Showing posts with label papanasam dam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label papanasam dam. Show all posts

Monday, 11 November 2013

Papanasam Falls - Ambasamudram


Papanasam Falls (also known as Agastiyar Falls) are located in the town of Papanasam. It is a small town, yet popular tourist destination situated in the Ambasamudram taluk of the Tirunelveli (Nellai) district of Tamilnadu. The nearest towns are Ambasamudram, Vickramasingapuram (Vikramasingapuram), Kadayam. The place is also styled as Papavinasam.
Papanasam Falls drop down from a 120 meter high place, conjoined with the rocky walls of Pothigai Hills. The river Tambaraparani (Tamirabarani), which flows from the Western Ghats of the Pothigai Hills, reaches the plains at Papanasam. You can find a shrine of Agastiyar Munivar at the foot of the falls and every year his idol is brought out as a procession to the Papavinaseshwara Swami temple to witness the marriage anniversary of Lord Shiva & Goddess Parvathi. The name "Papanasam" or "Papavinasam" means "clemency of all sins". The water of the falls is believed to have healing powers and get rid of sins of the people, who take a drench in it. 


Agastiyar Munivar Temple:

Close to the waterfall, you can also find the temple of Agastiyar Munivar. The temple is situated above the waterfalls; attached to the rocky walls of the mountain. An idol of Saint Agastiyar Munivar is installed here. This is the place where Agastiyar Munivar had meditated, during the wedding of Lord Shiva & Goddess Parvathi, to balance the world on the south. Later, Lord Shiva appeared to him and blessed him.


Kalyanitheertham:

It is a sacred pool from where Papanasam Falls get the water. The pool is situated at an elevation of 125 feet over the head of the falls. A temple of Lord Shiva can be found near the pool.









Papanasam Dam - Ambasamudram

Papanasam Dam is a reservoir, famous picnic spot located near the Papanasam Falls (also known as Agastiyar Falls). The reservoir is also known as the Papanasam Lower Dam, which is built on the river of Tambaraparani (Tamirabarani). The dam was built during 1942 by the British rulers, measuring 744 feet long, 5.4 meters wide and 200 feet high. The water is spread over an area of 2.24 Sq. miles with a total dam capacity of 5500 million Cu. Ft. During overflow, the water is flooded out at a rate of 8000 Cu. Ft. per second to keep the dam in tact.