Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Courtallam – General Information

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:
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Temples:
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Other Places of Interest:
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Hotels List
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Connectivity
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