ICYM Modankap enjoys an Amazing picnic at Sita Falls

By Wilma Bantwal
Pics by Vishal D’Souza
Bellevision Media Network

Mangalore, 24 Feb 2013: Bellevision is pleased to introduce our viewers a new contributor for articles and travelogues.  She is none other than Wilma Lavina D’Souza a promising young writer, widely known as Wilma, Bantwal in Konkani literary circles.  Recently she has been selected for Kittall Yuva Puroskar – 2012 which carries a cash prize of Rs 10,000 and a citation. This Award will be presented to Wilma on Saturday March 2 at a programme at Valencia Church Hall at 7 pm.

 

After completing her post-graduation, MSc in Mathematics, with first rank from St Aloysius College (autonomous) she is now teaching at Canara Engineering College, Benjanapadavu.

 

Bellevision.com welcomes Wilma Bantwal to our team and wishing her all success.  She will also be contributing articles and poems to our Konkani section in the following months.

 

Wilma Lavina D’Souza

 

The rapid industrial development has completely changed the environmental scenario of our state.  In the name of development, our environment is losing its glamour.  Day by day more and more trees and plants are cut to make way for the most modern sky scrapers.  The green cities are turning into concrete forests and one wonders when it is going to stop and where we can look for greenery, hills, and forests to quench our thrust for good clean environment??  Well if you wonder where??  We still have loads of greenery, forests, hills and water falls left in our region but for how long no idea.  Among many, there is one tourist resort called Sita Falls and Sita River in Hebri near Udupi and also a government maintained Nisarga Dhama nearby.  But this time we went to this amazing and to taste beauty of the nature i.e. Kudlu Thirtha or popularly known as Sita Falls.

 

The picnic to this amazing site was organized by ICYM Modankap (Bantwal Dist).  We 27 of us members of ICYM started our journey early morning at 6am on 3rd February 2013. It was a good bus journey and kept ourselves busy singing and the time passed quickly. Rev. Fr. Anil D’Mello, our Assistant Parish Priest accompanied us.  We had our delicious break-fast at a restaurant in Moodbidri.

 

To go to Sita Falls either we should have our own vehicle, car is better if small crowd or bus preferably for the large crowd, family get-together or picnics.  Prior to reaching Sita Falls there is a small creek to cross and if the water is less then you must consider yourself lucky to cross if not, we must walk round the creek in a mud road for about 4 km rough road but it is worth to walk in group enjoying the beautiful nature, chirping birds, blue skies, wonderful nature. We reached Hebri at about 11am. But luckily since the water was less, our bus could cross the creek easily and that not only saved our time but fatigue as well.
After crossing the creek we need to walk through the rough terrain for about half an hour in the forest but this journey is a little tiresome especially to the aged and children.

 

 

Once you come over this strenuous journey, a whole new wonderful world opens in front of your eyes.  Alas, here you are front of your dream spot, wonderful heavenly sight right in front of your eyes. We were over joyed looking at this amazing site, all our tiredness vanished in seconds and we marveled at the beauty of Gods wonderful creation.Surrounded by rocks all around a natural pond on which water falls from above 300 ft.  This site itself was amazing and we were all dump founded and mesmerized watching this most wonderful site in our life and admire Gods creation.  The water at the falls below is clean and we spend as much as possible time here playing and enjoying even though water was ice cold and we felt as if we are in the freezer.

 

It is indeed a wonderful place to forget your daily cores, stress of life and gives soothing and wonderful feelings.  However, one must remember that there are no nearby restaurants and hence need to arrange well in advance or need to buy from Hebri itself.  We too had to face this problem and look for a restaurant for our lunch. One caution, in the rainy season you need to be aware of leeches and it is better to carry little salt and rub on your skin to avoid leeches sticking to your skin and suck your blood.  The best season recommended to visit Sita Falls is January to March when the water is less in the creek and that is the reason we visited the wonderful nature wonder a most memorable one for a long time to remember and cherish the fun and joy we enjoyed at the water falls.