Honnemaradu, Karnataka
Spinning In A Coracle
From where I sat, the water's surface looked glassy, reflecting the blue of the sky. There was hardly a ripple, and I could have happily drifted for hours with a book for company. But all of a sudden I was shaken out of my complacency as the world began spinning, slowly at first, then quickly gaining momentum. The sky and water were mixed in one grand whirl, while the hills and the forest in the distance seemed to move in the opposite direction. Sitting in a flimsy bamboo coracle in the midst of the Honnemaradu reservoir in Karnataka's Shimoga district, I thought i would tip over into the water. But before I got dizzy, all was calm again. Only the rush from the spinning stayed.
The boatman and I drifted silently, enjoying the serenity. The quiet was occasionally broken by a jungle call in the distance or an egret flapping down to water's surface. Soon the sun sank and the water became appropriately gilded: In Kannada, Honnemaradu means golden lake. A swift breeze rose as the evening shadows grew long, and it was time to head back. The gentle lapping of the water was quite deceptive and the current had carried us quite a distance from the shore. As we began paddling back, I lent a hand and realised that the easy, graceful motion of the boatman was actually pretty tough. After a couple of minutes, my arms began aching. Thankfully, we reached the bank soon. As we stepped ashore, dragging the coracle with us, muscles I didn't even know existed were vehemently making their presence felt. The experience left me strangely recharged. Though it was not my first time in a coracle, the experience of riding one in a reservoir was very different.
On a previous occasion in Hampi, I'd crossed the river Tungabhadra in a coracle. The river flowed briskly and the vessel spun this way and that as it hit eddies or when the oarsman veered to avoid rocks. The crossing was short, just a matter of minutes, but the sensation of cutting across rushing water was exhilarating.
Coracle rides at Honnemaradu are part of a two-day eco-adventure conducted by The Adventurers (94484 85508/94490 04748; `2,000 per person for the entire programme, which includes camping, trekking and other activities; minimum group size of 12.)
Rides across the Tungabhadra in Hampi and places such as Talakadu, Balamuri, and Hogenakkal cost about `20 per person. Besides crossing the Tungabhadra, resorts like Kabini River Lodge (080-40554055; www.junglelodges.com; doubles from 7,534), and Orange County in Coorg and Kabini (080-4191 1170/71; www.orangecounty.in; doubles from₹35,000) also offer their guests coracle rides.
–Anita Rao Kashi
Coracle ride on Kabini river in Karnataka
The coracle is a small, lightweight boat. Oval in shape and very similar to half a walnut shell, the structure is made of a framework of interwoven bamboo, waterproofed by using resin and coconut oil. The structure has a keel-less, flat bottom to evenly spread the weight of the boat and its load across the structure and to reduce the required depth of water — often to only a few inches, making it ideal for use on rivers.
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