Muthyala Maduvu

Time: Aug 29th, 2020

Place: Pearl Valley aka Muthyala Maduvu

Company: Wife & daughter

Highlights: I guess I visited this place about 3 decades ago and had hazy memories of it. Remembered this place after one of my colleague visited this place and told me about it. So I searched for Muthyala Maduvu on Google Maps and we started towards it. Seemingly close to our house. After about half hour, the road diverted from main road towards a village. Once we went deep into it, the road started getting worser with full of bumps and pot-holes although scenery was good with lush greenery. Upon asking couple of villagers they told we were in the wrong road and we need to go towards Anekal. It was then that we realized that Google Maps was incorrect. Note that Google Maps has both Muthyala Maduvu and Pearl Valley. Former location seems incorrect but Pearl Valley location is correct. So one has to choose that to reach the real destination.

Anyways, we started asking for Anekal and finally hit the main road. It was the same road from which we had taken the diversion! So, if we had stayed on the same road, we would have been about an hour earlier! Finally we saw the signboards for Muthyala Maduvu and we followed it. My colleague also gave an important instruction about an "MRP" shop after which we needed to take right. Post that, it was just a matter of few minutes before we reached a toll-gate. 

Upon paying the entry fees, we forged ahead. There was another gate for what seemed to be a Hotel. We ignored that and continued on in the road which gradually turned from bad to worse. Plus there was nothing. Just pure land. So, we thought maybe we had to enter the hotel premises. U-turned and headed back to the Hotel. Paid parking fees and finally saw the steps to the Pearl Valley falls. So this was the place.

Pretty steep set of steps, about a hundred of them and we finally came down to a trickling waterfalls. This is exactly how I remembered. Trickling waterfalls into a small pond which was almost like a tiny swimming pool. Inside which were a few boys swimming. Of course, it was all muddy but it was fun. Some other folks were venturing into the knee-deep water towards the falls for clicks. The three of us sat on the ledge nearby and got our hands wet but did not feel like venturing inside as we didn't have another set of clothes. Nevertheless it was a soothing experience, just being in the vicinity of the falls. Tourists came and went and new tourists came - and we just relaxed in the atmosphere. 

After having had our share of contentment, we then ventured into what seemed to be the valley via a trek route that went deep inside the forest. It seemed to be skirting the little stream of water. So after a while of trekking, we sat near the stream and allowed the tiny fishes to nibble our feet. It was absolute silence here compared to near the falls. And very serene especially because we were surrounded by thick trees all around and canopied under their branches too - with no sunlight penetration. I realized, we were so easy targets to wild animals, in case they were around!

Having had our heart's content of the monthly does of nature, we headed back. The climb back up was exhilarating. From the parking lot, there is a superb view of the valley. We had little bit of snacks (home-packed, thanks to Corona, even the hotel was closed). 

And then we made our way back. On the way, there was a nice patch of yellow flowers, near which we took some more pics. It resembled the yellow patches of flowers we had seen when we were in Europe. 

Finally we reached home by 5 pm. It took us all of just 5 hours to go and come, thanks to the proximity of our home which is in the outskirts of Bangalore. Anyone in the other end of BLR, would have easily spent an hour or so more. A nice outing although it is not 'wow'-ish.