Trippingg on the Trains – Konkan Railways and the Marvellous & Mystical Monsoons

In the monsoons, the Konkan Railways track meanders over gushing rivers and gurgling streams; flits in and and out of drenched tunnels, wraps itself around hills covered in misty clouds, loses itself in thick dewy forests to the accompaniment of cascading waterfalls, soars over soaked green paddy fields, and passes through little railway stations with no waiting passengers. Konkan Railways in monsoons is the stuff of dreamy mystical rail journeys that you always knew would find you eventually. To experience heaven on earth, the Madgaon to Mangalore Konkan railway route is a must on every train lover’s itinerary. 

Konkan Railways in the Monsoons- A Magical Journey

You have been wishing to travel the Konkan railway in the monsoons for so long and when it happens, the experience is so extraordinary that within days you are taking the train back for one more sortie across the Western Ghats. A reprise is natural.

Such unbelievable sights will keep you spellbound in Konkan

Here in Western Ghats, the train is the audience as it floats above the stage made of rivers, fields and forests where the monsoons provide their annual breathtaking performance. The spectacular performance is not only visual. It is an all-sensory delectable treat. The eyes are treated to the colours of ever changing landscape, skies and waters. The raindrops dance just beyond the windows and the water streaks create moving patterns on the glasspanes. You stand at the doorways and reach out to feel the rain on your hand and face. The smells have their own effect - the dampness in air just before it rains, the smell of rain and the smell of refreshed air after the rain - and are so distinct. The entire performance builds into an orgasmic delight.

The post is a photo journey of the astonishing route that takes you from Madgaon in Goa to Mangalore at the deep south-western tip of Karnataka and covers the 440 km journey of unadulterated interplay of railways, monsoons and the Western Ghats that has to be experienced to be believed.

The photo journey combines the two journeys on Konkan Railways. First was aboard the 56641 Madgaon Mangalore Central Passenger train. Here you had travelled from Madgaon to Udupi and then took the bus to Mangalore. And the second was the 22636 Madgaon Express from Mangalore Central to Madgaon.

Hop on and enjoy the Journey!

Goa has two major railway stations - Madgaon & Vasco. Madgaon station retains its old world charm even after all these years when you would visit Goa from Mumbai in late 1990s

Goa's own Mario adorns the Benjoe Restaurant with his characters - the food is pretty good and you pick your packed lunch here

Konkan Railways invites you to discover the Western Ghats - Madgaon Station

You have booked yourself in a second class bogie. It is surprising that a passenger train actually has a reserved coach! Except for a few other fellow backpackers the bogie is empty. The rest of the train seems to have few passengers. This is what you like about the trains down south. It is as if you have the entire train to yourself.

You have the bogie to yourself

Here we go - Balli the first station - now try comparing this station to one in UP!

Within minutes the train picks up pace and you seem to be floating among misty hills

Canacona Railway Station

One instance you are among hills, the next, above rivers flowing into the Arabian Sea - Konkan Railways brings surprises every minute

Lolieum is the last station in Goa before the train enters Karnataka

Leaving Goa!

Konkan Railway with hundreds of tunnels cutting through the Western Ghats and bridges spanning streams and rivers is an engineering marvel. For the first time Goa and Mangalore were connected directly.

Here the train emerges out of yet another tunnel as it leaves Goa to enter Karnataka.

Kali River before Karwar

Incredible Vistas aboard Konkan Railways

The stretch as the train travels from Asnoti towards Karwar is the most scenic. It seems the train floats over the sea with water stretching on both sides.

Karwar is a major Naval base on the western coast. You had planned to get down here but changed the plan. Now you will get down in Udupi

The train sways in the breeze. The sultry heat of Madgaon has melted away. The bogie feels pleasant. Assorted smells tickle the nose - the freshness of forests, the salty sea and the fried food carried by the vendors. You want to close your eyes and just lose yourself in this incredible landscape. But nap is not a choice. The picture frames keep coming and you need to collect them for an entire life's worth.

Stations keep coming and we are again on our way - Ankola Station

You remember last year when you drove to Gokarna from Hubli to enjoy a sunblessed day on the beautiful beaches

The rear bogies provide the best views especially on bends when you can see the entire worm like train

Hi Kid! We are going a-travelling. To find a stretch of ocean, a field, hillside or clouds and trees and maybe some lichens. Just a simple way to remember how to see and how to breathe.

There are two categories of rail passengers who enjoy the journeys - there are these few itinerant ones like yours truly and then there are these kids looking at the world wide eyed through the windows. You see these kids everywhere; in Delhi's Metro or here in Konkan. The kids with their unending fascination for new sights teach us adults how to stay alive every moment no matter how humdrum our daily lives or commutes become.

One thing that is constant in your travels is the motion

I dig you baby but I got to keep movin'...on - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

All through the Konkan travels your camera has been sporadically acting up. But sometimes even the unintentional blurred images tell their own story.  Another learning - even not so perfect moments of our lives have their own beauty; we just need to know where to look.

The rains are always around. The train runs into a patch of moisture laden low dark clouds. Windows are pulled down as streaks run on the glass. Few minutes later, last few rain drops hug the window bars. Konkan magic at its best. And so it goes on. 

RO RO Service of Konkan Railways at Madgaon

RO RO Service of Konkan Railways at Bhatkal Station

So far you have seen trains loaded with tractors or army trucks and tanks. But here on the western coast right from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra to Mangalore you are seeing these trains loaded with commercial trucks. Apparently the loaded trucks are loaded on the train at Kolad near Mumbai to be hauled upto Mangalore and back. This Konkan section is the only route where commercial trucks ride piggy back on trains. This is called RO-RO or Roll-on Roll-off service. The loaded trucks drive up from one end even as the crew sits in their individual trucks. The ticket ranges from Rs 15000 to Rs 25000 depending on the truck size. You are sure this is a far better way ecologically than having hundreds of trucks belching smoke in the the fragile environment of Western Ghats.

Kumta Station

Green Paddy Fields interspersed with hills and rivers and forests

Honnavar Railway Station on Konkan Railways

A tanker train coming in

You are green to go

The giant Shiv idol and the temple gopurum can be seen towering over the sea - Murudeshwar

Bhatkal - we are halfway to Mangalore!

Dog Day Afternoon in Bhatkal

Entire route is punctuated with rivers flowing into the Arabian Sea

Kundapura Station

Udupi where you have a wonderful time in the old town, Karkala and Kodi Bengare

Kids don't try this without expert supervision!

Selfie at Padubidri Station on Konkan Railways

Surathkal Station

The 22636 Madgaon Express at Mangalore Central station

Konkan Railways - The Reprise

The pink Mangalore Railway Station on an early rainy morning

The remarkable journey finishes at Udupi and then again begins at Mangalore. The train and Konkan beauty beckon and in a couple of days you again take to the clouds and the hills and the sea and the rain. The Konkan Railway is the ride in the amusement park that you would keep wanting to get on.

Coming from Delhi where it seems the only seasons left are the scorching summers stretching from March to October and couple of months of frigid winters; the bountiful monsoons, verdant vistas and almost four hundred kms of nature paradise of Konkan is truly heavenly. Konkan is the perfect antidote to the seared soul.

Train Timetables

Train Number	Train Name	From Station	Destination Station	Runs From Source On
56641	MAO MAQ PASS	MADGAON	MANGALORE CNTL	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN

SNo	Station Code	Station Name	Route Number	Arrival Time	Departure Time	Halt Time(In minutes)	Distance	Day
1	MAO	MADGAON	1	--	13:00	--	0	1
2	BLLI	BALLI	1	13:17	13:18	01:00	23	1
3	CNO	CANCONA	1	13:51	13:52	01:00	46	1
4	LOL	LOLIEM	1	14:11	14:12	01:00	60	1
5	AT	ASNOTI	1	14:29	14:30	01:00	72	1
6	KAWR	KARWAR	1	14:57	14:58	01:00	82	1
7	HAA	HARWADA	1	15:11	15:12	01:00	102	1
8	ANKL	ANKOLA	1	15:24	15:25	01:00	122	1
9	GOK	GOKARNA ROAD	1	15:35	15:37	02:00	133	1
10	KT	KUMTA	1	15:50	15:51	01:00	159	1
11	HNA	HONNAVAR	1	16:10	16:11	01:00	179	1
12	MANK	MANKI	1	16:27	16:28	01:00	204	1
13	MRDW	MURDESHWAR	1	16:37	16:38	01:00	216	1
14	CTTP	CHITRAPUR (H)	1	16:45	16:46	01:00	227	1
15	BTJL	BHATKAL	1	17:00	17:01	01:00	236	1
16	SHMI	SHIROOR	1	17:10	17:12	02:00	247	1
17	BYNR	MOOKAMBIKA ROAD	1	17:23	17:24	01:00	258	1
18	BIJR	BIJOOR	1	17:35	17:36	01:00	266	1
19	SEN	SENAPURA	1	17:53	17:55	02:00	286	1
20	KUDA	KUNDAPURA	1	18:10	18:11	01:00	305	1
21	BKJ	BARKUR	1	18:23	18:24	01:00	327	1
22	UD	UDUPI	1	18:40	18:41	01:00	350	1
23	INJ	INNANJE	1	18:51	18:52	01:00	363	1
24	PDD	PADUBIDRI	1	19:01	19:02	01:00	373	1
25	NAND	NANDIKOOR	1	19:11	19:12	01:00	385	1
26	MULK	MULKI	1	19:21	19:22	01:00	396	1
27	SL	SURATHKAL	1	19:31	19:32	01:00	408	1
28	TOK	THOKUR	1	19:54	19:55	01:00	415	1
29	MAJN	MANGALORE JN	1	20:24	20:25	01:00	431	1
30	MAQ	MANGALORE CNTL	1	20:55	--	--	437	1

Train Number	Train Name	From Station	Destination Station	Runs From Source On
22636	MADGAON EXP	MANGALORE CNTL	MADGAON	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN

SNo	Station Code	Station Name	Route Number	Arrival Time	Departure Time	Halt Time(In minutes)	Distance	Day
1	MAQ	MANGALORE CNTL	1	--	08:15	--	0	1
2	SL	SURATHKAL	1	09:06	09:07	01:00	29	1
3	UD	UDUPI	1	09:53	09:54	01:00	87	1
4	KUDA	KUNDAPURA	1	10:17	10:18	01:00	132	1
5	BYNR	MOOKAMBIKA ROAD	1	10:45	10:46	01:00	179	1
6	BTJL	BHATKAL	1	11:07	11:08	01:00	201	1
7	KT	KUMTA	1	12:07	12:08	01:00	278	1
8	KAWR	KARWAR	1	12:51	12:52	01:00	355	1
9	CNO	CANCONA	1	13:15	13:16	01:00	391	1
10	MAO	MADGAON	1	14:00	--	--	437	1

Travel Tips

The scenic Konkan route can be extended from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra to Madgaon and then to Mangalore.

The trains travel practically empty during the monsoon months so you can travel general class buying tickets from the stations and getting down wherever and catching the train again the next day. 

References

The blog by the indomitable & itinerant Neeraj Jat started it all:

http://neerajjaatji.blogspot.in/2013/09/konkan-railway.html

Related links on this blog
Ratnagiri

http://justrippingg.blogspot.in/2015/08/walking-in-rains-monsoon-mania-in.html

Udupi

http://justrippingg.blogspot.in/2015/10/udupi-whats-on-menu.html

Udupi – What’s on the Menu? The Isthumus Surprise of Kodi Bengare

Day 2 – Second Half: Between the Roaring Arabian Sea and the Serene Suvarna

Western Coastal India and Konkan have been bringing you surprises every day - the sailboat ride to the mighty unassailable island fort of Murud-Janjira, the magical light show over the waves at Ganpatipule Beach and the soaring Konkan railway ride high over the hills and Arabian Sea. 

The Picture Post Card Idyllic Suvarna River at Kodi Bengare Udupi

Udupi has treated you with sumptuous surprises and now signs off with a surprise dessert. Long ago in your geography classes you have studied geographical terms like Isthmus, Spit and Estuary. Today theory turns into a practical class.

The Road Narrowing with water appearing on both sides! At Kodi Bengre in Udupi Karnataka

About fifteen kms north of Udupi city centre, you are driving along this narrow strip of land. There is a thick canopy of coconut trees on both sides. You can actually feel the land go narrow as you catch glimpse of water on either side. The houses that you saw at the beginning continue to appear, surprising you. You can see waves through the houses on the left. On the right you can see gently flowing waters. You are finally on an isthumus, a spit or strip of land that separates two water bodies.

Can it be more idyllic and laid back?

You need to check this out. At this point the width of the strip of land is barely 75 metres – the sea is on the left, row of houses line the beach, then this road in the middle, another row of houses on the right and then the river. Unbelievable! And people still live here apparently unperturbed.

Palm fringed! Typically Konkan frame. The yellow boat is adding a lot of colour to the greens, browns and blues that is typical of the region - a friend on social media

As you walk to the river, a picture postcard view materialises. Coconut trees line the river bank on both sides. One of the tree’s trunk grows horizontally – a coconut tree that is featured on every travel brochure of a beach. And between these trees up on the river a boat comes into view. These are the moments God sends your way to reward you for your efforts.

A friend wonders - would be fun sitting on that tree... Feet caressing the cool waters below... Reading a good book, drinking fresh coconut water... Enjoying the Sounds of Silence... Aah Bliss...  Am imagining myself there already - Bliss at Kodi Bengare

This place right here is absolutely idyllic. The intermittent rains make everything green and dewy. In the early afternoon it seems the houses sit empty with cattle grazing tied to the trees. All you can hear is the waves and birds twittering. This is an incredible place where you can hear both waves crashing and the river flowing silently.

On the other side beach stretches out into the distance.

The angry sea is just beyond

These houses are yards away from the rock barrier and the raging waves - at Kodi Bengre

It is time to go to the northernmost tip of the land where the sea and the river meet. The road runs into the tall wall of stones that block the view to the waters. The authorities apparently have erected this rock barrier to protect the community of houses from the rampaging waves of angry Arabian Sea. You can still not get over the fact how houses have been allowed to be built on this narrow tongue of land with water on both sides.

Arabian Sea looks even more menacing under the dark skies

The flipflops make it difficult to climb over the irregular blocks of stone placed haphazardly. Wet Konkan and Goa has taught that it is a bad idea to wear floaters all day walking in the rains. At the end of day, the toes come out bleeding. So you are letting the toes breathe in flip flops. Hanging to the camera you manage to jump on the sands on the other side. The camera is still not focussing well and you are trying to coax some decent frames out of it.

Arabian Sea is all fury and frothing at its mouth

The skies literally change from dark and broody to breezy blues in the matter of minutes

Here on the sand you can witness the full wrath of the sea. Every few minutes you have to scamper back to the safety of the rocks as the waves crash against the man made wave breakers and work up a furious surf. The battered beach is littered with vegetation remains. Dark menacing clouds return to the sky. It seems it is a matter of time before the sea reclaims this land. Just beyond all this fury the River Suvarna flows gently into the sea forming the Suvarna Estuary. An estuary forms a transition zone between river and marine environments.

And quietly flows Suvarna

The Suvarna Estuary

The restless Arabian Sea in the foreground and gentle Suvarna in the back

You climb back in to mount the wall again to the right to observe the estuary. The colours of the river and sea waters definitely look different. So while below the sea is all froth and fury trying to dislodge the rocks, just beyond, Suvarna tiptoes silently into the sea.

Windows to the Colourful Kodi Bengare

The Technicolor Houses of Kodi Bengare

It is time to retrace your path back towards the mainland. Going back you enjoy the colourful houses. People in North need to look beyond their whites and ivories and creams. One feature you love about southern India are the colourful houses – whether it is around Vijaywada in AP or Old Goa or here in Kodi Bengare. The houses look resplendent in the Technicolor palette.

Under grey skies, the colourful houses and the temple provide relief to the largely monochromatic surroundings immersed in different hues of green. In a small hut they make masks for carnivals adding further dash of colour.

Beaches cannot get prettier than this - Kodi Bengare in Udupi

The skies lightened and the waters turned magical. Could not resist posting all these photos - Kodi Bengre Beach

There is a quiet piece of beach just ahead that has escaped the treatment meted out by the raging waves and is relatively clean. Finally you see some tourists here. They are probably kids from the Manipal colleges enjoying their Independence Day off. 

Rain Magic in Konkan - now you see it now you don't!

Within minutes, the skies have opened up and you can see some blue up there. Skies here in Konkan change quickly during monsoons. It could be pouring for few minutes and then the skies open up revealing blue azure skies even as the leaves glow under the sun.

One thing you still cannot get over is the fact that even in this strip of land constantly threatened by the sea, life goes on in its own languid way. The presence of water on both sides is just incidental. There are temples and there are houses; people go about living their lives; boats lie upturned waiting for calmer waters, cattle graze and dogs play with the waves on the beach. Everything seems so normal. 

Kodi Bengare is another example how we become comfortable in the surroundings where we are born and where we grew up. We cannot think of living anywhere else. Whether it is trudging up kilometres to your house in the Garhwal mountains or taking a boat to get to Majuli, world’s biggest river island in Assam or here in Kodi Bengare, living yards away from the waves; we feel at home here. The angry waves lull the residents into the most peaceful sleep that no city can offer.

In your travels, you have seen several places where you could just settle down without a second thought. Kodi Bengare, in the lap of waves and flowing waters of Suvarna, has an irresistible pull for an itinerant to drop anchor. You could retire today and spend your remaining life here with the Western Ghats as the playground. Reluctantly, you pull yourself from your reverie. Mangalore beckons to complete your Konkan sojourn.

Getting There

Kodi Bengare is about 15 kms north of Udupi. Autorickshaw can be hired from the city to go around Kodi Bengare. You can spend an entire day here if you want the rare choice of beach on one side and the idyllic setting of gently glowing River Suvarna on the other side.

Udupi is 60 kms north of Mangalore on the west coast of Karnataka. Best way to get to Udupi is by Konkan Railways either from Mangalore or Goa. Western Ghats are best enjoyed travelling from Goa to Udupi.

A version of the story appeared in the Spectrum supplement of Deccan Herald dated 16th Aug 2016.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/564670/where-river-meets-sea.html

References

http://sumitbharati.blogspot.in/2014/09/kodi-bengre-solitary-beauty.html

https://garnishednonsense.wordpress.com/2014/10/05/exploring-the-karnataka-coastline-part-i/

http://scroll.in/article/772120/an-udupi-village-shows-why-sea-walls-do-more-harm-than-good-and-are-no-answer-to-climate-change

Related Links on this Blog

1. http://justrippingg.blogspot.in/2015/11/udupi-whats-on-menu-special-surprise-of.html
2. http://justrippingg.blogspot.in/2015/10/udupi-whats-on-menu.html
3. http://justrippingg.blogspot.in/2015/09/ganpatipule-beach-cliffhanger-surprise.html