Thiruparappu Falls: Gorgeous Monsoon Spectacle near Kanyakumari

It is a stunning 50 feet high and 300 feet wide waterfall that is surrounded by lush greenery. It is a fabulous place for both adults and kids to enjoy a refreshing waterfall bath and a swimming picnic location downstream. It is also home to a 10th century Chola era Mahadeva temple. I am talking about the Thiruparappu falls on the Kodayar river about 15 kilometers downstream of the Pechiparai Dam.



Located near the town of Kulsekharam, this waterfall is a popular tourist attraction near Kanyakumari, especially among the locals and offers a gorgeous spectacle during the monsoons when the waterfall gushes with copious amounts of water. It is the kind of place where you can get a nice massage under the waterfall, laze around with your kids in the natural swimming pools, enjoy a hot cup of chukku coffee to get your body heat going and enjoy a quiet picnic lunch on the banks of the Kodayar river.

The herbal waters flowing from the medicinal forests in the Western Ghats, the green environment, the ancient Shiva temple and a rustic atmosphere are all icing on the cake.



If you are visiting Kanyakumari or Thiruvananthapuram, don’t miss to visit this gorgeous monsoon spectacle in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. It is an ideal waterfall location to go with family and friends. It is safe, has decent access to food and there is hardly any walking to reach the waterfall from the parking lot. I can’t stop recommending this offbeat waterfall destination of Tamil Nadu.



Where to eat:

The stalls near the waterfall entrance serve some basic food like bajji, biscuits, tea and coffee that is available at all times. There are a few restaurants that serve simple meals, but one needs to inform in advance.

For better food options, head to Nagercoil city or any good restaurants on the Nagercoil – Kanyakumari – Thiruvananthapuram highway.

Where to stay:

There are a few guest houses and hotels where one can stay near the waterfall. Slightly more luxurious places can be found near Chittar Dam, about 8 kms away.

For better food and accommodation, head to the cities of Nagercoil, Kanyakumari or Thiruvananthapuram where you can find properties catering to all kinds of budgets.



Distance to Kanyakumari: 62 kms

Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram (56 kms away)

Nearest railway and bus station: Nagercoil (38 kms away)



Thiruparappu falls entrance fees:

INR 5 per person

INR 30 per camera

INR 30 per vehicle parking



Best time to visit:

The best months to visit would be the rainy months from June to January as that is when there would be good amount of water to enjoy a refreshing bath and a swim. However, the waterfall can be closed during heavy rains to protect the people. Do check with local authorities or online about waterfall status.



Timings:

Thiruparappu Falls is open all year round from 7 AM to 6 PM



Other nearby tourist attractions:

1) Mathoor Aqueduct and Hanging Bridge: An offbeat wonder nestled in the mountains near Kanyakumari

2) Padmanabhapuram Palace: 17th century Travancore era palace

3) Thanumalayan Temple, Suchindram: Also known as Sthanumalayan temple, it is one of the 108 Shiva temples revered by the Kerala Hindu culture

4) Kanyakumari: The land’s end that is home to beautiful temples, gorgeous beaches, stunning rock cut memorials and many forts

5) Poovar Island: A beautiful mix of serene backwaters (emerald), pristine beach (golden), majestic Western Ghats (green), swaying palms (green) and blue waters of the Arabian Sea

6) Thiruvananthapuram: The capital of Kerala home to the richest temple of India – Padmanabha Swamy Temple, gorgeous beaches and a lovely green metropolis

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Mathoor Aqueduct and Hanging Bridge: An offbeat wonder nestled in the mountains near Kanyakumari

It is one of the largest aqueducts in Asia. It is also the tallest and longest trough bridge in Asia. It is an engineering marvel and a tourist’s delight. It offers a spellbinding vista from the top and a great river side picnic location at its bottom. I am talking about the Mathoor Aqueduct and hanging bridge (locally known as Mathoor Thottipalam) that is located in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.



The Mathoor aqueduct and hanging bridge was built in 1966 under the leadership of the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, K. Kamaraj, as a drought relief measure over the river Pahrali to carry water for irrigation from an elevated level of one hill to another. This 115 feet high and 390 metre long hanging trough is not only an engineering beauty, but it is also a popular tourist destination for the locals due to its scenic location and calm surroundings.



In spite of its popularity amongst the local people, it is fairly unknown to the outside world and that is what makes this place an offbeat wonder. Nestled in the hills near Kanyakumari, the entire area is lush green and is surrounded by the Western Ghats. Armed with a 5 rupee ticket and some freshly salted and spiced locally grown mango, cucumber, pineapple or pomelo that is sold at the shops near the ticket counter, your journey begins next to the water body that seems to be flowing to the other side of the hill. There are 2 routes that you can take here. One is a flight of steps that lead you all the way down to the Pahrali river where you can swim in the water and relax doing some fin in the water. The other route is straight over the hanging bridge. On one side of the pathway is your walking path and on the other side is the water in the aqueduct going slowly down to the other side of the hill. As you keep walking towards the centre of the aqueduct, you cannot stop staring at the vast expanse of greenery, the rolling hills in the background and the meandering Pahrali river flowing below. You can go further all the way till the other hill and walk down the flight of steps to the other bank of the Pahrali river.

The entire walk can feel adventurous at times owing to the narrow walkway, the extreme height and the strong gusts of wind that blow through here quite regularly.

Unfortunately for me, I arrived very close to the closing time and hence the surroundings were fairly dark and I literally had to run through the entire bridge before I was engulfed in darkness. Of what I got to see, this place is fantastic for a motorcycling holiday, an offbeat nature location and a riverside day out with family and/or friends. I would love to return here hopefully in the near future and this time preferably in the morning hours so that I can explore the area at leisure. I definitely recommend this place with multiple thumbs up!



Best time to visit: October to March as this is when the weather is pleasant, there is water in the river and the surroundings are lush.

Distance to Kanyakumari: 52 kms

Distance to Trivandrum: 61 kms

Nearest railway station: Nagercoil Junction, 30 kms away

Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram Airport, 65 kms away

Timings: Mathoor Aqueduct is open all year round from 6 AM to 6 PM.



Other nearby tourist attractions:

1) Padmanabhapuram palace: 17th century Travancore era palace

2) Thiruparappu Falls: A gorgeous waterfall perfect for bathing and a relaxed day out

3) Thanumalayan Temple, Suchindram: Also known as Sthanumalayan temple, it is one of the 108 Shiva temples revered by the Kerala Hindu culture

4) Kanyakumari: The land’s end that is home to beautiful temples, gorgeous beaches, stunning rock cut memorials and many forts.

5) Poovar Island: A beautiful mix of serene backwaters (emerald), pristine beach (golden), majestic Western Ghats (green), swaying palms (green) and blue waters of the Arabian Sea.

6) Thiruvananthapuram: The capital of Kerala home to the richest temple of India - Padmanabha Swamy Temple, gorgeous beaches and a lovely green metropolis

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Kanyakumari - at our land's end!!

An event of days gone by...last December during my solo all india motorcycle journey...


Kanyakumari is a small temple town with a ~5 km radius. It may not have velvety beaches with adventure activities, but, it packs a punch even in such a small radius with its Devi kumari temple, the colours on its horizon, Valluvar Memorial, Vivekananda rock and its rocky beaches. Though these are the main tourist attractions, people throng to Kanyakumari to view the beauty of sunrise and sunset, which is said to be in the purest form and without any clutter.


Like a typical tourist, I visited the Devi Kumari temple first and offered my prayers. Then, I took the government boat service that took me to the rock islands in the Indian Ocean about 10 minutes away from the town of Kanyakumari. I felt at complete peace with my surroundings when I was near these rock structures. Maybe because I was standing on rock memorials of two saints in the real sense. People who had offered a lot to the community and the world. The views of the Kanyakumari town and the Devi Kumari temple from the rock memorials  was a very pretty sight.

Once I was back on land, I meandered my way through the small shops and shacks that had propped up near the temple owing to the tourist season. This shopping way was as colourful as a shopping district you will see in India.

The next day I decided to explore the famous 9th century temples of Suchindram, about 13 kms north of Kanyakumari, which is a must go place for all temple lovers. Built by many kings and dynasties, this Sthanumaalayan (sthanu means Shiva, maal is Vishnu and ayan is Brahma)temple falls in the erstwhile Travancore province and it is said that the latest touches to the temple were given during the Travancore dynasty. It even houses a 22 foot high monolithic Hanuman statue made out of granite. A strictly traditional temple, where the male, needs to go bare-chested, is under heavy security cover these days, thanks to the acts of terrorism being committed in the world. And, thanks to this rule, I was not allowed to take photographs. No one is allowed to carry anything from outside into the temple except themselves and their clothes :-).

Kanyakumari, may not be your ideal beach destination, but it is a place rich in history, natural beauty (sunrise and sunsets) and its temples are very intricate and admirable.

To see India through the eyes of a motorcyclist's lens, visit the album below.

my solo all-india motorcycle journey

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