Coutrallam Falls | |
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Coutrallam Falls | |
![]() Main Coutrallam Falls | |
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Location | Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu and Punalur taluk, Kollam district, Kerala |
Coordinates | 8°55′55″N77°16′09″E / 8.93194°N 77.26917°E |
Type | Segmented Plunges |
Total height | 167 m (548 ft) |
Watercourse | Chittar |
Coutrallam Falls (also called Kutralam/Kuttalam Falls) is located in Tenkasi district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu bordering Kollam district, Kerala. The falls is located on the Western Ghats on the river Chittar and is considered a "medical spa" on account of the medical smell in the waters. [ clarification needed ] It is located 5 km (3.1 mi) from the nearest city Tenkasi. There are a total of nine falls of which Peraruvi, Aintharuvi and Puli Aruvi being the most prominent.
The Tirunelveli district administration organises Saral Vila, an eight-day festival every year during the Tamil month of Adi (July - August). The falls is the most prominent tourist destination in the region and usually frequented by devotees of the Papanasanathar Temple and Sabarimala. The season starts with the South West monsoon from July to September. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has a boat house that operates boating during season.
As per Hindu legend, during the divine wedding of Shiva and Parvathi, there was heavy crowd at Kailash, the abode of Shiva. Sage Agasthya could not view event and prayed to Shiva at this place to get him a view of the event. Shiva told him that he would offer darshan in Kutralam itself. Dvarapalas, the gateway deities did not allow entry to Agasthya, which was originally a Vishnu temple. With his powers, he changed Vishnu to Shiva, conch to deer and Tulsi to crescent moon and pressed the head of Vishnu until it became a lingam, the iconic form of Shiva. On account of the heavy pressing, Shiva got a headache and it is believed that in modern times, the image of the presiding deity carries the hand marks of the sage. To alleviate the headache of Shiva, the sage prepared an oil with cow milk, green coconut and mixture of 42 herbs and applied it to Shiva. Pleased by his devotion, Shiva made the place his abode and came to be called Kutralanathar and the falls nearby the temple got the name of Coutrallam as Coutrallam Falls. The tradition is followed in the Kutralanathar Temple in modern times as well. [1]
Coutrallam Falls is located in Western Ghats to the South of Coutrallam town and to the north of Coutrallam Lower, the first lake in the descent of Chittar. It is located 5 km (3.1 mi) from the nearest town Tenkasi and 59 km (37 mi) from the nearest city Tirunelveli. [2] The place is frequented by animals like Tiger and Panther, which are frequently spotted in the route from Coutrallam Falls to Papansam as both are located close to Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. [3] There are a total of nine falls namely, Peraruvi (Main Falls), Aintharuvi (Five Falls), Shenbaga Devi Aruvi, Thenaruvi (Honey Falls), Chitraruvi, Puli Aruvi (Tiger Falls), Pazhaya Aruvi (Old Falls), Puthu Aruvi (New Falls) and Pazhathotta Aruvi (Fruit Garden Falls), each of which is located within 1 km (0.62 mi) radius. The falls receives its waters during the South-west monsoon from May to September, but the maximum amount of rainfall is received during the North-east monsoon during October to December. The Kutralanathar Temple is located close to the main falls. [4]
The Tenkasi district administration organises Saral Vizha every year during the Tamil month of Aadi (July - August). The falls is usually frequented by devotees of the Papanasanathar Temple, who take a holy dip in the falls before visiting the temple. [5] [6] The falls is also frequented by tourists to Sabarimala during the November - December season in a religious circuit in the region and Agasthiyar Falls. [7] Various competitions like Swimming, pedal boating, row boating and debating are organised during the festival. There are also flower exhibits from Ooty and Kodaikanal, light music shows, dog show and dance performance. [8] The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has a boat house that boatincontrols during season. [9]
Tenkasi is a municipality and headquarters of the Tenkasi district in Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Kallidaikurichi or Kalladaikurichi is a town on the right bank of the Thamiraparani river in Ambasamudram Taluk of Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India.
Courtallam is a panchayat town situated at a mean elevation of 160 m (520 ft) in the foothills of the Western Ghats in Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu, India. The Coutrallam Falls on the Chittar River is a major tourist attraction.
Kadayanallur is the second largest town in Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu, India. Kadayanallur is 17 km from Tenkasi.
Tirunelveli district is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state in India. It is the largest district in terms of area with Tirunelveli as its headquarters. The district was formed on 1 September 1790 by the British East India Company, and comprised the present Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, Tenkasi and parts of Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram district. As of 2011, the undivided district had a population of 3,077,233.
Sankarankovil is a Town in the Tenkasi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was formerly known as Sankaranayinarkoil. Sankarankovil is the home to the Sankara Narayanar Temple.
Ambasamudram is the principal town of the Ambasamudram taluk in Tirunelveli district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The entire taluk had a population of 392,226 as of 2001, with 42.5% classified as rural. The town of Ambasamudram had a population 35,645 as of 2011.
Cheranmahadevi is a panchayat town in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Ilanji is a panchayat town in Tenkasi district, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located between the towns Tenkasi and Shencottah.
The Nellaiappar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in Tirunelveli, a city in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped as Nellaiappar represented by the lingam and his consort Parvati is depicted as Kanthimathi Amman. The deity Vishnu is also worshipped here, having witnessed their wedding according to legend. Hence, this temple is regarded as an abhimana kshetram of Vaishnavism. The temple is located on the northern banks of Thamirabarani River in Tirunelveli district. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
Sengottai is a town in the Tenkasi district, of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the gateway to southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Spread over an area of 2.68 km2 with a population of over 26,823, the economy of the town and Sengottai Taluk revolves around the cultivation of rice,coconut,Mango,clove and pepper. Sengottai is well known in Tamil Nadu as a major market of Dosa kal. This town has lot of Black smith shops.
Aryankavu is a village located in the Kollam district of the Indian state of Kerala. It lies close to the border between Kerala and Tamil Nadu near Thenmala. It is also one of the famous pilgrimage sites associated with the legend of Sabarimala. The village is located beside Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary.
Thirukutralam represents one of the five Pancha Sabhas of Nataraja - Chitra Sabhai. The five dance halls of Shiva are Chidambaram, Madurai, Thiruvalangadu, Tirunelveli and Kutralam. Kutralam is also known as Trikootaachalam.
Thayar Thoppu is a village comes under Veerakeralampudur Panchayat, Veerakeralamputhur taluk, Tenkasi District Tamil Nadu, India. It locates between Alangulam and veerakeralampudur. Like any Indian rural village, this village too is steeped in tradition and rich in heritage, struggling to hold on to its past glories. Here the modern co-exist peacefully with the bullock-carts of yesterday years It's Panchayath union comes under Kilapavoor. It has one Government primary school. Due to its location near Courtallam, the climatic condition is just awful and drizzles during Courtallam season.
Hanuman Nadhi or Hanumannathi is a river flowing in the Tenkasi district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Papanasanathar Temple in Papanasam, a village in Tirunelveli district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. It is located 60 km from Tirunelveli. Constructed in the Dravidian architecture, the temple has three precincts. Shiva is worshipped as Papanasanathar and his consort Parvathi as Ulagammai.
Agasthiyar Falls is located close to Papanasam in Tirunelveli district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The falls is located on the Western Ghats and to the south of Papanasam lower, the lake from where Tamiraparani River originates. It is located 42 km (26 mi) from the nearest city Tirunelveli. As per Hindu legend, it is the place where sage Agasthya got a view of Shiva in his marriage costume.
Thirutrala Kuravanji is a classic Tamil language poem composed by Thirigudarasapa Kavirayar around 1600 - 1700 CE.
Kasi Viswanathar Temple in Tenkasi, a city in Tenkasi district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in the Tamil style of architecture, the temple is believed to have been built by Pandyan ruler Parakrama Pandyan during the 13th century, with later additions from Madurai Nayaks. Shiva is worshipped as Kasi Viswanathar and his consort Parvathi as Ulagamman.
Tenkasi is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu, India, separated from Tirunelveli district on 22 November 2019. The Government of Tamil Nadu announced its creation on 18 July 2019. The district headquarters is at Tenkasi.