The Siruvani Waterfalls is located 46 km north of Mannarkad, Palakkad town in the Western Ghats. A reservoir has also been built here for Tamil Nadu by the Kerala Government. This was done to cater to the need of drinking water of Coimbatore. The water here is pollution free, contains mineral properties and is also known for its taste. The water of the Siruvani Waterfalls flows through the vegetation and rocks into the Attapady area and is at times known as the second sweetest lake water in the world.
The Siruvani Waterfalls can be reached by about 4 km trek from the nearest road point between Siruvani Dam and Madavarayapuram. This falls is best seen in monsoon season between the months of June and October. The upper part of the Siruvani Waterfalls is dangerous with deep cliffs and the tourists usually enjoy the beauty while bathing at the bottom of the falls. The Siruvani Waterfalls is a famous tourist spot in Tamil Nadu. The place is best suited for the whole family as adventurous activities like trekking, wild life safari, bird watching, nature walks and camping can be arranged by the forest department.
Tourist Attractions near Siruvani Waterfalls
Close to the Siruvani Waterfalls are the paddy fields of Palakkad which in itself are golden coloured with huge gateways built on both the sides of the road. Being close to the Kerala - Tamil Nadu border, its architectural design depicts the styles of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Several tribes like the Mudugars and Irulars reside here. Tourists can also visit the nearby lakes and rivers like Thunakadavu River, Parambikulam River, Aliyar River, Sholiyar River and Palar River, which are interlinked to the Siruvani Dam by canals. The dam has been built close to the Attapady valley for generating power and irrigation. The Annamalai Hills range provides a panoramic view of the town.
History of Siruvani Waterfalls
The Siruvani Waterfalls is popular for its dam whose construction was proposed by the government on February 1915. However, the construction was delayed as the villagers of Boluvampatti and Alandurai were against it. Later they were convinced and the construction work began in 1927. The work was not easy as it was an extremely unfriendly terrain. Even wild animals visited the place. A lot of security was thus required for the workers. Even today tourists visiting the site need to take protection against the wild animals. Gunmen or forest guards accompany them.
Close to the Siruvani Waterfalls was selected for the construction of the dam for the availability of the perennial streams. The area below the Siruvani, Muthikulam falls, Gobiyaru, Solaiyaru, Pattiyaru, Veeraru and Paambaru falls was selected for construction. Several major and minor construction works continued till the year 1984. The dam after its construction supplied large amounts of water to the huge population of the town.
Visiting Information on Siruvani Waterfalls
Due to the remote accessibility and darkness spread by the forest, the Siruvani Waterfalls is closed off to the tourists by the time evening sets in. The Siruvani Dam is connected by frequent buses from Coimbatore and the Siruvani Waterfalls is well connected with different modes of transport. The fall is almost 6 km away from Karunya University</b>. The gateway to the waterfalls is located at Sadivayal Checkpost. Tourists can also avail the bus facility that ply at regular intervals from Coimbatore. The nearest airport from the Siruvani waterfalls is Coimbatore Peelamedu Airport at a distance of 45 km and the closest railway stations are Coimbatore and Palakkad station at 35 km and 74 km respectively.
