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Theni,Tamil Nadu,India

Places to Visit in Periyakulam

Mango-trading town below the Kodai foothills, base for Kumbakkarai and Sothuparai.

Theni districtGet directions →
Periyakulam
Practical guide

Plan Periyakulam

Who's going?Tailor Periyakulam to your trip
DistrictTheni
RoleMango-town base
Time needed1 to 2 hours
Places to visit5
What to expect

Highlights

  • Sothuparai Dam — A scenic reservoir near Periyakulam set against the Western Ghats with a landscaped park and fountains. It is a popular local picnic and photography spot, especially after the monsoon.
  • Manjalar Dam — A dam across the Manjalar River, a tributary of the Vaigai, that supplies irrigation to the surrounding farmland. Its calm reservoir and hill backdrop make it a quiet outing spot.
  • Periyakulam — A historic town at the foot of the Kodaikanal hills renowned for its mango orchards, earning it a reputation as a mango-trading centre. It serves as a base for visiting Kumbakkarai Falls and Sothuparai Dam.
  • Kumbakkarai Falls — Kumbakkarai Falls lies in the foothills of the Palani (Kodaikanal) hills, about 25 km from Theni town, where the Pambar river descends in a series of cascades and rock pools. The water collects in natural bathing pools before dropping further, and the surrounding forest makes it a popular bathing and picnic spot. It is counted among the three best-known waterfalls of Theni district.
  • Periyakulam Balasubramaniar Temple — This ancient Murugan (Balasubramanya) temple in Periyakulam is traditionally credited to the Chola king Rajendra Chola, said to have modelled the site on Kasi (Varanasi). Devotees bathe in the associated Brahma theertham, believed to have curative powers. Major festivals include Panguni Uthiram and Maha Karthigai.
Timing

Best time to visit Periyakulam

Mango season around May-July; October to February for weather

Weather in PeriyakulamSeasonal guide

Live forecast loads in your browser.

Today at Periyakulam
Sunrise6:11 am
Sunset6:30 pm
Golden hour best light5:30 pm–6:30 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:30 pm–6:55 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 279°
Moon tonight🌖 Waning gibbous · 83%
South-west monsoon. June to September is the south-west monsoon in Tamil Nadu. Expect heavy showers, mostly in bursts rather than all day — carry rain cover, allow extra time for getting around, and note that ferries and open-air sites are the first things affected.

Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.

Before you go

Periyakulam — at a glance

Best time to visitGetting herePractical things nearbyEmergency help
HoursMarkets and orchards active through the day

Entry: Free; open town

Getting here

How to reach Periyakulam

On the Theni-Kodaikanal road; nearest railhead Theni, nearest airport Madurai (IXM) ~55 km

Getting around Periyakulam

We have not assessed physical access at this place yet. Across India, step-free routes, handrails and accessible toilets are the exception rather than the rule, and pavements are often interrupted — if step-free access matters to you, contact the site or a local operator before committing to the trip.

If you need help at Periyakulam
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).
100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)

Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.

Practical things near Periyakulam
Bus stopsNew Bus Stand 1.1 km · 13 min walkDaily 06:00–20:30Mapped May 2023DirectionsFuelFuel station 505 m · 6 min walkMapped Sept 2019DirectionsHospitalVikram Hospital 97 m · 1 min walkMapped Aug 2020DirectionsClinicShri Balaji Clinic 105 m · 1 min walkMapped Aug 2020DirectionsPolice stationPolice station 1.2 km · 15 min walkMapped Apr 2024Directions

Mapped within about 1.2 km of Periyakulam, with real walking routes rather than straight-line distances. Community-mapped data: opening hours are shown only where they are recorded, and this is not a complete list — something unmapped may well be closer. Please confirm on the ground.

Nearby bases

Where to go from Periyakulam

Bodinayakanur, BodinayakanurCardamom-town base
Town / base

Bodinayakanur

Cardamom and tea trade town, the Tamil Nadu gateway toward the Munnar high ranges.

BodinayakanurShanmuganathi DamKuranganiKolukkumalai
Open Bodinayakanur guide →
Cumbum, CumbumGrape-valley base
Town / base

Cumbum

Heart of the Cumbum grape valley and base for Suruli Falls and the Meghamalai uplands.

Meghamalai (High Wavy Mountains)Meghamalai Wildlife SanctuarySuruli FallsCumbum Valley (Grapes City)
Open Cumbum guide →
Vaigai Dam, AndipattiFeatured: Vaigai Dam
Town / base

Andipatti

Town beside the Vaigai reservoir and its terraced garden dam.

Vaigai Dam
Open Andipatti guide →
Kuchanur Saniswaran Temple, UthamapalayamFeatured: Kuchanur Saniswaran Temple
Town / base

Uthamapalayam

Western valley town near the Kuchanur Saneeswaran shrine and the Ghats.

Kuchanur Saniswaran TempleHighwavys / Meghamalai Tea Estates viewpoint
Open Uthamapalayam guide →
Gudalur base
Town / base

Gudalur

Gudalur area of the district.

Colonel John Pennycuick MemorialMangala Devi Kannagi Temple
Open Gudalur guide →
Veerapandi base
Town / base

Veerapandi

Veerapandi area of the district.

Veerapandi Gowmariamman Temple
Open Veerapandi guide →
Chinnamanur base
Town / base

Chinnamanur

Chinnamanur area of the district.

Mavoothu Vellappar TempleChinnamanur Sivagamiyamman TemplePoola Nandeeswarar TempleLarger Sinnamanur Copper Plates (Chinnamanur inscriptions)
Open Chinnamanur guide →
Theni base
Town / base

Theni

Theni area of the district.

Theertha Thotti Subramaniar Temple
Open Theni guide →
Devadanapatti base
Town / base

Devadanapatti

Devadanapatti area of the district.

Devadanapatti Kamakshi Amman Temple
Open Devadanapatti guide →
Kamayagoundanpatti base
Town / base

Kamayagoundanpatti

Kamayagoundanpatti area of the district.

Cumbum Ardhanareeswarar TempleKamayagoundanpatti Shanmuganathar Temple
Open Kamayagoundanpatti guide →
Allinagaram base
Town / base

Allinagaram

Allinagaram area of the district.

Veerappa Ayyanar Temple
Open Allinagaram guide →
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop

Places in Periyakulam

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Places to visit

The places themselves, around Periyakulam

The best tourist places to visit in Periyakulam — temples, viewpoints, lakes, heritage and nature, each with a full guide, how to reach it and what to see nearby.

Sothuparai Dam, Periyakulam
PlaceSothuparai Dam

A scenic reservoir near Periyakulam set against the Western Ghats with a landscaped park and fountains. It is a popular local picnic and photography spot, especially after the monsoon.

Open guide →
Manjalar Dam, Periyakulam
PlaceManjalar Dam

A dam across the Manjalar River, a tributary of the Vaigai, that supplies irrigation to the surrounding farmland. Its calm reservoir and hill backdrop make it a quiet outing spot.

Open guide →
Periyakulam, Periyakulam
PlacePeriyakulam

A historic town at the foot of the Kodaikanal hills renowned for its mango orchards, earning it a reputation as a mango-trading centre. It serves as a base for visiting Kumbakkarai Falls and Sothuparai Dam.

Open guide →
Kumbakkarai Falls, Periyakulam
PlaceKumbakkarai Falls

Kumbakkarai Falls lies in the foothills of the Palani (Kodaikanal) hills, about 25 km from Theni town, where the Pambar river descends in a series of cascades and rock pools. The water collects in natural bathing pools before dropping further, and the surrounding forest makes it a popular bathing and picnic spot. It is counted among the three best-known waterfalls of Theni district.

Open guide →
Periyakulam Balasubramaniar Temple, Periyakulam
PlacePeriyakulam Balasubramaniar Temple

This ancient Murugan (Balasubramanya) temple in Periyakulam is traditionally credited to the Chola king Rajendra Chola, said to have modelled the site on Kasi (Varanasi). Devotees bathe in the associated Brahma theertham, believed to have curative powers. Major festivals include Panguni Uthiram and Maha Karthigai.

Open guide →
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Read before you go

Periyakulam guides, stories & itineraries

We have not published a story about Periyakulam itself yet. These cover Theni, the district it sits in, and travel in Tamil Nadu generally.

Nearby in Theni

We have not published a story about a place in Periyakulam itself yet. These are the nearest things we have written.

See all 4 Theni guides & stories →

Map

Where things are in Periyakulam

FAQ

Periyakulam travel FAQs

What are the best places to visit in Periyakulam?

Top places to visit in Periyakulam include Sothuparai Dam, Manjalar Dam, Periyakulam, Kumbakkarai Falls, Periyakulam Balasubramaniar Temple — each has a full guide with how to reach it and what to see nearby on this page.

What is the best time to visit Periyakulam?

November to February is the coolest, most comfortable season to visit Periyakulam and the rest of Tamil Nadu. April to June is very hot, and the October–December north-east monsoon brings the delta its main rains.

Image credits