Chunchanakatte Falls

Chunchanakatte is the holy place where Lord Sri Rama during his vanvas stopped by and availed the hospitality of a tribal couple called Chuncha and Chunchi.

The significance of this place is that the sound of the powerful falls can be heard all over except inside the sanctum sanctorum of the centuries-old temple, the story goes that Lord Rama was tired of the constant complaining of Sita Mata and gave a curse saying that the tongue of a woman should not be sharp and since Cauvery (river) is considered to be female the noise that the river generated would not be heard in the sanctum sanctorum of the lord.

It is also said that when Sita Mata was tired and weary and wanted to have a bath, Lord Ram directed Lakshman to fire an arrow at a rock, once Lakshmana fired the arrow, water in 3 different shades started pouring out, one with turmeric, one with oil and one with shikakai (fruit for hair - natural shampoo).

This region is mainly inhabited by farmers and employees of a local sugar mill and of late the power generation plant.

Legend describes that Lord Rama during his tenure in the forests stayed in this place on the behest of the tribal couple Chuncha and Chunchi.

Lakmana shot an arrow on the rocks and water started gushing out in plenty and Sita Devi could take her bath.

The legend narrated for this phenomenon goes like this – it seems Lord Rama was tired of Sita Devi's constant complaining so he cursed that women should not talk unnecessarily and add to the noise pollution.

Even though women till now do not seem to have been touched by the curse, river Cauvery's (who is considered a woman) roar at least is not heard in the garbhagudi of the temple.

When the river reaches to cascade it is divided into two separate falls and joins again to continue to flow as one into Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam.

At one angle you can see a large quantity of water whoosh to about 10 feet away from the jutting rocky bed before cascading into the river displaying the force at which it flows.