a sudden started feeling very cold. Also Mom was complaining about leg pains.

On the way we have to walk around 2 kms on Road. We had to wait for at least 60 to 70 min for the rain to slow down before hitting the road.

We started to climb the hill at around 7.30, but by the time we reached the Tirumala it was almost 12AM. All thanks to the rain which caused that delay. That night we witnessed the whole Tirumala covered by heavy mist.

Next day morning, we went to the temple by 9.30am. Mom and dad went to Kalyanotsava and we went to darshan and waited near the Mantap near dwaja sthamba within the temple for Unjal seava. The advantage booking the Unjal seava is that you could get darshan two times on a same day. But the disadvantage is that you have to get in early and get out late. Today also it started to rain in Tirumala by 1 PM. Mom and Dad had to get their first Darshan after Kalyanotsava by following a queue in rain. By the time we came out of temple it was 3.45 PM. We had to rush to rooms, pack up the luggage and started off immediately to Tirupati.

Due to heavy rains there were some water falls seen on Tirumala hills. While coming down you would get one by the road side. But we all slept due to tiredness. But the falls is visible clearly from Tirupati. I managed to get a snap of one.

In Tirupati we visited Alumelu Mangamma temple & after darshana from there (7.30 PM), we left straight to Bangalore & reached home safely by 12.30 AM.


Talakona Information (Collected from Internet):

Location

Talakona is located on Nerabailu – Talakona B.T. Road and 23 Kms away from Bhakarapet of Yerravaripalem Mandal of Chittoor District, AP. It is located 59 Kms from Tirupati.

Background

Talakona is bountifully endowed with nature in the form of hills and valleys of Eastern Ghats. Talakona was declared as Bio-Sphere Reserve during 1989-90 because of wide variety of plant species with high site quality. Lord Siddeswara Swamy Temple is in this area. Talakona means “The Head of the Seshachalam Hills” and as such named as “TALAKONA”, it is known as “sacred hood” of serpent god.

The best season to visit here is November to June.

Flora:

The area is a heaven for botanists with lot of bio-diversity. The area has as many as 1500 species belonging to 176 families of vascular plants. Perhaps the most famous is the Red Sanders which is endemic to this region. Sandal wood is also an important species of this area.

Fauna:

The Talakona forests harbor certain threatened and endangered animals like Slender Loris, Indian Giant Squirrel, Mouse Deer, Golden Gecko, Yellow browed Bulbul and varieties of Butterflies. Golden Gecko is discovered after 100 years. Leopard, Wolf, Wild Dog, Sloth Bear, Porcupine, Pangolin, Wild Boar, Chinkara, Four-Horned Antelope, Chital and Sambar are some of the more common animals found in this area.

Facilities & Attractions:
Rope way:

The Rope way, at a height of 80 feet and 240 metres long, is the 2nd longest in Asia

Trails one can traverse:

Log huts – Utladimpa – Papanasanam – log huts: 12 Km

Log hut – Siva Temple – Bandikanuma- water falls – Log huts: 8 Km

Log hut -Appaswamygavi – Waterfalls – Log huts: 10 Km

Accommodation:

One Dormitory with 2 halls are available here. One hall is equipped with mattresses and the other hall is provided with 10 Cots with beds. This Dormitory is attached with Lavatory and Bathrooms.

There is one Climber which is 300 years old and measures 5 Kms long. It is likely to get mention in the Guniess Book of World Records.