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Kedaka River

Kedaka River

About:

The Kedaka River is a serene waterway located in the heart of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, India. This small but significant river flows through dense forests, fertile fields, and hilly terrain, providing sustenance and beauty to the surrounding regions. Known for its pristine waters and tranquil surroundings, the Kedaka River remains largely untouched by urbanization, making it a favorite spot for nature lovers and those seeking solitude in nature. The river, rich in biodiversity, supports a variety of flora and fauna unique to the Western Ghats, including many species of fish, birds, and reptiles. Local communities, reliant on its waters for agriculture and daily needs, consider the Kedaka River sacred, and local legends often tell of the river’s origins tied to ancient deities. While relatively unknown compared to larger rivers in Karnataka, the Kedaka offers picturesque views, peaceful trails, and a glimpse into the traditional lifestyles of the people who live along its banks. Its seasonal flow, especially robust during monsoon, makes it a lovely destination for short treks, picnics, and experiencing the natural beauty of Karnataka.

Location info:

Address:The Kedaka River is a river flowing through Kundapur and Gungulli in western India.
District:Udupi district
Nearest City:Kundapura
Region Western Ghats, Karnataka, India.

Climate/Weather:

Monsoon: Heavy rainfall from June to September, bringing the river to full flow and filling surrounding greenery. Summer: Warm, ranging from 25°C to 35°C, with a drop in water levels. Winter: Cool and pleasant, with temperatures between 15°C to 25°C, making it ideal for visits.

History:

The Kedaka River has a history deeply intertwined with the lives of local villagers and the ecology of the Western Ghats. Traditionally, the river has served as a primary water source for nearby agricultural activities, sustaining crops such as paddy, areca nut, and spices like cardamom. The river's origins are celebrated in local folklore, with legends speaking of a divine connection, where deities are believed to have blessed the river for the prosperity of the region. Over centuries, the river has witnessed both the ebb and flow of civilizations and natural cycles, with its biodiversity and cultural relevance persisting as a testament to the harmonious relationship between the river and the local communities. In recent decades, conservation efforts have been initiated to preserve the Kedaka River and its ecosystem, recognizing its importance in maintaining the delicate balance of the Western Ghats’ flora and fauna. Although development pressures exist, the Kedaka River remains largely pristine, reflecting the traditional lifestyle of people who continue to protect and revere it. This historical bond between nature and humanity endows Kedaka with a unique charm, adding to its attraction as an unspoiled natural destination in Karnataka.

Interesting things to do:

Nature Walks: Explore the trails along the riverbanks surrounded by thick forests. Photography: Capture scenic landscapes, especially during the lush monsoon season. Bird Watching: Spot various species of birds native to the Western Ghats. Picnicking: Enjoy a quiet picnic by the riverbank, soaking in the peaceful atmosphere. Trekking: Hike through the nearby hills for an immersive experience of the area’s biodiversity.

Interesting things to Visit:

☀ Kundeswara temple is within the town, with big arches. Kundapura town is surrounded on three sides by water / back water - and as such one can find good scenes of water and coconut trees all around. The boat point to Gangolli is one such beautiful place, with vast area of back waters of Haladi river, which joins Arabian Sea nearby. From this point, the range of Western Ghats at a distance of 20 km, including highest peak Kodachadri is a beautiful sight. The three-sides- water- town concept of Kundapur is not exploited to develop tourism industry in this area. There are good number of lodges in this town and well connected by Highway to Mumbai, it has good potential to develop as a scenic place.

☀ Sri Vinayaka (Ganesh) Temple at Anegudde, between Kota and Koteshwar towns. (5 k.m. from Kundapura) The area where the temple stands is called Kumbhashi. Among the several temples in Kumbhashi Anegudde, Sri Vinayaka Temple is the oldest, and it is also the most popular in this region. This Ganesh temple is on a small hillock, giving the name Anegudde, "Ane" meaning elephant and "Gudde" meaning a hillock (in kannada).

☀ Mekekattu Nadhikeshwara temple is interesting place, about 20 k.m.from Kundapura. It is nearer to Barkuru chowlikere temple. It is considered as the creation of sage Parashurama. With the passage of time the area where the temple is situated has been called by different names. According to the legends, when drought hit this area sage Agastya came here to perform Yajna to please the rain god. During the Yajna, the Asura Kumbha started bothering the sages. To rescue the sages Bhima killed the demon with the help of the sword gifted by lord Ganesha. It attracts several thousand visitors every year. Striking feature of Mekkekattu temple is a collection of coloured, wooden idols which measure up to 10 feet height! Most of the wooden statues are in warrior dress, giving an impression that this entire row of wooden statues are made to remember an incidence of war that would have taken place here during 1600-1700 AD (no historic evidence for this war is found yet, but can be linked to Mogul / Bahamani Invasion). Some of the statues are like Muslim soldires, some like maratha soldies. Some even hold a replica of old gun, some carry swords and ready for war. All wooden statues are given local mytholigical name and there are tiger, crow, moneky also in the row. Yettinahatti, very near to Mekke kattu is interesting place where bulls are worshiped, and may have some historical links with Mekke Kattu.

☀ Basrur - Many temples are located here on the southern banks of the river Varahi. History says Basrur is main and center place of Kundapura Taluk and it has several historical structures.

☀ Uppinakudru - Uppinakudru or salt island is located at 6Km towards north of Kundapura which is a taluk headquarters in Udupi District (Karnataka , India) .

Mobile range info:

Network coverage varies, with limited connectivity in dense forest areas along the Kedaka River. BSNL generally offers the most reliable coverage in rural areas. It is advised to confirm coverage and keep emergency contact details before traveling.

How to reach?

Nearest Railway Station:Kundapur is also connected by Konkan Railway which runs through Mumbai, Mangalore. Kundapur Railway station is about 4 km from town.
Nearest Airport:The nearest air port is Mangalore Situated around 100 km from kundapur.
Road Transport:Kundapur is well connected by Road to Parts of the country. There are buses to Kundapura from Udupi - the bus service is very hot and moving. One can also see Saligrama, Brahmavara while going to Kundapura from Udupi.

Nearest Visiting places:

☀ Gangolli,even though very near to Kundapura, one has to travel more than 15 km to reach this place as Panchagangavali river separates this from Kundapura town. One can also take boat ride, which depends on High tide timings! This is a beautiful place located at bank of 5 rivers and Arabian sea. Fishing is main activity. Veereshwara Temple is one of the oldest temple of Gangolli.

☀ Maranakatte This is a place located at a distance of about 18km from Kundapura and known for its Temple of "SRI BRAMHALINGESHWARA", which is located in the bank of river Souparnika. It has a mythological connection with the Kollur "MOOKAMBIKA" temple, this being the place where the Goddess of Kollur killed Mookasura, the Rakshasa(Demon).

☀ Halady a village at a distance of 22 k.m. from Kundapura town is known mainly as a junction of roads leading to Shankaranarayana, Amasebail and Hebri. An old Tiles factory was busy burning red tiles during 1980s in Halady, but this industry has become obsolete and outdated because of dwindling forest cover, from where the logs were supplied to bake tiles. The Halady River or Varahi River is flowing besides this village. Marlu chicku is one deity of Halady which attracts large number of people from far off places, and another temple is of Laxmi Narasimha with 7 feet stone statue. The river in front of this temple is beautiful scene.

☀ Vakwadi This is a small village located between Anegudde and Huvinakere and about 2 k.m. from Koteswara. A temple of Mahalingeshwara about 2 km from Anegudde is there to serve.

☀ Bidkalkattethis is a small village near halady.this place is between molahalli and hunsemakki. it has govt.high college & hospital.

☀ Molahallithis is a small village near bidkalkatte.it is a birth place of 'sahakari pithamaha' M.Shivarao.shivaraya temple located in this place.'KAMBALA'of molahalli is famous in k'pura taluk.

Nearest Petrol Pump:

Petrol pumps are available in Agumbe (around 15 km) and Thirthahalli (about 35 km away).

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

Agumbe: Offers homestays and budget lodges with local hospitality. Thirthahalli: A town nearby with more options including hotels and guesthouses. Homestays: There are eco-friendly homestays in nearby villages that provide a local experience.

Things to carry:

Comfortable clothing and durable footwear, especially for trekking. Rain protection (umbrella or raincoat) if visiting during monsoon. Drinking water, snacks, and insect repellent. Camera and binoculars for birdwatching and scenic photography. First-aid kit and personal essentials.

Tips & Suggestions:

Visit during or after monsoon for the best views of the river at full flow. Exercise caution on trails, as they may be slippery during the rainy season. Respect local customs, as the river is considered sacred by the communities. Carry sufficient cash, as ATM facilities may not be readily available nearby. Minimize environmental impact by avoiding littering and following eco-friendly practices.

Help Line/Phone Number:

Police Station:Kundapur
Nearest Hospital:Kundapur

Kedaka River Nearest Attraction

St. Mary's Island
Located 58 km north of Mangalore, the St. Mary's Island beach is special for the unique formation of basalt rocks which have crystallized into columns and split into vertical hexagonal blocks. This group of islands is accessible by ferry from Malpe which is a major fishing harbor.....more
Kollur Temples
Kollur Mookambika Temple, an important seat of Shakti worship is located in very picturesque surroundings at the foot of the Western Ghats in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district. This sacred place is situated on the banks of river sauparnika and surrounded by thickly wooded hills and has a natural formation resembling the Sri Chakra. Kollur is one of the seven mukti places which were created by Parashurama.....more
Udupi Temples
Udupi, the Kokani city is the headquarters of the Udupi District, Karnataka State, India. When one hears the name "Udupi" either "Udupi Krishna" or "Udupi Masala Dosa" comes to the mind. Of course the famous, Krishna temple is located in this city. The temple is famous for a unique statue of Lord Krishna.....more
Kollur Forest
Kollur is a tiny hamlet situated 40km Kundapur Town, about 140 km away from Mangalore City in Karnataka state in Southern part of India. This village lies at the foot of the Western Ghats, and is famous for the Mookambika temple, a Hindu pilgrim center.....more
Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary
Located in Udupi District, Karnataka, Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary spans over 247 sq km and is thick with evergreen, semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests of the Western Ghats, and small patches of teak plantations. It is contiguous with the Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.....more
Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary
Located in the Western Ghats, Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary in Udupi District of Karnataka. This 88 sq km sanctuary is consists of semi-evergreen and evergreen forests. Wildlife species include tiger, leopard, wild dog, jackal, gaur, wild pig, sambar deer, spotted deer, barking deer, lion tailed macaque, bonnet macaque and common langur.....more
Karkala
Karkala is a town and also the headquarters of Karkala Taluk in Udupi district of Karnataka, India, and is located about 300 km from Bangalore. It lies near the Western Ghats. The first name of this town was Pandya Nagari during the Jain regime but afterwards it was changed to Karikallu because of black stones.....more
Koosalli Falls
The fabulous picnic spot, Koosalli waterfalls is located near Koosalli village in Kundapura. A series of six falls, one above the other, in splendid surroundings makes it one of the best waterfalls in the state. The combined height of all six falls is about 380 ft....more
Gurupura or Phalguni River
Gurupura river flows through Gurupura, Mangalore, Tannirubhavi. It joins the Arabian sea near Tannir bhavi. is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bounded by the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, Mangalore is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada (formerly South Canara) district in southwestern Karnataka.....more
Pangala River
Pangala is a village situated in Udupi taluk of Udupi district, Karnataka. India's National Highway number 17 (NH-17) road connecting Mangalore (Kudla or Mangaluru) to Mumbai (Bombay) passes through this village.The village is on the north banks of Pangala river.....more
Souparnika River
Souparnika River is a river flowing through Kundapur and Gangolli in western India. It joins with the Varahi River, Kedaka River, Chakra River, and Kubja River and merges into the Arabian Sea.Sauparnika is a sacred river which emerges from a verdant mountain near Maravanthe in Udupi District of Karnataka.....more
Udyavara River
Udyavara is a village on the outskirts of the town of Udupi, Karnataka, India. It is located to south of Udupi, and to the north of the Udyavara river. Udyavara was formerly called Udayapura. It was the capital of the Alupas.....more
Kaup Beach
Kaup Beach is located 12 km south of Udupi. It is situated on the coastal belt. The Kaup beach is one of the most beautiful beaches. Its placement is perfect. The beach with the 100 ft high lighthouse on the rocks is a photographer's paradise.....more
Malpe Beach
About 6 kms from Udupi, in South Canara is Malpe, an ideal picnic spot with its virgin beach. The endless stretch of golden sand, graciously swaying palm trees, the clear blue sky and the gurgle of the sea all set a perfect mood for an unforgettable holiday here....more
Trasi Beach

Trasi is a beautiful place on the west coast of India, 100 km from Mangalore, 900 km from Mumbai and 12 km north from Kundapur.Here you can see a unique scene where a National highway separates the Arabian sea from the Sauparnika river.....more

Panna Island
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Kudumari Falls
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Seeta/ Seetha falls / Koodlu Theertha falls / Sita falls
....more