Thalaiyar Falls, also known as Rat Tail Falls is located in the Palani Hills of Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu. It is 975 ft (297 m) tall and is the highest waterfall in Tamil Nadu and the 267th highest in the world.
On a clear day Rat Tail Falls is visible from the Dum Dum Rock viewpoint on the Batalugundu-Kodaikanal Ghat Road, 3.6 kilometres away to the west.
It appears across the valley as a long thin white strip of cascading water on a background of black rock cliff face that juts out of the foothills.
The very edge at the top of the Falls has a low concrete wall on either side concentrating the flow of water to focus the falls into a better rat tail shape.
One can walk along the wall and get near the center of the falls. Just below one wall is a large flat rock about 5 ft (1.5 m) wide.
One can get down to the edge of the rock to look directly straight down to see a little river at the bottom continuing placidly through the forest.
Looking back up to the side, one can watch the water in freefall, mostly silent. The noise of the crashing water below doesn't rise up. The only noise is the water pushing around the stone walls, and some smaller falls just upstream.
The river water coming to the falls, though 9 km downstream from Perumal Malai village and apparently clear, may be polluted, and visitors to the area are advised to avoid drinking it.
