Thalaiyar Falls
Encyclopedia
Thalaiyar Falls, also known as Rat Tail Falls is located in the Palani Hills of Dindigul District
,
Tamil Nadu
State, South India
. It is 975 ft (297.2 m) tall and is the highest waterfall in Tamil Nadu, the third highest in India
and the 267th highest in the world.
The very edge at the top of the Falls has a concrete wall on either side concentrating the flow of water to focus the falls into a better rat tail shape. One can walk along the wall and get near the center of the Falls. Just below one wall is a large flat rock about 5 ft (1.5 m) wide. One can get down to the edge of the rock to look directly straight down what seems a mile to see a tiny little river at the bottom continuing placidly through the forest. Looking back up to the side, one can watch the water in freefall, mostly silent. The noise of the crashing water below doesn't rise up. The only noise is the water pushing around the stone walls, and some smaller falls just upstream. The river leading up to the falls, although apparently clear, is polluted, and visitors to the area are advised to avoid bathing in it.
It is possible to hike to the bottom of the falls in the dry season, beginning at the Manjalar Dam. This difficult hike proceeds along a path through Mango orchards and potato fields around the Manjalar Reservoir and up along the stream as far as a small shrine, dedicated to Kamakshi and history is that Kamakshi was born here in the foot of the falls in a bamboo bush and hence she is called moonkilanai kamakshi and this place is called amma machhu, in the middle of a grove of teak trees. Beyond this point one must climb up along the stream, going up, over and around increasingly large boulders till arriving at the bottom of the falls, where there is a pool about 30 metres (98.4 ft) by 60 metres (196.9 ft). The return hike is more difficult. The full hike there and back covers about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) and takes a full day.
Manjalar Dam is at the end of Manjalar Road about 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) north from SH-36 at Devadanapatti
town beginning along Kamatchiamman temple road.
Dindigul District
Dindigul District is an administrative region in the south of Tamil Nadu, India. The district was carved out of Madurai District in the year 1985...
,
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
State, South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. It is 975 ft (297.2 m) tall and is the highest waterfall in Tamil Nadu, the third highest in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and the 267th highest in the world.
Description
On a clear day Rat Tail Falls is visible from the dim dim viewpoint on the Kodai Ghat Road, 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) away to the west. It appears across the valley as a long thin white strip of cascading water on a background of black rock cliff face that juts out of the foothills.The very edge at the top of the Falls has a concrete wall on either side concentrating the flow of water to focus the falls into a better rat tail shape. One can walk along the wall and get near the center of the Falls. Just below one wall is a large flat rock about 5 ft (1.5 m) wide. One can get down to the edge of the rock to look directly straight down what seems a mile to see a tiny little river at the bottom continuing placidly through the forest. Looking back up to the side, one can watch the water in freefall, mostly silent. The noise of the crashing water below doesn't rise up. The only noise is the water pushing around the stone walls, and some smaller falls just upstream. The river leading up to the falls, although apparently clear, is polluted, and visitors to the area are advised to avoid bathing in it.
Access
Rat Tail Falls is considered inaccessible to the general public, as there is no road to it. The top of the falls is a rewarding and challenging hike destination. Hikers should be cautious, as two Western tourists were killed in 2006 when they fell from the top of the Falls.It is possible to hike to the bottom of the falls in the dry season, beginning at the Manjalar Dam. This difficult hike proceeds along a path through Mango orchards and potato fields around the Manjalar Reservoir and up along the stream as far as a small shrine, dedicated to Kamakshi and history is that Kamakshi was born here in the foot of the falls in a bamboo bush and hence she is called moonkilanai kamakshi and this place is called amma machhu, in the middle of a grove of teak trees. Beyond this point one must climb up along the stream, going up, over and around increasingly large boulders till arriving at the bottom of the falls, where there is a pool about 30 metres (98.4 ft) by 60 metres (196.9 ft). The return hike is more difficult. The full hike there and back covers about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) and takes a full day.
Manjalar Dam is at the end of Manjalar Road about 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) north from SH-36 at Devadanapatti
Devadanapatti
Devadanapatti is a panchayat town in Theni district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.This village is located under the Foot of Kodaikanal Hills.-Demographics:...
town beginning along Kamatchiamman temple road.
External sources
- Top of the falls (part of Rattail Falls gallery)
- Base of the falls - 1, Photos
- Base of the falls - 2, Photo
See also
- Waterfalls in Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
- List of waterfalls in India
- List of waterfalls in India by height