Thusharagiri: three falls at the edge of the rainforest

Thusharagiri means "misty mountain", and on a wet morning the name is accurate. The falls sit in the Western Ghats east of Kozhikode, near the small town of Kodencheri, where the Chalippuzha river drops over a series of rocky steps. It is usually described as three waterfalls, though the number depends on the season and on how much water is coming down. In the monsoon it is a single brown roar; in the dry months it is a set of clear streams picking their way between boulders.

This is a popular domestic day out rather than an international bucket-list stop, which is part of its appeal. Families bring lunch, children paddle in the shallows, and groups of friends take photographs on the rocks. It is also a genuinely hazardous place after rain, and the difference between the two experiences is entirely about water level and footwear.

The falls and the setting

The lower falls are the easiest to reach and the most crowded. A short walk from the road and a set of steps bring you to the first pool, with the rock face rising above it. Further up, trails lead to the higher drops, but these paths are informal, steep in places and can be closed without notice. There is no theme-park infrastructure here: no lifeguards, no changing rooms worth the name, and no guarantee that the path you took up is the one you should take down.

The surrounding landscape is the real draw. This is the edge of the Ghats, where the coastal plain begins to fold into forest. Bamboo, palms and broadleaf trees crowd the river, and the air is cooler than in Kozhikode. If you have time, the drive itself — through rubber, arecanut and small holdings — is worth doing slowly.

Trekking and permissions

Longer walks in the area, including routes towards the higher ridges, may require a local guide or forest permission. Do not assume that a path exists just because someone has walked it before. Ask at the entrance or in Kodencheri about what is currently permitted, and do not join an unofficial trek that promises a summit without paperwork. The forest here is part of a larger protected landscape, and access rules exist for good reasons.

• Wear shoes with grip; the rocks are slick even when the falls are low.
• Do not swim below the falls after heavy rain or when the water is rising.
• Carry drinking water and take your litter back with you.
• Check whether the upper trails are open before starting up.
• Avoid the middle of the day in summer; there is little shade on the lower rocks.

Getting there and when to go

Thusharagiri is roughly a two-hour drive from Kozhikode city, via Thamarassery and Kodencheri. The road is narrow in the last stretch and can be slow behind buses. There is no railway station nearby; a car or a bus to Kodencheri and a short auto ride is the practical approach. The monsoon, from June to August, is dramatic but dangerous; the months after it, when the water is still running and the paths have had time to dry, are the best compromise.