About the Chalakudy
The Chalakudy River is one of Kerala's most biodiverse rivers and home to the famous Athirappilly Falls — the largest waterfall in Kerala and one of the most filmed natural locations in Indian cinema. The river rises in the Anaimalai Hills at the southern edge of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and flows west through the Western Ghats before entering the Kerala lowlands. Athirappilly and the adjacent Vazhachal falls are the last nesting habitat of the Great Hornbill in Kerala — the enormous yellow-casqued bird is regularly seen flying over the falls.
The Chalakudy is one of the rivers on which a proposed hydroelectric project has been fought most vigorously by conservationists — the Athirappilly Hydroelectric Project, which would dam the river just above the falls, has been contested in Kerala's high courts and national tribunals for over three decades. The river supports 85 fish species — the highest diversity of any Kerala river — including the endemic Chalakudy perch and the giant mahseer. The confluence of biodiversity, scenic beauty, and conservation controversy makes the Chalakudy one of India's most important rivers for public environmental awareness.
Parambikulam · Sholayar · Karapara