Agasthiyar Falls
| Agasthiyar Falls | |
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| Papanasam Falls | |
Cascade of Papanasam Falls
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 Agasthiyar Falls
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| Location | Papanasam, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu |
| Coordinates | 8°42′14.23″N 77°21′49.07″E / 8.7039528°N 77.3636306°ECoordinates: 8°42′14.23″N 77°21′49.07″E / 8.7039528°N 77.3636306°E |
| Type | Segmented Plunges |
| Total height | 300 ft (91 m) |
| Watercourse | Tamiraparani River |
Agasthiyar Falls (also called Papanasam Falls) is located close to Papanasam in Tirunelveli district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The falls is located on the Western Ghats and to the south of Papanasam lower, the lake from where Tamiraparani River originates. It is located 42 km (26 mi) from the nearest city Tirunelveli. As per Hindu legend, it is the place where sage Agasthya got a view of Shiva in his marriage costume.
The Tirunelveli district administration organises Chittirai Vishnu festival every year during the Tamil month of Chittirai (April - May), during the Tamil New Year day. The falls is a prominent tourist destination in the region and usually frequented by devotees of the Papanasanathar Temple and Sabarimala.
As per Hindu legend, during the divine wedding of Shiva and Parvathi, there was heavy crowd at Kailash, the abode of Shiva. Sage Agasthya could not view event and prayed to Shiva at this place to get him a view of the event. Pleased by his devotion, Shiva appeared to the sage and his wife Lopamundra along with Parvathi in his marriage attire. Shiva made the place his abode and came to be called Papansanathar and the falls nearby the temple got the name of Agasthiyar as Agasthiyar Falls.Tamiraparani River reaches is descent in flat land at this place. As per another legend, sage Urosamar floated a set of flowers in the river and the first flower reached the shore at this place. The sage established a temple for Papanasanathar and worshipped the deity here.
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