Courtrallam – General Information
Courtrallam
is known as Spa of the south. Kutralam is the very important waterfall Tourist
Destinations in Tamilnadu. Courtallam is a small township located in the district
of Tirunelveli in Tamilnadu. Situated at an altitude of 167 metres on the
Western Ghats, Courtallam is the Anglicized version of Kuttralam. The
waterfalls at Kutralam are known for the medical properties of the water. Water
pouring down the falls travels through extremely dense forest vegetation of the
Western Ghats, which are known for their medicinal plants and herbs.
As these
waters course through the forests, they pick up the essence of the most amazing
and potent medicinal plants and herbs. People travel hundreds of miles just to
have a shower in these waters. Other than the falls, Kutralam is also known for
its pleasant climate. The town is also referred to as Mukthiveli, Nannagaram,
Pithur Kanda, Theerthapuram, Thirunagaram and Vasanthaperur.
There is
not much to shop in Courtallam other than local produce and souvenirs sold at
local roadside shops. Tenkasi is a small town located nearby and it has a
number of small restaurants that serve traditional South Indian fare. The best
time to visit Courtallam is between June and September. Courtallam enjoys
pleasant climate throughout the year. Courtallam on Saturday & Sunday and during
the season time is very crowded. Better choose weekday Monday to Thursday with
family visit. Falls are most enjoyable during early morning, but people can
visit those falls 24/7.
There
are nine falls in Courtallam viz. Peraruvi, Shenbaga Devi Falls, Thenaruvi,
Aintharuvi, Pazhathotta Aruvi, Puli Aruvi, Pazhaya Courtallam and Palaruvi.
Chitraruvi is amongst the nine falls of Courtallam and together they are known
as the Courtallam Falls. The places of tourist interest around these cascades
are: Thirukutralanaathar Temple, Herbal Farm, Therkumalai Estate, Boat
Houses, Snake Park, Aquarium and Children’s Park etc.
Many
fruits are also found here like ramdan, mangoosten, egg fruit, Dorian etc. Some
of the specialties of Kutralam are Tirunelveli Halwa, Masala Paal (Masala
milk), Aruvi thundu (a towel made of thin cotton) and the Children’s park. The
three major waterfalls reachable by road are Peraruvi, Aintharuvi, and Pazhaya
Courtallam Falls. Other waterfalls like Shenbaga Devi Falls and Thenaruvi are
reachable only by trekking on the mountain.
History
The
township of Courtallam is also linked with mythological stories. According to
legend, Lord Shiva commissioned saint Agastya to avoid imbalance due to the
growing huddle in the Great Kailash on his celestial wedding. This theory is
supported by the Kutralanathar temple. Another notable feature of Courtallam is
Chithirai Sabha in which a number of mural paintings of rural deities and
stories from epics are depicted in the central hall.
This
Sabha is one of the five Sabhas where Lord Nataraja performed the Cosmic-dance.
Moreover this temple contains many inscriptions about Chola and Pandya Kings.
Season
The best
season time to visit this place is from June till September. From October
till December, the North East monsoon sets over in Tamilnadu and it becomes
quite cold.
Places of
Interest
Waterfalls:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
Temples:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
Other Places of Interest:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
Hotels
List
For
brief details, please refer below link;
Connectivity
For
brief details, please refer below link;