Dudhsagar Waterfall

The magnificent Dudhsagar Waterfall is perched in the high peaks of the
Western Ghats and is a sight to behold especially in the monsoons when it
is in full and furious flow. From a distance, the waterfall appears like
streams of milk rushing down the mountainside. The exhuberent and spectacular
waterfall is located in the Sanguem taluka.
Measuring a mighty 600m from head to foot, this waterfall on the Goa-Karnataka
border, attracts a steady stream of visitors from the coast into the rugged
Western Ghats. After pouring across the Deccan plateau, the headwaters
of the Mandovi River form a foaming torrent that splits into three streams
to cascade down a near-vertical cliff face into a deep green pool.
The Konkani name for the falls, which literally translated means "sea
of milk", derives from clouds of milky foam which rises up at the
bottom of the falls. Dudhsagar is set amidst breathtaking scenery overlooking
a steep, crescent-shaped head of a valley carpeted with pristine tropical
forest, that is only accessible on foot or by train.
Like most places in Goa, the Dudhsagar waterfall too has a legend attached
to its name. The legend tells the story of this powerful and wealthy king
who ruled a kingdom in the Western Ghats. His lavish and opulent palace
in the hills was surrounded by vast gardens which were full of deers and
gazelles.
The King had a beautiful daughter, who used to enjoy taking a bath during
the hot summers, in the picturesque lake near the forest on the edge of
the King's palace grounds. It was her habit to finish her bath and have
a jugful of sugared milk in a jug made of pure gold.
One day when she was finishing her usual jug of milk she found herself
being watched by a handsome prince standing amongst the trees. Embarassed
by her inadequate bathing attire, the resourceful Princess poured the
sugared milk in front of her to form an improvised curtain to hide her
body, while one of the maids rushed to cover her with a dress.

Thus was the legend born. The sugared milk (dudh) poured down the mountainside
and continued to flow in torrents as a tribute to the everlasting virtue
and modesty of the Princess of the Ghats. The Dudh Sagar (Sea of Milk)
continues to flow to this day and attracts thousands of visitors to one
of the most popular and famous tourist spots in the state of Goa.
A number of private operators offer special trips to the Waterfalls and
the tours operated by GTDC (Goa Tourism Development Corpn) also have Dudhsagar
Waterfalls as one of the tour stops. There is also a Dudhsagar Special
tour recently started by the GTDC.
The falls can also be reached by a train journey from Vasco or Margao.
At Collem, in the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary near Mollem, there is a railway
station where the train stops to pick up passengers for the journey to
the waterfalls. There are two trains a day that stop at Dudhsagar Station
and it's possible to catch a morning train up and spend several hours
at the falls before taking an afternoon train back.
Near the top of the falls, the railway line from Vasco to Londa crosses
the mountainside, with excellent views from the train. There also a couple
of pools that you can swim in, making Dudhsagar a great place for a day
full of fun and frolic. The alternate way of reaching the falls is only
advisable between January and May, when the level of the water in the
rivers abates enough to permit jeeps to approach the base of the falls.
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