Barapole Rafting

by Anupama Kondayya

It is that spot on the annual calendar when the compass of any South India traveller points West at least once. The Western Ghats don a raiment of refreshing green with blue sashes running across; it is what the Monsoon brings to South-Western India – incomparable natural splendour.

The Westrn Ghats are a series of mountains, primarily the Satpura and the Sahyadri, that run from Maharashtra down to the Southern tip of India and almost parallel to the Western coast. They pass through the states of Goa, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala on their way isolating the coast from the mainland and some offshoots of these Ghats go even upto Kodaikanal in Tamilnadu. These Ghats are rich in flora and fauna and are centres of a great deal of biological research. But what really strikes the eye when passing through the Ghat section is the lush green springing out at you.

So apart from natural splendour, what the Monsoon also brings to these Western Ghats is a short boisterous stretch of the Barapole or Kithu Kakathu River in South Coorg. A river that originates in Coorg and flows through the undulations into Kerala before draining into the Arabian Sea, the Barapole is a much lesser known rafting destination in India than Rishikesh or Dandeli. It offers a quick stretch of Grade 3 and 4 rapids on the Upper Barapole after a few good showers and is a good way to get the adrenaline pumping.

The rapids on the river are named according to the level of difficulty and quite innovatively at that. So you first have some ‘Morning Coffee’ and play with the ‘Grasshopper’ before encountering ‘The Wicked Witch’ and ‘The Milk Churner’. When you do hit a calm patch of the river, the surrounding green thicket draws your attention and medicates a city-worn soul. The adventure usually starts and ends at the rafting base inside the Ponya Organic Estate where you soak in the warmth of a fire and sip on steaming beverages while rattling off thoughts on the enthralling experience.

The Lower Barapole river, though not quite as boisterous, makes for a good rafting expedition towards the end of the Monsoon with some moonlight camping on the riverside and some long distance rafting under the sun. Either way, this river is a good, unusual destination, anytime during the Monsoon.

Charming homestays in Kutta, expansive stretches of lush green, the towering Brahmagiri mountains and the Iruppu Falls on the Lakshmanteertha River are other strong reasons why a trip to the Barapole can turn into a full vacation, with adventure, relaxation and rejuvenation all coupled into one.

So reorient if you may. Coorg calls and the river beckons.