Chitrakote Falls 4.57

The Chitrakoot Falls is a natural waterfall located to the west of Jagdalpur, in Bastar district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh on the Indravati River. It is located at a distance of to the west of Jagdalpur.The height of the falls is about. It is the widest fall in India. Because of its width and wide spread during the monsoon season, it is often called the Niagara Falls of India.TopographyThe Chitrakote Falls is located on the Indravati River. The river originates in the kalahandi region of Odisha, in the Vindhya Range of hills, flows westward and then forms a fall at Chitrakote, enters Andhra Pradesh and finally flows into the Godavari River, after traversing in the state, at Bhadrakali. The free drop of the falls is a sheer height of about. Because of its horseshoe shape, it is compared with the Niagara Falls and is given in the sobriquet ‘the Small Niagara Falls’. During the rainy season, from July and October, rainbows are created with sun rays reflecting on mist from the waterfall.On the left bank of the Chitakote Falls, a small Hindu shrine dedicated to the god Shiva and several naturally created grottos named "Parvati caves" (named after Shiva's wife Parvati) are located. The weather in the area is generally pleasant except in the summer season when it is hot due to absence of vegetation in the area. The river flows sluggishly on the upstream side of the falls due to its meandering nature as it drains through the plains of Jagdalpur. This reach of the river valley has very little forest cover. Below the falls the river traverses the Bodhghat forested area and the river regime undergoes drastic change in its flow conditions. Aeration process and the forest in the downstream area filters the silt in the river.