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| Athirappally falls. It is called the Niagara of South India! |
We had been to this Athirappally falls two weeks back. They call it as
Athirappilly Falls also.
We had a wedding in the family and we planned to visit Vaalpaarai with some relatives to just relax after the wedding. We did just that!
9 of us travelled to Coimbatore from Chennai by train. We had booked the Briar Tea Estate bungalow
(Monica Bungalow) a couple of months earlier. The Hotel people had sent a van to the station and we were driven through 40 hairpin bends (via scenic Pollaachchi) to the Bungalow at
Vaalpaarai.
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| We crossed 40 narrow hairpin bends like this to reach our Bungalow. (Wiki picture) |
We were the only occupants in the bungalow which is situated among ancient trees at the Briar Tea Estate. We had very good vegetarian food...the chef was too good!
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| View from the veranda of our Bungalow! |
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| Another view! |
We roamed about in the Tea Estate one evening and saw tea and coffee plants on the slopes of the hills. We had been to
Munnar, a few years back and had stayed in a Tea Estate bungalow over there too. But this Bungalow is too good. Huge clean rooms, good food, courteous staff. Then, we were taken to this Athirappally falls, which was 80 Kms. away. The hotel staff packed lunch for us! We started early in the morning after breakfast. Located on the west-flowing Chalakkudy river near the Vazhachal Forest Division and the Sholayar ranges, this 24-metre (80 ft) waterfall is situated in Athirappilly/Athirappally Panchayath, Chalakkudy Taluk in Trissur Dist., Kerala.
We reached Vazhachchal and entered the forest-like area to reach the falls. We had to walk for around 15 to 20 mts. on uneven pathway. It was quite tough for us. Some of our people stayed back at the entrance. Esp. the path near the falls was really really tough...climbing the rocks and hopping...but it was worth the effort! When we reached the open area, what a scene! Out of this world! And it was not monsoon season! Still, the water flow was quite good! We didn't go very near to the fall but could experience the water spray on us! It was difficult for us to return from the view. But it was getting late. We had to turn back reluctantly!
Now, to a few more pictures of the beautiful waterfall!
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| Click on the picture to view properly! |
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| 80 ft. high waterfall! |
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| We had to hop through rocks like this to go near the falls, even to view it! |
Wiki says that many film makers used this place for filming their songs. A few of Mani Rathnam's film songs were picturised here like
this one and the
next one!
We are planning to visit this place once again during monsoon to experience the full feel of this beautiful waterfall!
P.S.:
The second part of our Vaalpaarai trip is here!
The Third part is here!
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22 comments :
RUDRAPRAYAGA: Thanks for the first comment, Rudraprayaga! We too loved the place. It was beautiful! Would love to go there again during full monsoon season! Thank you!
O! Sandhya,I feel as if I had a cool drink in hot season.I had been there two couples of months ago.I had clicked some photographs and my mind had composed something poesy also, but could not frame it into words for want of time.
Beautiful pictures. Deleted because before completing the comment,I had posted.
Nice falls. I should have visited this falls while in Coimbatore. There is one Monkey falls at the Valparai foothills, I went there. The Azhiyar dam is also close by. But since I was nervous to climb the hill with my bike, I didn't go to Valparai! I want to visit this hill station soon, before it becomes too commercialized!
Destination Infinity
DESTINATION INFINITY: Yes, the hairpin bends look scary. An experienced driver only can drive. But the Falls was beautiful. We saw the Azhiyar dam, monkey falls too. Visit the place, you will love it. The posts of Vaalpaarai continues!
I could see it was an exciting trip.The clean rooms,good food and the ambiance are essential to relish such outings.It is good that you had all these.An indication of the tariff and the contact number would help likely tourists.
K PARTHASARATHY: Thanks for the comment, Partha Sir! I have highlighted the name of the bungalow, Monica Bungalow. It goes to their link and all the details are there. Yes, we really enjoyed our trip. More will come in the next posts!
I was going wow wowo wowow at every pic.. what a beautiful place .. :)
Bikram's
I have been to Athirappalli during my first time visits to Valparai, but I couldn’t go near the falls either to the top or bottom. But what I liked more and forced me to go there was the route from Valparai through Sholayar rain-forest... which is one of the best road less traveled I had done. I enjoyed the falls 100 meters from a view point few from the entrance…
Good to know u stayed at tea estate bungalow, which I think is the best way to enjoy the nature rather blocked in hotel rooms. I really wish to stay at Waterfall tea estate bungalow in Valparai and being located at a mist spread zone, I want to experience the wonder.
Forget to say you got excellent shots! the panoramas are wonderful :)
I have been to this place too... I think around May... Monsoon was just hitting Kerala... We got drenched... Had loads of fun. Only flip side was, the path was slippery. So I fell and suffered some injuries :P
Thanks for sharing!
There are still many such places which have not been completely destroyed by commercialism. The waterfall reminded me of Dhuandhar in Jabalpur, which falls with such force that the spray is like smoke, giving it its name. But that fall is one of the most photographed and commercialised. Thank God this one is yet to go that way. Glad you could enjoy the natural beauty of the place and share it with us.
BIKRAM: Yes, the place was breathtakingly beautiful! Thank you, Bikram!
JEEVAN: Thank god, the place was clean too! After walking through the trees, suddenly we face the open space with the waterfall and the river...it looks out of this world!
The bungalow felt as if we were staying at our own home. Somebody brought food, tasty food....all of us sat and played cards, relaxed in the verandah...it was fun! Thank you, Jeevan!
LOCO MENTE: Even we are thinking of going there again during monsoon to view the waterfall and I was telling my son about the slippery rocks! We have to think twice then! Thank you, Loco mente!
ZEPHYR: I had read about this place in Ananda Vikatan long back and the picture of the falls stayed in my mind. Now, when we were planning about going someplace together after the wedding, I remembered this place and thank god, instead of a hotel, we stayed in this bungalow, which was also one of the best part in this trip! It was like a home for us and just us! It was not very crowded near the falls too, which was also a blessing for us.
Thank you, Zephyr!
Beautiful place, must plan to visit it. Thanks for sharing, the pictures a re really good.
It is a beautiful place. I visited in 2014.
I didnt know about this falls. Wow, Guru song was shot here? Too beautiful. Kerala is still on my must-visit list.
Had heard a lot about Pollachi and the waterfalls and now I get to see it in detail.
Must make it a point to visit this place one day.
RAMA ANANTH: Thank you, Rama! The place is really beautiful!
SHAIL MOHAN: All of us loved it!
AVADA KEDAVRA: Many beautiful places are there in Kerala...you must visit!
HADDOCK: Yes, You must!
Very nice pictures
Looks like a lovely place..
beautiful photos of waterfall
nice pics
ONKAR: Thank you, Onkar!
RENU: Yes, it is, Renu!
sm: Thank you, sm!
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