Important Waterfalls in India & the World – UPSC

In this article, You will read the Important Waterfalls in India, and Important Waterfalls in the World – for UPSC IAS.

Waterfalls

A waterfall is an area where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops in the course of a stream or river. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.

Waterfalls are commonly formed in the upper course of a river where lakes flow into valleys in steep mountains.

A plunge pool (or plunge basin or waterfall lake) is a deep depression in a stream bed at the base of a waterfall or shut-in. It is created by the erosional forces of cascading water on the rocks at the formation’s base where the water impacts.

Waterfalls are an important factor in determining the distribution of lotic organisms such as fish and aquatic invertebrates, as they may restrict dispersal along streams. The presence or absence of certain species can have cascading ecological effects, and thus cause differences in trophic regimes above and below waterfalls. Certain aquatic insects also specialize in the environment of the waterfall itself.

Types of Waterfalls

• Ledge waterfall: Water descends vertically over a vertical cliff, maintaining partial contact with the bedrock.
• Cataract: A large, powerful waterfall.
• Horsetail: Descending water maintains some contact with bedrock.
• Plunge: Fast-moving water descends vertically, losing contact with the bedrock surface.
• Block: Water descends from a relatively wide stream or river.
• Multi-step: A series of waterfalls one after another of roughly the same size each with its own sunken plunge pool.
• Segmented: Distinctly separate flows of water form as it descends.
• Cascade: Water descends a series of rock steps.
• Punchbowl: Water descends in a constricted form and then spreads out in a wider pool.
• Tiered: Water drops in a series of distinct steps or falls.
• Fan: Water spreads horizontally as it descends while remaining in contact with bedrock.
• Moulin: A moulin is a waterfall in a glacier.

There is no standard way to measure the height or width of a waterfall. No ranking of waterfalls should be assumed because of the heights or widths provided in the list. Many numbers are estimated and measurements may be imprecise.

List of Highest Waterfalls in India

GK Facts

• Kunchikal Falls in Shimoga District Karnataka is the highest waterfall in India with a height of 1493 feet.
• The highest waterfall in India (Kunchikal Falls) is formed by the Varahi River.
• Dudhsagar falls is known as the ‘Sea of milk’, it is formed from the Mandovi River.
• Ranchi, the capital city of Jharkhand is known as the city of waterfalls in India.
• Nohkalikai Falls located near Cherrapunji is the tallest plunge waterfall in India. Its height is 1115 feet (340 metres) and is one of the wettest places on Earth.
• The Western Ghats are known as the Cherrapunji of South India.
• Nohsngithiang Falls (also known as the Seven Sisters Waterfalls or Mawsmai Falls) is a seven-segmented waterfall located 1 kilometre south of Mawsmai village in East Khasi Hills district in the Indian state of Meghalaya.

Waterfalls in India	Location	Feature
Kunchikal Falls	Shimoga district, Karnataka	Tiered, Highest waterfall in India
Barehipani Falls	Mayurbhanj district, Odisha	2 tiered waterfalls
Nohkalikai Falls	East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya	tallest plunge type waterfalls
Nohsngithiang Falls or Mawsmai Falls	East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya	segmented type waterfalls
Dudhsagar Falls	Karnataka and Goa	4 tiered waterfalls
Kynrem Falls	East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya	3 tiered waterfalls
Meenmutty Falls	Wayanad district, Kerala	3 tiered waterfalls/ segmented type
Thalaiyar Falls	Batlagundu, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu	horsetail type waterfalls
Vajrai Falls	Satara district, Maharashtra	3 tiered, 2nd tallest plunge type waterfall
Barkana Falls	Shimoga district, Karnataka	tiered waterfalls
Jog Falls (Gersoppa Falls)	Shimoga district, Karnataka	cascade waterfalls
Khandadhar Falls	Kendujhar district & Sundergarh district, Odisha	Horse tail type falls
Vantawng Falls	Serchhip district, Mizoram	2 tiered waterfalls
Kune Falls	Pune district, Maharashtra	3 tiered waterfalls
Soochipara Falls, Thoseghar Waterfalls	Wayanad district, Kerala, Satara district Maharashtra	3 tiered waterfalls
Magod Falls	Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka	2 tiered/Segmented waterfalls
Joranda Falls	Mayurbhanj district, Odisha	plunge type waterfalls
Hebbe Falls	Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka	2 tiered waterfalls
Duduma Falls	the border of Koraput (Odisha) and Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)	plunge type waterfalls
Palani Falls	Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh	Surge waterfalls
Lodh Falls	Latehar district, Jharkhand	2 tiered waterfalls
Rajrappa Waterfalls	Ramgarh district, Jharkhand	Rajrappa is a Hindu pilgrimage centre
Bahuti Falls	Mauganj, Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh	2 tiered waterfalls, tallest waterfall in madhya Pradesh
Bishop Falls	East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya	3 tiered waterfalls
Chachai Falls	Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh	on bihad river, comes down from Rewa Plateau
Keoti Falls	Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh	segmented type waterfall
Kalhatti Falls	Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka	–
Beadon Falls	East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya	3 tiered waterfall, twin of Bishop Falls
Keppa Falls	Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka	fan type waterfall
Koosalli Falls	Udupi, Karnataka	6 tiered waterfall
Dabbe falls	Shivamogga, Sagar, Karnataka	–
Pandavgad Falls	Thane, Maharashtra	Plunge waterfall
Rajat Prapat	Hoshangabad district, Madhya Pradesh	horsetail type waterfall
Bundla Falls	kaimur district bihar	–
Vantawng Falls	Serchhip district, Mizoram	2 tiered waterfalls
Shivanasamudra Falls	Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka	segmented type
Lower Ghaghri Falls	Latehar district, Jharkhand	cascade waterfalls
Hundru Falls	Ranchi district, Jharkhand	segmented type
Sweet Falls	East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya	horsetail type
Agaya Gangai	Namakkal, Tamil Nadu	1 tiered/segmented waterfalls
Coutrallam Falls (Kutralam)	Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu	Chittar River
Gatha Falls	Panna district, Madhya Pradesh	–
Teerathgarh Falls	Baster district, Chhattisgarh	Block type Waterfall
Kiliyur Falls	Yercaud, Tamil Nadu	fan type waterfall
Kudumari Falls	Udupi district, Karnataka	horsetail type waterfall
Muthyala Maduvu Falls	Bangalore rural district, Karnataka	–
Gokak Falls	Belagavi district of Karnataka	located on the Ghataprabha River
Chunchanakatte Falls	Mysore district, Karnataka	on the Kaveri River
Tirathgarh Falls	Bastar district, Chhattisgarh	horsetail type waterfall
Langshiang Falls	West Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya	–
Talakona falls	Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh	highest waterfall in andhra pradesh
Kakolat Falls	Nawada district, Bihar	cataract waterfall
Athirappilly Falls	Thrissur district, Kerala	Block/Segmented type waterfall
Chuliya Waterfall	Rajasthan	Chambal River

Kunchikal Waterfalls

• Kunchikal Falls is located in Nidagodu village near Masthikatte in Shimoga district of state Karnataka.
• Kunchikal falls cascades down rocky boulders and a total height of fall is 455 meters according to the world waterfall database.
• Highest waterfall in India
• Kunchikal falls is formed by the Varahi river.

Athirappally Waterfalls

• The famous Athirappally Waterfalls is located on the Chalakudy River in Thrissur district of Kerala.
• It originates from the upper reaches of the Western Ghats at the entrance to the Sholayar ranges.
• It is the largest waterfall in Kerala, which stands tall at 80 feet and is nicknamed “The Niagara of India”.
• Controversy about a state-proposed hydroelectric dam on the Chalakudy River above the waterfalls began in the 1990s and continued through 2021.

Jog Falls

• The highest untiered (Single Plunge ) falls (253m) of India, located on the Sharavati River in the Shimoga District of Karnataka
• Also called as Gersoppa or Jogda Guindi
• Famous tourist attraction
• An HEP Project has been eastablished near it

Dhuandhar

• Located on the Narmada River at Bheraghat town , just 20 km away from Jabalpur

Rajrappa

• Located in the Hazaribagh District where Bhairve (Bhera) joins the river Damodar, falling from a height of 30 ft.
• In the vicinity lies a famous temple called Chinnamasta Temple
• There are some impressive rock formations in this area

Hundroo

• Located in the Ranchi district
• Panoramic view of it is enahanting and attracts many tourists
• 320 feet falls on the Subarnarekha highest waterfalls of Jharkhand
• 45 km from the city of Ranchi

Hogenkkal

• Located on the Cauvery in the Dharampuri District of Tamil Nadu , near the Karnataka border
• The most beautiful fall in southern India
• Downstream of it we have the Stanley Reservoir and the Mettur Dam.

Kamtee

• Located in the Mussoorie Valley just 15 kms. from the Mussoorie city.

Chitrakoot

• Located near Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh on the Indravati River
• 29m high
• Called as ‘Niagara of India’
• Falls for the full stretch of the river
• Look majestic in the monsoon season
• A place of Hindu pilgrimage

Teerathgarh

• A waterfall at Kanger Ghati on the Kanger River, just 35 km south–west of Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh.
• Plunge for 91m in a single drop
• Highest waterfalls of Chhattisgarh

Rakim Kund

• Located on the Gayghat River, a tributary of the Ausane River
• At the edge of the Rohtas Plateau where a series of waterfalls is formed
• Located in Bihar

Shivasamudram (Cauvery falls)

• Second biggest waterfalls of India
• Located in the Mandya District of Karnataka
• Gardens and parks developed in it add to its beauty.
• The falls are surrounded by the Kaveri Wildlife Sanctuary

Kapildhara

• Waterfalls located on the Narmada River , in Madhya Pradesh , where it descends from the Amarkantak Hill
• A distance of 8 kms from the origin of river Narmada, the river falls from a height of 100 feet creating a fall. It is believed that the Kapil Rishi meditated here.

Gokak

• Waterfalls located on the Ghatprabha River in Belgaum district of Karnataka
• 52m high, resembles the Niagara Falls on a smaller scale
• Horse-shoe shaped at the crest
• Power generation is being done nearby it.

Kutralam

• Located on the Western Ghats at an elevation of about 167m in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu
• It has nine falls
• Nicknamed as ‘the Spa of the South India’ as its water is believed to have medical properties

Keoti

• Located on the Mahana River, a tributary of the Tons, in the Rewa district of Madhya Padesh
• It’s a knick point fall at the edge of the Rewa Plateau
• 98m high
• Segmented type of waterfall with a single drop

Johna / Gautamdhara

• Situated at the edge of the Ranchi Plateau, it is a hanging valley fall
• The Gunga River hangs over its master stream, Raru River, and forms the falls
• Drops from a height of 43 meters
• An example of a nick point falls caused by rejuvenation.

Chachai

• Located in the Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh on the Bihad River, a tributary of the Tons
• Comes down from the Rewa Plateau for 130m.
• It is an example of a nick point falls caused by rejuvenation

Dudma

• 157 m high waterfalls on the Machhkund River in Orissa
• Supports a large hydro electric project
• An important place of pilgrimage
• It is called Matsya Tirth

Dudhsagar

• A tired waterfall on the Mandovi River, located in Goa near the border with Karnataka
• 60 km from Panaji
• 310m high – four tiered
• During the monsoon season it forms one of the most spectacular natural scene

Vajrai Waterfalls

• These are located just 27km away from Satara in Maharashtra, over Sahyadris.
• These are the highest waterfalls in India.

Kunohikal

• These are located in the Shimaga district in Karnataka.
• These are the highest waterfalls in India.
• These are the second highest waterfalls in India after Vajrai falls (Maharashtra).

List of Highest Waterfalls in the World

Famous Waterfalls in the World

• Iguazu Falls – forms a border between Argentina and Brazil. It is the largest waterfall system in the world.
• Niagara Falls – share the international border of Canada and the United States and lie in the states of new york and province of Ontario. It is a collective name of three waterfalls.
• Victoria Falls – One of the Seven natural wonders of the world by CNN. It is in South Africa on the Zambezi river and shares the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. 
• Kaieteur Falls – is in Guyana. It is twice as high as Victoria Falls and 5 times higher than Niagara Falls. 
• Angel Falls – are the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfalls, on the Churún River, a tributary of the Caroní river.
• Paulo Afonso Falls – is a series of waterfalls on the São Francisco River in the north-east of Brazil.
• Livingstone Falls – are a succession of enormous rapids on the lower course of the Congo River in west equatorial Africa, downstream from Malebo Pool in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Boyoma Falls (Stanley Falls) – Boyoma Falls, formerly known as Stanley Falls, is a series of seven cataracts, along a curve of the Lualaba River between the river port towns of Ubundu and Kisangani in the Orientale Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Beyond the cataract the Lualaba becomes the Congo River.
• Tugela Falls – Tugela Falls is a complex of seasonal waterfalls located in the Drakensberg of Royal Natal National Park in KwaZulu-Natal Province, Republic of South Africa.
• Utigord Falls – in Norway, also known as Ramnefjellsfossen or Utigardsfossen is unofficially listed as the third-highest waterfall in the world.
• Alexandra Falls – is located on the Hay River in Canada.
• Idaho Falls – on the Snake River, United States.
• International Falls – on the south bank of Rainy River, Minnesota, United States.
• Browne Falls –  is a waterfall above Doubtful Sound, which is located in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Waterfalls in the World	Height – Metres/Feets	Locality	Country
Angel Falls	979 metres (3,212 ft)	Canaima National Park, Bolívar	Venezuela
Tugela Falls	948 metres (3,110 ft)	KwaZulu-Natal	South Africa
Tres Hermanas Falls	914 metres (2,999 ft)	Otishi National Park, Junin	Peru
Olo’upena Falls	900 metres (2,953 ft)	Molokai, Hawaii	United States
Yumbilla Falls	896 metres (2,940 ft)	Amazonas	Peru
Vinnufossen	860 metres (2,822 ft)	Møre og Romsdal	Norway
Balåifossen	850 metres (2,789 ft)	Hordaland	Norway
Pu’uka’oku Falls	840 metres (2,756 ft)	Hawaii	United States
James Bruce Falls	840 metres (2,756 ft)	British Columbia	Canada
Browne Falls	836 metres (2,743 ft)	Doubtful Sound, Southland	New Zealand
Strupenfossen	820 metres (2,690 ft)	Sogn og Fjordane	Norway
Ramnefjellsfossen	818 metres (2,684 ft)	Sogn og Fjordane	Norway
Waihilau Falls	792 metres (2,598 ft)	Hawaii	United States
Colonial Creek Falls	788 metres (2,585 ft)	Washington	United States
Mongefossen	773 metres (2,536 ft)	Møre og Romsdal	Norway
Gocta Cataracts	771 metres (2,530 ft)	Amazonas	Peru
Mutarazi Falls	762 metres (2,500 ft)	Manicaland	Zimbabwe
Kjelfossen	755 metres (2,477 ft)	Sogn og Fjordane	Norway
Yosemite Falls	739 metres (2,425 ft)	California	United States
Cascades de Trou de Fer	725 metres (2,379 ft)	Réunion	France
Olmaafossen	720 metres (2,362 ft)	Møre og Romsdal	Norway (Tallest Waterfall in Norway)
Manawainui Falls	719 metres (2,359 ft)	Hawaii	United States
Kjeragfossen	715 metres (2,346 ft)	Rogaland	Norway
Avalanche Basin Falls	707 metres (2,320 ft)	Montana	United States
Harrison Basin Falls	707 metres (2,320 ft)	Montana	United States
Haloku Falls	700 metres (2,297 ft)	Hawaii	United States
Chamberlain Falls	700 metres (2,297 ft)	Southland	New Zealand
Alfred Creek Falls	700 metres (2,297 ft)	British Columbia	Canada
Døntefossen	700 metres (2,297 ft)	Møre og Romsdal	Norway
Brufossen	698 metres (2,290 ft)	Hordaland	Norway
Spirefossen	690 metres (2,264 ft)	Sogn og Fjordane	Norway
Lake Unknown Falls	680 metres (2,231 ft)	Otago	New Zealand
Kukenam, Salto	674 metres (2,211 ft)	Bolívar	Venezuela
Yutaj, Salto	671 metres (2,201 ft)	Amazonas	Venezuela
La Chorrera Falls	590 metres (1,936 ft)	Cundinamarca	Colombia

World’s highest Waterfalls (Artificial Waterfalls)

Artificial Waterfall in the world	Height Metres/Feet	Country
Cascata Delle Marmore (Created by Ancient Romans) tallest man-made waterfall in the world	165 metres (541 ft)	Parco Fluviale del NeraItaly
Liebian Waterfall (largest artificial waterfall in the world, tallest waterfall included in a building)	108 metres (354 ft)	Liebian International Plaza China
Rain Vortex – Largest Indoor Waterfall	40 metres (131 ft)	Jewel Changi Airport Singapore
Cloud Forest Indoor Waterfall	35 metres (115 ft)	Cloud Forest, Gardens by the Bay Singapore
Jurong Falls	30 metres (98 ft)	Jurong Bird Park Singapore
Viktoriapark Waterfall	24 metres (79 ft)	Viktoriapark Germany
Lotte Music Fountain	18.2 metres (60 ft)	Aqua Mall, Lotte Department Store (Busan) South Korea