Shivanasamudra Falls

Infobox Waterfall
name = Shivanasamudra Falls


caption = Shivanasamudra Falls
location = Mandya District, Karnataka, India
coordinates = coord|12.294|77.168|display=inline,title
watercourse = Kaveri River
type = Segmented
height = convert|98|m|ft
height_longest =
number_drops = Gaganachukki, Bharachukki
average_flow = 934 cubic metres/s (33,000 cubic ft/s)
world_rank =

Shivanasamudra is a small town in the Mandya District of the state of Karnataka, India. It is situated on the banks of the river Kaveri and is the location of the first Hydro-electric Power station in Asia, which was set up in the year 1902.cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/19/stories/2007071959390300.htm|work=The Hindu|date=2007-07-19|accessdate=2008-02-15|title=Shivanasamudra Falls comes alive]

Waterfalls

The Shivanasamudra Falls is on the Kaveri River after the river has wound its way through the rocks and ravines of the Deccan Plateau and drops off to form waterfalls. The island town of Shivanasamudra divides the river into twin waterfalls. This creates the fourth largest island in the rivers course. A group of ancient temples are located here and there likely was a village.

This is a segmented waterfall. Segmented waterfalls occur where the water flow is broken into two or more channels before dropping over a cliff, resulting in multiple side by side waterfalls. It has an average width of 849 meters, a height of 90 m, and an average volume of 934 cubic meters / sec. The maximum recorded volume is 18,887 cubic meters / sec.It is a perennial waterfall. The time of best flow are the monsoon season of July to October.cite web
url=http://www.world-waterfalls.com/waterfall.php?num=149
title=World Waterfall Database
publisher=
accessdate=2006-11-09 ]

A common misconception about these waterfalls are that the left segment is called Gaganachukki and the right segment is called Bharachukki. In reality the Bharachukki falls [http://wikimapia.org/192518/Barachukki-waterfalls-Shivanasamudra-Sivasamudram] are a few kilomoters to the south-west of the Gaganachukki falls [http://wikimapia.org/1284526/Gagganchucki-waterfalls] . This is due to the Kaveri river itself splitting a few kilometers to the south into western and eastern branches [http://wikimapia.org/5483146/Bridge-on-Kaveri-Branch-on-way-to-Bharachukki-There-is-also-a-low-lining-bridge] . The western branch results in the twin waterfalls of Gaganachukki, whereas the eastern branch results in the Bharachukki falls. The Gaganachukki waterfalls are best viewed from the Shivanasamudra watch tower [http://wikimapia.org/433206/Sivasamudram-watch-tower] . Most of the pictures showing the twin waterfalls are taken from that location. There is another approach to the Gaganachukki falls from the Darga Hazrath Mardane Gaib [http://wikimapia.org/330695/Darga-Hazrath-Mardane-Gaib-R] . Despite warnings being posted, people climb down the rocks and attempt to view the waterfalls from behind/top, resulting in many fatal accidents. it is 139km far from the bangalore.

Power generation

Asia's first hydro-electric power stations, still functional, is located at the waterfall. This station was commissioned by the Diwan of Mysore, Sir K. Seshadri Iyer. The electricity produced here was initially used in the Kolar Gold Fields. Thus, Kolar Gold Fields became the first town in Asia to get hydro electricity.

Gallery

Notes

External links

*
* [http://www.maplandia.com/india/karnataka/mandya/sivasamudram/ Sivasamudram Map]
* [http://www.world-waterfalls.com/waterfall.php?num=149 Cauvery or Sivasamudram Falls]
* [http://sanketkawde.com/shivsamudram.aspx Shivasamudram Trip]