Devimane Ghat

Devimane is a hill village in Sirsi taluk of Karnataka's Malenadu region, and the road up to it, Devimane Ghat, runs on NH 766E between Sirsi and the coastal town of Kumta. The name means home of the goddess Devi and comes from a temple of Durga Devi at the start of the climb, at 429 metres. Within the forests of Uttara Kannada, the road rises from 25 to 567 metres, with 10 hairpin bends and 12 bridges.

Rain is the main fact of life here. From May to September it can pass 6,000 mm, feeding many rivers and waterfalls around villages such as Hebre, Bandla and Sampakhanda. Higher ground stays below about 32°C in summer and can fall under 10°C in winter, with Sampakhanda the coldest spot. Elephants and other animals on the slopes have been struck by vehicles here, so traffic poses a threat to wildlife.