It is a thrill to chill at Kodiveri falls when the water is in full flow during monsoon. Tourists continue to pour in from across the districts of Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode to the water spot during weekends.

It is quite common to witness cars, vans and buses parked on the roadsides between Friday and Sunday near Sathyamangalam on the way to Mysore.
K. Jayakanthan, secretary of Punjai Puliyampatty-based Vidiyal Samuga Nala Eyakkam while speaking to Covai Post said that Kodiveri falls is an ideal picnic spot since water is seen flowing all through the year except during summer as there is less water flow from Bhavani Sagar dam. “This particular waterfall is a haven for tinsel town people as many blockbuster movies have been shot in this picturesque locales. Mostly song sequences are taken here.”

About the Kodiveri Dam, he said that it was located on the Bhavani River near Sathyamangalam in Western Tamil Nadu. The dam was situated along the State Highway about 15 km from Gobichettipalayam towards Sathyamangalam. The name ‘Kodiveri’ originated from ‘kodivari’ in Tamil, meaning Tiger, which represents the forest area around the Dam where large number of tigers lived.

And, it was Maharaja of Mysore who constructed Kodiveri dam in 17th century with a workforce that combined the labour of elephants and his prisoners. The dam was constructed at a height of 20-foot.

The stones were then interlocked with iron bars and lead was used as mortar. These features, however, are not visible except in the dry season when the water level in the river drops considerably. Two channels arise from the dam, one is on the northern side of Bhavani River and the other on the southern side viz “Arakkan Kottai Channel” and “Thadapalli Channel” respectively. Lands to the North of Gobichettipalayam are fertile due to the flow of the Thadapalli channel. Cultivation of sugarcane and paddy are predominant in this area. The lush green fields are also a pleasure to watch.

The entrance to the anicut at Kodiveri is a study in stunning contrast. On one side of the bridge, water flows without as much as a ripple. The other side, it gushes with bottled fury. Walk a little further to reach a vast expanse of water, and see it force itself through a layered surface shaped out of a rock face, taking on the shape of two frothy mini waterfalls (thanks to the 4.6 meter drop down stream). Waiting bathers shout with joy under the spray.

During British rule, some improvements were carried out without tampering the original design. Water from the dam is let into the anicut in the summer months, when the depth can reach as much as 10 feet. During the rest of the year, rainwater feeds it. It is only recently that people seem to have woken up to the temptations of
Kodiveri. Once it was regarded as little more than a great place to eat fresh fried fish and possibly lounge about with friends.Bobbing in the water on a coracle is one option, though the rate for a ride will depend on one’s capacity to bargain. The lake is 150 metres long and one can sit back to enjoy the grass scented breeze. Going in the coracle little interior, one can see fisherfolk in action, laying nets for the next morning’s catch. On the other end of the bank of
Kodiveri, tourists would be tempted to snap off delicious looking green mangoes that hang tantalisingly close.

HOW TO REACH KODIVERI: Kodiveri Dam is about 55 km from Erode and 10 km from Gobichettipalayam. If driving fom Coimbatore, one has to take Sathyamangalam route in Erode District and take the GobichettipalayamRoad to reach Kodiveri Dam and waterfall which is located at the thirteen kilometer.