How can we reach Ppanasam falls and Agastiyar falls?

Question

How can we reach Ppanasam falls and Agastiyar falls?

Answer 1

Papanasam is a small village. It is 60kms from Tirunelveli from where buses ply to Papanasam. The river Tamiraparani flowing from the Western Ghats reaches the plains at Papanasam. While flowing down the rocky bed it forms into many falls.

Papanasam,  as its name implies, is a holy place is on the western ghats of’ Pothigai Hill. It is close to the Papanasam Falls, on the banks of the Thamiraparani River where Siva and Parvathi appeared before the great saint Agasthiya. Hence the falls is popularly called the “Agasthiya Falls”. To commemorate the visit of’ the divine couple, the Agasthiya temple was built there. Papanasam Dam is located 49 km away from Tirunelveli. This is a beautiful picnic spot.

This waterfall is believed to absolve all sins from people who bath in it. This has made Papanasam (papa+vinasam, meaning absolution of sins) an important pilgrim centre. Fishes are found in abundance in the water. They are quite harmless and approach the bathers in large numbers. The devotees believe that these fishes are redeemed souls and harming them would bring retribution. More at this website with spectacular pictures http://www.nellaieruvadi.com/photos/papa...

Here is something interesting I picked off the internet...Don't know about its veracity ---

It is believed, once there was a Pandya king who got converted to Buddhism and ill-treated those among his subjects who did not convert to Buddhism as he decreed. Unable to face the harassment, a family with who were ardent devotees of Lord Shiva, left their home with their two children and went to a neighboring state. Unfortunately the family got caught up in a war that was raging there and the children, one boy and the other a girl, got separated from each other. Many years later they arrived in Banares the holy city, where they met each other, fell in love and got married without realising that they were brother and sister. They found out their mistake afterwards and sought ways of absolving their sin. They  were advised to wear black and to bathe in all the sacred waters in India and when their black clothes turning white sill be an indication that they were absolved of  their sin. Accordingly they went from place to place in search of redemption and finally when they bathed in the river Thamiraparni at Papanasam their clothes turned white thus indicating the absolution of their sin. Hence the deity in this temple, Siva, is refered to as 'Papavinaseswarar'  - the redeemer of sins. The river Thamiraparni passes in front of the Temple. The Papanasam water falls and Banatheertham water falls in the river up hills are very sacred, beautiful places.

The following has some cool pictures taken  by a traveller to Agastiyar Falls --http://www.flickr.com/photos/balu/page2/

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