Athirappilly Falls

Athirappilly Falls
Location	Athirapilly, Chalakudy Taluk, Thrissur District, Kerala, India
Coordinates	10°17′5″N 76°34′7″E / 10.28472°N 76.56861°E / 10.28472; 76.56861
Type	Segmented
Elevation	120 m (390 ft)
Total height	25 m (82 ft)
Number of drops	4
Longest drop	51 m (167 ft)
Total width	100 m (330 ft)
Watercourse	Chalakkudi River
Average flow rate	52 m3/s (1,836 cu ft/s)

Athirapilly Falls is situated in Athirapilly Panchayat in Chalakudy Taluk of Thrissur District in Kerala, India on the Chalakudy River, which originates from the upper reaches of the Western Ghats at the entrance to the Sholayar ranges. It is the largest waterfall in Kerala, which stands tall at 81.5 feet. Just a short drive from Athirapilly is the Vazhachal Falls, which is close to dense green forests that are home to many endangered and endemic species of flora and fauna.

There is another waterfall on the way from Athirapilly to Vazhachal Falls, in close proximity to the road, which is locally called "Charpa Falls". Athirappilly Falls is the largest waterfall in Kerala and is nicknamed "The Niagara of South India".^[1]

Controversy about a state-proposed hydroelectric dam on the Chalakudy River above the waterfalls began in the 1990s and continued through 2017.