Talakona Waterfalls: A 270-Ft Scenic Marvel Near Tirupati
A dense forest area. Tall hills all around. When water from a waterfall appears to pour down from the sky between those hills, what more could nature lovers ask for? To see this beautiful sight, one must visit the Talakona Waterfalls near Tirupati. Standing at a height of 270 feet, Talakona Waterfall is the tallest waterfall in Andhra Pradesh. If you travel 57 kilometres from Tirupati via Bakarapeta, you will reach Talakona. The waterfall is located two kilometres away from the Siddheswara Swami Temple in Talakona. To reach the waterfall, one has to walk a short distance, because buses and cars are allowed only up to a certain point. Talakona Waterfall is also among the major tourist attractions in the state.
This forest area is home to various kinds of wildlife and rare forest wealth. The natural beauty of the densely packed Talakona forest—where even sunlight barely touches the ground—attracts visitors. Tourists are mesmerised as they watch the waterfall plunge down the rocky hill, where the rocks appear to be stacked one on top of another. Young people, in particular, enjoy going under the waterfall. Since the place is filled with rocks, one must go under the waterfall very carefully. The entire Talakona forest area spans 27,228 hectares. It is home to 178 species of birds and 342 varieties of rare animals.
There is also a mythical story behind how this forest got the name Talakona. According to the Vedas, Adishesha himself emerged in the form of the Sheshachalam hills; this is written on a board placed in the area. It is said that Lord Srinivasa, who borrowed money from Kubera for his marriage to Padmavati, became tired while repaying the loan by measuring the money repeatedly, and rested his head on this hill. Hence, the place where he rested his head became known as Talakona — this information appears on a TTD board. According to another version, since Talakona is located at the “head portion” of the Sheshachalam hill range, it is called Talakona. However, there is no clarity on which of these is true. Nevertheless, this region has gained significant importance from a tourism perspective.
