Waterfalls are a contrast, in terms of motion… while the rest of the inanimate prefer to either remain in stasis or relent to move with extreme reluctance, waterfalls are in a screaming rush, as if the oceans would dry out if not for their contribution… gravity and geology… water wanting to become fire… rocks weathering in deep time, the water caressing some and crashing into the others…

‘Tis a quintessential tourist hotspot, the Athirappilly Falls… endless crowds and cold drinks… traffic snarls and selfies… carefree youth and cautious elderly… waiting shops and weekend revelries… we took a whirlwind tour on a Sunday, soaking the humidity in litres, weaving through the crowds and surprised to find an agama similarly chagrined by all the anthropogenic activity, the poor female’s attempts to find a mate being foiled by all the unwanted company…

They’re supposedly another one of those innumerable ‘Niagara of…’, that commonly established benchmark for waterfalls to aspire to, which makes one wonder who put them up on this pedestal in the first place… and what are the parameters, for there’s no comparison in characteristics like the volume of water or height, or even the geology… and if something perceptive like beauty is considered, well that one would say lies in the eyes of the beholder…

The monsoons were in the process of finding their footing around the Western Ghats when we visited, so we saw three plunge falls about thirty metres high, which would soon coalesce into a single raging torrent as the rains picked up… Chalukudy is one of the less polluted rivers, enjoying an existence sans industry and waste… and in some way it’s reflected in the lush green canopy surrounding the banks… a leap of faith is what waterfalls are maybe, one that shapes landscapes, evokes wonder, and within a roaring din, reveals solace…

Musing on waterfalls, Athirappilly Falls, Kerala…