Chalakudy River, Kerala

Chalakudy River is also known as Chalakudy Puzha and it flows through the districts such as Palakkad, Thrissur and Ernakulam. Chalakudy River is the fifth longest river in Kerala and has an overall drainage area of 1074 square kilometers. Of the total 1074 square kilometers of drainage area, 300 square kilometers lies in Tamil Nadu and the rest lies in Kerala.

The Chalakudy river has a length of 145.5 km and when we consider the geographical facts, it is indeed a tributary of the Periyar River. But practically, the Chalakudy river is treated as a separate river by the Kerala Government and other related agencies.

The river flows through the Chalakudy town in Thrissur district and hence got its name. Chalakudy river is one of the most unpolluted river in Kerala and this is mainly due to the low amount of industries and waste disposal by the side of the river.

The basic origin of the Chalakudy river is at Anamalai in Tamil Nadu and this river is indeed a collection of tributaries that are formed from the below places:

• Parambikulam
• Kuriyarkutti
• Sholayar
• Karapara
• Anakayam

You will be able to see the relics of the riparian vegetation at Chalakudy river. The river is also considered to be the one with the most diverse fish species in India. You could also see some of the most endangered and rare plants and flowers of the western ghats near the banks of river Chalakudy.

As per various reports, out of the 152 known fresh water fish species in Kerala, 98 of them are found in Chalakudy river. The fish species include endemic, vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered ones.

The river Chalakudy is blessed with some of the best tourist destinations in Kerala, and these travel places indeed contribute a lot to the tourism industry in Kerala. When we speak about the travel destinations near the banks of the river, the main thing that comes to our mind are the mind blowing waterfalls. The two popular waterfalls by the side of the Chalakudy river are:

• Athirappilly Falls
• Vazhachal Falls

Both the Athirapilly waterfals and Vazhavhal waterfalls are two of the hot tourist spots in Thrissur district. People from different parts of the world come here to view and experience the amazing charm and charisma of the waterfalls. The waterfalls looks more beautiful during the monsoon season, as the water starts flowing in its full flow.

The picturesque waterfalls near the banks of Chalakudy river is a great income generator for the tourism department in Kerala. In the summer, you could also take a dip in the water near the falls. The tourism department is going everything possible to make Athirapilly and Vazhachal waterfalls a hot travel spot in Kerala.