AGUMBE

Agumbe (Kannada: ಆಗುಂಬೆ) is a small village located in Shimoga district, Thirthahalli taluk in the Malnad region of Karnataka, India. It is sometimes called "The Cherrapunji of the South" after Cherrapunji, in Northeast India. Agumbe is associated with rainforest conservation efforts, documentation of medicinal plants, tourism (trekking and photography), power generation through hydroelectrics and promotion of cottage industry. Naxal communists are active in Agumbe and surrounds.

Location
Agumbe lies in the West coastal region of South India(Shimoga District), approximately 357 km west-northwest of Bangalore, the state capital of Karnataka in South India. It is approximately 24 km from Shringeri and 55 km from the Arabian Sea and the coast of India at Udupi city which hosts the nearest big railway station. The nearest airport to Agumbe is at Mangalore which lies at a distance of approximately 100 km. The elevation of Agumbe is 643m. The Mani reservoir lies to the North. As part of the Western Ghats mountain range, Agumbe lies in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Agumbe is near the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kudremukh National Park.

Size
Agumbe is a small hill village with very limited visitor accommodation. The population is approximately 500 people. The village covers an area of 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi).

EconomyThe villagers of Agumbe are subsistence farmers. The Raksha Kavacha Weavers’ Cooperative Society represents the beginnings of cottage industry in the village.

Geography
Someshwara (Udupi dist.) below Agumbe
Agumbe lies in a hilly, wet region of the Western Ghat mountains. This geography contributes to its scenery, suitability for trekking, leech infestation and motor vehicle accidents. In addition, there are a number of waterfalls in the locality.


Hilly terrain
Waterfalls
Barkana Falls
Barkana Falls (Latitude 13.449315, Longitude 75.136015), Northeast of Agumbe, is 850 ft/259 mts in height. It is the tenth highest falls in India. It is a fall in the Seeta River which powers a hydroelectric system. The viewing point for the Barkana Falls is about 4 km from the end of the approaching vehicle track.

Onake Abbi Falls
View from atop Onake Abbi Falls
Onake Abbi Falls (latitude 13°30'44"N, longitude 75°4'25"E) at 400 feet, is smaller than Barkana Falls. In the Kannada language, "onake" means 'pounding stick', an instrument used by villagers to pound grains to flour. Trekking for 5 km through rainforest is needed in order to reach a view of the falls.

Jogigundi Falls
Jogigundi is a small water fall near Agumbe.This is about 800m deep. It is usually filled with water.

Koodlu Theertha Falls
Koodlu Theerthra waterfall is located 20 km from Agumbe.


Koodlu Theertha Falls
Scenery
Sunset Point
Sunset View Point rests on one of the highest peaks of the Western Ghats on the Udupi-Agumbe Road. It is ten minutes walk from Agumbe. On a fine evening, the sunset can be seen over the Arabian Sea.

Climate
Agumbe hosts India's first automatic weather station, founded by Romulus Whitaker b. 1943, New York, NY. Agumbe lies in a rainforest region with a tropical climate, warm and humid. Under the Köppen system of climate classification Agumbe is an 'Am' climate, that is, a tropical monsoon climate. A dense silvery fog forms over the Western Ghats contributing to the natural beauty of Agumbe.

Rainfall
The driest month in Agumbe is February with an average rainfall of 1 mm. The wettest month is July with an average rainfall of 2,647 mm. The mean annual rainfall is 7,620 millimetres (300 in). The highest recorded rainfall in a single month was 4,508 millimetres (177.5 in) in August 1946.

Temperature
Maximum temperatures in Agumbe vary between 24.4 and 31.5 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperatures vary between 16.2 and 21.4 degrees Celsius. Average temperatures vary between 22.2 degrees Celsius and 23.6 degrees Celsius with an annual average temperature of 23.5 degrees Celsius. April is the hottest month of the year and December the coolest. The average annual variation in temperature is 4.1 degrees Celsius. The lowest recorded temperature was 3.2 degrees Celsius in 1975 and the highest, 37 degrees Celsius in 2008-9.