2405:201:F01E:8072:983:88D5:87D0:A0CA at 07:11, 16 June 2025

2025-06-16T07:11:38Z

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{{Short description|River in India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox waterfall
| name = Pykara Falls
| native_name = பைக்காரா ஆறு
| photo =File:Pykara Temple.jpg
| photo_caption = Pykara Temple
| location =
| type =
| height = {{convert|61|m|ft}}
| height_longest =
| number_drops =
| average_flow =
| world_rank =
}}

[[File:Pykara Lake Boatinh in Ooty, Tamil Nadu.JPG|thumb|Pykara Lake Boating in Ooty, Tamil Nadu.]]

The '''Pykara''' is a river {{convert|19|km|mi}} from [[Ooty]] in the Indian State of [[Tamil Nadu]] with a village by the same name nearby.<ref name="ootytravel">{{cite web | url=http://www.ooty.com/travel/pykara.htm | title=Ooty – Pykara Falls | publisher=ooty.com | access-date=19 August 2011}}</ref> The Pykara River is considered very sacred by the [[Toda people|Todas]].<ref name="nilgiris">{{cite web | url=http://nilgiris.nic.in/ooty.htm | title=PYKARA | access-date=19 August 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721173919/http://nilgiris.nic.in/ooty.htm | archive-date=21 July 2011 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> It rises at [[Mukurthi]] peak, flows northwards, and then turns to the west after reaching the edge of the plateau.<ref name="nilgiris"/> The river flows through Mukurthi, Pykara and [[Glenmorgan, Nilgiris|Glenmorgan]] dams, and forms part of an important [[Hydroelectricity|hydro-electric power]] project. It is a tributary of the [[Moyar river]], which in turn is a tributary of the [[Bhavani river]], which itself is a tributary of the [[Kaveri river]].

The river flows over a series of waterfalls, the last two of {{convert|55|m|ft}} and {{convert|61|m|ft}} being known as Pykara Falls.<ref name="nilgiris"/> The falls are approximately {{convert|6|km|mi|0}} from the bridge on the main road. There is a forest rest house at Pykara. A boat house on the Pykara reservoir is an added attraction for tourists. Pykara has well-protected, fenced sholas, Toda settlements, large grassy meadows and good wildlife habitat. The Pykara Dam, falls and reservoir attract many tourists.<ref name="ootytravel"/>

==Climate==
Pykara's climate is classified as [[subtropical highland climate]] (Cwb) under [[Köppen climate classification]]. Pykara, due to its location in the Nilgiris, gets rain from both the [[Monsoon of South Asia|monsoons]]. The wet season runs from April to December and the dry season from January to March.
{{Weather box
|location = Pykara
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan high C = 19.7
|Feb high C = 19.9
|Mar high C = 22.4
|Apr high C = 22.5
|May high C = 22.7
|Jun high C = 19.2
|Jul high C = 17.4
|Aug high C = 18.5
|Sep high C = 19.4
|Oct high C = 19.4
|Nov high C = 19.1
|Dec high C = 19.0
|Year high C =

|Jan low C = 6.7
|Feb low C = 7.7
|Mar low C = 9.8
|Apr low C = 11.6
|May low C = 12.4
|Jun low C = 12.5
|Jul low C = 12.3
|Aug low C = 12.3
|Sep low C = 12.0
|Oct low C = 11.5
|Nov low C = 9.7
|Dec low C = 7.5
|Year low C =
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm = 19.5
|Feb precipitation mm = 18.3
|Mar precipitation mm = 32.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 104.4
|May precipitation mm = 165.5
|Jun precipitation mm = 250.2
|Jul precipitation mm = 475.1
|Aug precipitation mm = 313.3
|Sep precipitation mm = 175.6
|Oct precipitation mm = 244.7
|Nov precipitation mm = 148.2
|Dec precipitation mm = 76.3

|Jan rain days=3
|Feb rain days=2
|Mar rain days=4
|Apr rain days=8
|May rain days=11
|Jun rain days=12
|Jul rain days=17
|Aug rain days=18
|Sep rain days=11
|Oct rain days=13
|Nov rain days=12
|Dec rain days=8
|year rain days=

|date=May 2015
|source 1 = ''Climate-Data.org''<ref>{{cite web|title=limate: Pykara - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table - Climate-Data.org|url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/206977/|publisher=Climate-Data.org|access-date=2015-09-24}}</ref>}}

==Dam and power station==
[[File:53Ootacamund Pykara Waterfalls.jpg|thumb|Pykara Falls in 1913]]
The dam is near the main Ooty–[[Gudalur, Nilgiris|Gudalur]] road and includes a [[power station]]. One of the oldest power plants in South India, the Pykara station still functions, generating about 60 megawatts. The first unit of 6.65 MW was commissioned in October 1932.<ref name="hindu">{{cite news | url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2006/02/17/stories/2006021717590600.htm | title=Pykara power station a trendsetter | access-date=19 August 2011 | author=T, Ramakrishnan | newspaper=[[The Hindu]] | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081215012541/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2006/02/17/stories/2006021717590600.htm | archive-date=15 December 2008 | url-status=usurped }}</ref> Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar, Diwan of [[Travancore]], worked with the [[British Raj|British regime]] in 1920s and 1930s in the setting up of the Pykara project. A team of engineers led by H.G. Howard, a chief engineer in the then electricity department, was responsible for carrying out the project.<ref name="hindu" /> The [[Bangalore]]-[[Chennai]] industrial region is highly dependent on the Pykara [[Hydroelectricity|hydroelectric]] plant.

The Pykara Station, declared as a heritage plant in September 1997, triggered the establishment of more hydro-electric power stations in the state. Today, the [[Nilgiris district|Nilgiris]] district alone boasts hydro-electric stations with an aggregate installed capacity of 837 MW. Five decades after establishment of the old plant, the Electricity Board (EB) authorities came up with a plan for the Pykara Ultimate Stage Hydro Electric Plant (PUSHEP), containing three units of 50 MW each. The construction of an underground powerhouse, 17 tunnels and the [[hydraulic head]] of {{convert|1039|m|ft}} are the special features of the new plant. According to the EB, the hydraulic head is the highest in [[Asia]]. The access to the powerhouse is a tunnel {{convert|1.5|km|mi|1}} long.<ref name="hindu" />

==Boat house==

A [[Boathouse|boat house]] on the Pykara Reservoir is an added attraction for tourists. The boat house with restaurant is maintained by [[Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation]]. It consists of several boats and has motor boats which are allowed for 20 minutes and speed boats which are allowed for 10 minutes.<ref name="ootytravel"/>

==Image gallery==
<gallery>
File:Pykara Lake Nilgiris.jpg|Pykara Boathouse
File:Pykara.jpg|Pykara, Town
File:T.R.Bazar, Pykara.jpg|T.R.Bazar, Pykara
File:T.R (2).jpg|T.R.Bazar, Pykara
File:ஊட்டியின் அழகு.JPG|Pykara waterfalls
File:View of Pykara lake from a boat.jpg|View of Pykara lake from a boat
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External sources==
{{commons category}}
{{Tourism in The Nilgiris}}
{{Hydrology of Tamil Nadu}}

{{coord|11.4547|N|76.5972|E|source:wikidata|display=title}}

[[Category:Rivers of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Geography of Ooty]]
[[Category:Waterfalls of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Nilgiris district]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Ooty]]

Pykara - Revision history

2405:201:F01E:8072:983:88D5:87D0:A0CA at 07:11, 16 June 2025