Shivanasamudra Falls

At Shivanasamudra the Kaveri divides around an island and falls in two separate places: Gaganachukki, a broad segmented drop, and Bharachukki, wider and more fan-like, a couple of kilometres apart with separate viewpoints. The site holds a piece of industrial history: a hydroelectric station commissioned here in 1902 was among the first in Asia, built to power the Kolar gold fields about a hundred and forty kilometres away, which was then among the longest power transmissions attempted anywhere. Coracles operate below Bharachukki when the water allows, and the falls run hardest from July after the monsoon.

What you'll find

• Gaganachukki - the segmented drop on one side of the island.
• Bharachukki - the wider fan-shaped fall on the other.
• The 1902 power station - one of Asia's first hydroelectric plants, below the falls.
• The coracles - round boats below Bharachukki in safe water.

When to go

July to January; the falls peak from August to October after the monsoon and reduce sharply by March. In dry years they can shrink to little. Coracles stop in high water.

What to expect

Flow varies enormously and the falls can be a trickle in summer. Viewpoints at Gaganachukki are distant and partly fenced after accidents. Coracle safety standards vary.

Nearby

Talakadu lies southwest; Mysore is west.

Key facts