Hongenakkal Falls – Niagara Falls of India
Hongenakkal Falls lies in Dharmpuri district of the Indian state Tamil Nadu and the word Hogenakkal is made up of two words; hoge (smoke) and kal (rock) and hence the word means smoking rocks. The water source is Kaveri River and is a border between Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu & Chamrajnagar district, Karnataka. One of the prominent features here is Carbonatite rocks, oldest of its kind in South Asia and one of the oldest in the world. The waterfalls is also known as “Niagara Falls of India” as is in the eye of visitors because of its boating experiences, bathing areas and its natural beauty.
When to go?
Since, the ideal time to visit any waterfall is monsoon, but travelling during rains is in general very hard. So, you can plan your trip right after monsoons (October to March), as at this time the river is in full spade & visitors can experience the actual beauty of the waterfalls & pleasant weather compliments them all.
Touristy Features of the falls:-
Boating:
Boating in the Hongenakkal falls is the main tourist activity, it is allowed only in the summer & winter when the water waves are not that strong. The helmsman there use different kind of boats called as coracles or parisal in Tamil. These boats are made out of Bamboo and are propelled by single paddle and also selling & preparing of freshly caught fishes like Robu, Kendai, Katla, Valai on the other side of the shore as snacks and is the main source of income for locals here.
In/ around tourist attractions:
- Mettur Dam
- Melagiri Falls
- Hanuman Theertham Temple
- Theerthamalai Temple
- Pennagram Village
How to go?
By Road
The most convenient way to reach Hongenakkal falls is by road. Reaching the destination from Bangalore, Mysore, Kolar is very easy and the place is a weekend gateway for the people residing there.
By Railways
The nearest railhead is Salem Junction located approx 86 kms away. From there, you can choose a city bus or even self-drive to the destination which will take you about 2 hours.
By Airways
The nearest airport is Coimbatore airport distanced at about 200 kms. From Coimbatore, you can opt for train to Salem, or car ride/ city bus or Volvo bus to Hongenakkal city.