Madikeri: Many people love to dance in the rain. Those coming from places with minimum rainfall just freak out when they come across showers.
But in regions where is heavy rainfall, the general tendency it to scramble for shelter or reach home as early possible to protect oneself from chill, wind and dampness.
On the contrary, the Irupu Falls in Kodagu create such an ambience that visitors simply do not want to leave the place, come what may. That kind of a feeling this nature’s bounty creates.
Taking origin in the middle of thick forests, the flow of water gains momentum downstream and comes down with a deafening roar. Hence this tourist hotspot attracts a large number of visitors from distant places throughout the seasons.
More on Irupu (courtesy: Wikipedia)
The Irupu Falls (also Iruppu Falls) are located in the Brahmagiri range in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, bordering the Wayanad district of Kerala. It is a fresh water cascade and is situated at a distance of 48 km from Virajpet on the highway to Nagarhole.
The Falls are also known as the Lakshmana Tirtha Falls, derived from the name of the tributary of Cauvery which starts from these falls, the Lakshmana Tirtha River.
A forest trail leads from these falls to the Brahmagiri peak in southern Kodagu. Irupu is a major tourist attraction as well as a pilgrimage spot. A famous Shiva temple, the Rameshwara temple, is situated on the bank of the Lakshmana Tirtha river, en route to the Falls.
This temple attracts a large number of pilgrims during the festival of Shivaratri. According to popular legend, Rama and Lakshmana, passed along the Bhramagiri range whilst searching for Rama’s beloved, Sita.
When Rama asked Lakshmana to fetch him drinking water, Lakshmana shot an arrow into the Brahmagiri hills and brought into being the river Lakshmana Tirtha. Due to this legend, the Falls are believed to possess the power to cleanse sins and is visited by thousands of devotees on Shivaratri day
The best time to visit the Falls is during the monsoons, when the Falls is at full capacity and is a breathtaking sight. Irupu is situated at 48 km from Virajpet, 260 km from Bengaluru and 120 km from Mysuru.
The Falls can be visited by the highway from Gonikopal to Nagarhole National Park off the Kutta Road after Srimangala.
