Ooty, the Nilgiris District: Pykara, Pykara Lake, Pykara Waterfalls, Pykara Bridge
Pykara Lake and Pykara Waterfalls are two of the many important places of interest in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu in southern India, and are close to the bordering states of Kerala and Karnataka. Pykara is a village and also the name of a river located at about 19 kilometres from Ooty or Udhagamandalam, the headquarters of the Nilgiris district.
Pykara has a subtropical highland climate – Köppen climate classification. Pykara gets rains from both the monsoons: southwest monsoon and northeast monsoon. The wet season is from April to December; and the dry season is from January to March.
River Pykara is a sacred river of the Todas. The river forms Pykara waterfalls, which flows through the dams of Murkurti, Pykara and Glen Morgan. The river flows over a series of waterfalls, the last two of 55 metres and 61 metres being known as Pykara Falls.
Pykara Waterfalls: A Classic Photo, 1869
A photograph of Pykara waterfalls or rapids taken by Samuel Bourne in 1869 continues to draw attention. The waterfall is one of the tourist attractions in the district. Blue Mountains, or the Nilgiris district is at the junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats. The area has temperate climate. STAR OF MYSORE reports: “Photograph of rapids on the Pykara, in the Nilgiris, taken by Samuel Bourne in 1869. The Nilgiris or blue mountain, at the junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats are named so because the shrub kurunji turns the hills blue when it blossoms. Covered with high altitude grasslands and evergreen forests, the peaks of the Nilgiris rise abruptly from the surrounding plains. The steep hills and narrow valleys with numerous rivers and rivulets with few dramatic waterfalls provide beautiful scenery in this area. The temperate climate further heightens the charm of these hills. Pykara is situated about 21 km and the river has a dam and power plant. It is known for its two beautiful waterfalls.”
Ooty in the Nilgiris district is connected to the surrounding towns through five ghat roads.