Jog Falls

Joga Falls
Joga Falls
	Jog Falls during monsoon
Location	Sagara, Karnataka, India
Coordinates	14°13′44″N 74°48′43″E / 14.22889°N 74.81194°ECoordinates: 14°13′44″N 74°48′43″E / 14.22889°N 74.81194°E
Type	Cataract, segmented
Elevation	488 metres (1600 ft MSL)
Total height	253 meters (829 feet)
Number of drops	1
Longest drop	253 meters (829 feet)
Watercourse	Sharavathi River
Average; flow rate	153 m³/s or 5,387 cu ft/s

Jog Falls, Gerosoppa Falls or Joga Falls is the second-highest plunge waterfall in India,^[1] Located in Sagara taluk, these segmented falls are a major tourist attraction. They are also called Gersoppa Falls and Jogada Gundi.^[2]

It is located on the Shimoga and Uttara Kannada district border.

Description[edit]

Jog Falls is created by the Sharavathi River dropping 253 m (830 ft), making it the second-highest plunge waterfall in India after the Nohkalikai Falls with a drop of 335 m (1100 ft) in Meghalaya.

Sharavati, a river which rises at Ambutirtha, next to Nonabur, in the Thirthahalli taluk and takes the northwesterly course by Fatte petta, receives the Haridravati on the right below Pattaguppe and the Yenne Hole on the left above Barangi. On arriving at the frontier it bends to the west, precipitates itself down the Falls of Gersoppa, and passes that village (properly Geru-Sappe), which is some 29 kilometres distant, discharging into the sea at Honnavar in North Kanara.

The Sharavati, flowing over a very rocky bed about 250 yards wide, here reaches a tremendous chasm, 290 m (960 ft) deep, and the water comes down in four distinct falls. The Raja Fall pours in one unbroken column sheer to the depth of 830 ft (250 m). Halfway down it is encountered by the Roarer, another fall, which precipitates itself into a vast cup and then rushes violently downwards at an angle of forty-five degrees to meet the Raja. A third fall, the Rocket, shoots downwards in a series of jets; while the fourth, the Rani, moves quietly over the mountain side in a sheet of foam. The Tourism Department has built steps from the viewpoint to the bottom of the hill where the waterfall can be seen at the opposite side. There are approximately 1400 steps built to reach the bottom of the hill.

A Rock climber: Jyothi Raj has scaled the jog falls. ^[3]

Etymology[edit]

Joga is a Kannada word meaning falls. Many Kannada speakers near Sahyadri Mountains such as in Yellapura region still use the word Joga to mean falls.

Significance[edit]

Associated with the waterfall is the nearby Linganmakki Dam across river Sharavathi.^[4] The power station has been operational since 1948 and is of 120 MW capacity, one of the largest hydroelectric stations in India at that time and a small source of electric power for Karnataka now. The power station was previously named Krishna Rajendra hydro-electric project, after the King of Mysore at that time. The name was later changed to Mahatma Gandhi Hydro-electric Project. It was served by Hirebhaskara dam until 1960. After 1960, due to the ideas of Sir M. Visvesvarayya, Linganmakki Dam has been used for power generation. For more information check the Jogfalls official website: www.jogfalls.in.

Change in flow[edit]

Before the onset of monsoon season, when there is not much water in the Linganmakki dam, the Jog Falls are a pair of thin streams of water trickling down the cliff, as the water collected in the dam is exclusively for generation of electricity; during monsoons local rain water is the source of water to the falls.

Transport connectivity[edit]

Nearest railway station (distance to the location):
- Talaguppa and Sagar (SRF): For Sagar 30 km
- Honnavar(68km) which is in Mangalore-Mumbai Konkan Railway route.
Nearest bus station: Sagara and then Jogfalls busstop.
Nearest airport (aerial distance to the location):
- Domestic
  - Hubli Airport (HBX): 130 km
- International
  - Bengaluru International Airport (BLR): 340 km
  - Mangalore International Airport (India)(Formerly Bajpe Airport) (IXE): 200 km
  - Goa Airport (GOI): 246 km
  - Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD): 650 km