Sunset Point - Agumbe, Karnataka
Agumbe is a village located in Shimoga district, Thirthahalli taluk, Malnad region, the state of Karnataka, India. Agumbe is amongst the highest rainfall receiving region in the Western Ghats, also earning itself the name, Cherrapunji of the South. The only Rain Forest research centre in India, Agumbe Rainforest Research Station is located here. Established by the herpetologist, Romulus Whitaker to whom Agumbe was the capital of King Cobra. Agumbe forests (as well as nearby Someswara Wild Life Sanctuary) are included in World Heritage sites as a part of Western Ghats. Agumbe receives the second highest annual rainfall in India, next only to Cherrapunji (or the nearby Mawsynram). It receives a mean annual rainfall of 7,640 millimetres (301 in). The absolute maximum rainfall recorded in Agumbe in a single month is 4,508 millimetres (177.5 in) (in August 1946).Sunset in Agumbe is beautiful. There is a sunset point, located on the 14th hair pin bend on the serpantine road to Agumbe (from Udupi) which receives a lot of visitors. On a clear day, one can see the sun setting over the Arabian Sea though the sea is quite a long distance from Agumbe.Agumbe is near the town of Thirthahalli on the National Highway NH-13. From the state capital of Bangalore, Agumbe can be reached by taking NH-4 till Tumkur, then NH-206 till Shimoga and then NH-13 to Thirthahalli (a total distance of about 380 km.). Udupi on the Konkan Railway is the nearest railhead. The nearest airport is the Mangalore International Airport.
It can also be reached from Bangalore, via Hassan ~ Chikkamagalore ~ Balehonnur ~ Jaipura ~ Sringeri ~ Agumbe. This is the shortest route from bangalore.
Another choice of route is from Bangalore via Hassan ~ Belur ~ Chikkamagaloor ~ Sringeri ~ Agumbe.
Being a part of Malnad and Western Ghats, Agumbe and its surroundings are rich in biodiversity. It is adjacent to one of the last surviving lowland rain forests in the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kudremukh National Park. Many new species of flora and fauna are found in this region. Agumbe lends its name to the following species which were discovered here.
Selenops agumbensis: A spider of genus Selenops
Tarenna agumbensis: A shrub
Drosophila agumbensis: A species of small fly
Irenopsis agumbensis: A fungus
Hygroaster agumbensis: A fungus
Dactylaria agumbensis: A fungus
Other species discovered around Agumbe include:
Caudalejeunea pluriplicata: A liverwort plant.
Notothylas dissecta: A plant of type Hornwort earlier found only in Central America, was discovered in Asia for the first time in Agumbe.
Cyclotoma alleni:A beetle discovered in Agumbe.
Some of the Spectacular Agumbe Fauna-King Cobra,Lion-tailed ,acaque Cane Turtle,Tiger,Dhole,Hornbills,Sambhar,Atlas moth,Flying lizard, Leopard,Myriads of birds and amphibians,Indian Gaur,
Agumbe is the location of the only permanent rainforest research station in India which was established by the herpetologist, Romulus Whitaker. Whitaker chose Agumbe as the location for this station since this was the area where he spotted the King Cobra in the early 1970s. Financial help to build this station was provided by Whitaker's mother, Doris Norden who willed him money that helped him purchase 8 acres (32,000 m2) of land in Agumbe. The main goal of the research station is to study and conserve the rainforests of South India, using King Cobra as the flagship species. One of the main goals of this research is to help the state of Karnataka establish the world's first King Cobra Sanctuary. Experts from various fields were invited to aid in the research and understanding of the basic biology of the King Cobra which is an endangered species. For his efforts in setting up this station, Whitaker was awarded the United Kingdom's top conservation prize — the Whitley Award in 2005. Whitaker used the £30,000 cash prize that came with the award to set up cottages, buy basic scientific equipment, and a vehicle. The research station is eco-friendly and is not connected to the state's electricity grid and uses solar power and a micro hydel unit. Even the fencing around the station is of smooth wire so that it does not hurt the deer and leopards passing by. The station consists of two cottages for researchers and a refurbished farmhouse that serves as the hub. The station follows three-pronged approach involving research, education and conservation. Regular visits to schools are made and lectures including demonstrations on snakes and conservation are given to students.
Malgudi Days-Malgudi Days is a famous television serial which was directed by Shankar Nag and is based on the novels written by R. K. Narayan. Many episodes of this serial were filmed in Agumbe in 1985. In 2004, a new set of episodes of Malgudi Days have also been filmed at Agumbe under the direction of Kavitha Lankesh.