Talakadu (Mysuru): Spires of the temple towers rising over dunes of sand dotting the landscape, with the river gurgling on its passage to the sea not too far, Talakadu is well and truly a miracle of nature. A place famed in myth and legend, the sandy banks of Talakadu have remained an unending source of fascination among nature enthusiasts and general public alike.
Home to nearly 40 temples, many of which are submerged in the sand, Talakadu draws tourists in massive numbers, mostly from Bengaluru and Kerala. Improved road connectivity means that Talakadu draws tourists in the hundreds on a daily basis. Located 49km from Mysuru city, a coracle ride on the waters of the River Cauvery is among the major attractions in Talakadu. However, tourists bemoan the lack of adequate facilities at the tourist hotspot such as lavatories and dustbins. “The problem starts right at the entry gate. Waste including plastic wrappers in littered on either side of the road. There is not a single dustbin in the area. So, everyone throws waste on the road. A couple of
dustbins are placed on the banks of the Cauvery,” said Rajalakshmi Rao, a tourist from Bengaluru.
Rajalakshmi was equally unsparing when it came to the behaviour of tourists as well, whom she accused of failing to use the few dustbins that were placed. “It is unwise to allow eateries to be set up in such locations, since it mars the serene beauty. The areas set aside for water sports and coracle rides are also very dirty,” she added.
Polluted water
A warning sign hanging close to the river advises tourists against taking a dip in the river for too long since there is the danger of contracting skin allergy. One of the oarsmen who plies the coracle along the river told TOI, “If anyone stays in the river for more than 10 minutes, he or she will develop a skin allergy. This is because the water is not flowing here, and has become polluted as a result. Complaints of itching are common among tourists.”
The other pet peeve of the visitors is the lack of separate rooms for changing their costumes, which they said led to many difficulties.
However, Talakadu gram panchayat vice-president TC Kumar Naik said, “There is no truth in these allegations. There are changing rooms available for tourists.”
