Shivanasamudra Falls
Malavalli Taluk, Mandya District
- Time needed
- Full day
- Distance
- 130 km away
- Entry
- ₹20 per person, ₹30 parking
- Best time
- Aug – Nov, right after monsoon
The Kaveri splits around Shivanasamudra island and drops as two separate falls — Gaganachukki and Barachukki — each with its own viewpoint on opposite banks of the river, roughly a 20-minute drive apart. Gaganachukki is the more dramatic sheer drop; Barachukki has rock pools at the base where, depending on water levels, people wade in.
This is also the site of Asia's first hydroelectric power station, commissioned in 1902, and the old plant building is still visible near Gaganachukki. Flow varies enormously by season — post-monsoon (August through November) is when both falls are at their fullest and most worth the drive.
Highlights
- Gaganachukki and Barachukki, two separate falls on opposite banks
- Asia's first hydroelectric power station, built 1902
- Rock pools at the base of Barachukki (season-dependent)
- Viewpoints reachable by car on both sides
Good to know
- Visit both viewpoints — they're different enough experiences to be worth the extra drive
- Avoid wading anywhere without checking with locals first; currents and slippery rocks have caused fatal accidents
- Flow drops sharply by March–April — this is not a good dry-season destination
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