About Shivanasamudra Falls
Shivanasamudra Falls on the Cauvery River is one of India's most historically significant waterfalls — it powered Asia's first hydroelectric station, commissioned in 1902, which sent electricity 150 kilometres to the Kolar Gold Fields in a feat of Victorian engineering that transformed the region. The Cauvery splits around Shivanasamudra Island to create two parallel falls — Gaganachukki and Bharachukki — each with its own character. Gaganachukki is the taller (98m) while Bharachukki is wider and more powerful.
The island between the two falls is accessible and the walk across it from Gaganachukki to Bharachukki is one of Karnataka's finest nature walks in the monsoon season, with the river rushing through channels on both sides and the forest above ringing with the calls of raptors and hornbills. Coracle boat rides below the falls offer close-up views of the cascade from the river and are particularly atmospheric at dawn and dusk. The site is also an important crocodile and otter habitat on the Cauvery.
August–November for maximum volume on both falls; monsoon sunrise shots are spectacular.
Visit both Gaganachukki (tall) and Bharachukki (wide) the same day — they are only 4 km apart and have completely different visual characters.