South Pennar River

About South Pennar River

The sand build of the river is quite impressive, suggesting that it may have been a perennial river with much larger water flow in the past. Mention of the river is found in Sangam & Medevial (Thevaram - Bhakti cult era) literature, where it is depicted as rich with lush vegetation on its banks. There are various temples on its banks.

Nandi Hills or Nandidurg is a hill fortress of southern India, in the Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka state. It is located just 16 km (till base) 24 km (top of the hill) from Chickballapur town and approximately 60 km from the city of Bangalore.

History

…this droog, one now used as a hotel, built by General Cubbon, sometime British resident; but the rock has a bad reputation for malaria, and except in the very dry months is shunned by visitors, in spite of its, to the senses, delightful climate

Interesting things to Visit

The ancient temple at Thiruvarangam is spread over an area of nearly three and half acres on the south bank of Then Pennar river, is located, about 18 km from Tirukoilur, 30 km from Tiruvannamalai via Manlurpet, 25 km from Sankarapuram. One might wonder if it would be proper to call the place “Arangam” in as much as Tiruvarangam is not surrounded by rivers, even if the Lord is in the reclining posture. The word “Arangam” has several meanings, and can also be interpreted to mean “stage”. The Lord of Tiruvarangam possibly presents the stage in which the cosmic play of creation, and sustenance are ceaselessly enacted and hence the name. The account in Skanda Puranam seems to lend support to this view.

Location info

• **Address:**The river originates in the Nandi Hills in the Kolar district of Karnataka and flows through Tamil Nadu before entering into the Bay of Bengal.

• **District:**Kolar district

• **Nearest City:**Chickballapur

• Best time to visit: monsoon season

Climate & weather

The Penner basin has a dry tropical monsoon climate. The upper basin of the Penner is semi-arid, with summer temperatures of 25-46°C and winter temperatures of 18 - 28°C. Most of the rainfall is provided by the moisture-bearing southwest monsoon, which provides rain to most of India between June and September. The Penner basin lies in the rain shadow of the high Western Ghats ranges, which prevents much moisture from reaching the region. Post-monsoon cyclonic storms in the coastal region produce additional rain during September and October. The winter northeast monsoon, which provides rain between December and March, provides little rain to the upper basin and slightly more to the lower basin. It varies greatly from year to year in south India, sometimes bringing powerful cyclonic storms with flooding and high winds. The mean annual rainfall is 550 mm/year in Anantapur, and 900 mm/year in Nellore. The Penner basin suffered from a prolonged drought in the 1990s, which caused much misery among the regions farmers and generated political demands to build an aqueduct to bring water from the Krishna River to Rayalaseema..

Things to do at South Pennar River

The hills are now a popular tourist spot during summer. The state horticulture department maintains a garden for the tourists. The pressure of tourists on the environment here is great with a considerable problem of litter, noise and physical disturbance.

How to reach South Pennar River

• **Nearest Railway Station:**Chickballapur

• **Nearest Airport:**Bangalore

• **Road Transport:**It is well connected by roads various KSRTC & Private Buses ply daily to Kolar from various places.

Hotels & accommodation nearby

☀ American Club
☀ Inn on Woodlake
☀ The Carriage House at the American Club

Nearest visiting places

• Savana Durga Hills

A left turn some 7 kms before Magadi in Magadi road reduced our travel distance by some 8 kms and itz around 65 kms from bangalore city. Nice road to drive on and lotz of quarries on the way and road having lotz of bends and turns makes your drive a splendid one

• Antharagange Temples

One of the ancient temples of india. It has miraculous water coming from mouth of got cow statue 365 dayz a year. It is a holy place people visit this temple from many parts of the Karnataka, Kolar District and karnataka state on Mahashivratri festival day every year. It is protected by Forest authority of india, has lots of Monkeys and wild Deers

• Chikka Thirupathi Temples

Chikka Thirupathi : This sleepy little town is 10 km off Sarjapur. It takes about an hour from the Sarjapur ring-road junction. The road (if you can call it that) is very bad for a few kilometres after the Wipro office. It gets much better as you near Sarjapur. The scenery certainly isn’t breathtaking, but it is a nice break from the chaos in Bangalore

• Kaivara Temples

Kaivara is centre for pilgrimage. This place is located in the Chintamani Taluk of Kolar district in Karnataka, a state that is in the south western part of India.. It is about 65 km from Bangalore. This place is historically significant. It is said that the Pandavas of the great Indian epic Mahabharata lived here during the exile in the forest (Vanavasa)

• Kudumalai Temples

Though the name sounds like a place in Tamilnadu, this historically important place is located in Mulabagal taluk of Kolar district in Karnataka. Many people would have seen the century-old giant idol of Lord Ganesha in Bangalore on Bull Temple Road. The idol at Kurudumalai is as awe-inspiring

• Palar River

Palar is a river of southern India. It rises in Nandidurg hills in Kolar district of Karnataka state, and flows 93 km in Karnataka, 33 km in Andhra Pradesh and 222 km in Tamil Nadu before its confluence into the Bay of Bengal at Vayalur about 100 KM south of Chennai

• Ponnaiyar River

249 The river finally surrenders in to the Bay of Bengal at Cuddalore. The Ponnaiyar river basin is encircled by the Cauvery river basin in the west and south and Palar and Tondiar basins in the east and north respectively

Tips & suggestions

Gottigere lake with a water spread area of about 14.98 ha is located in the Bellandur Lake catchment of the South Pennar River basin. In recent years, this lake catchment has been subjected to environmental stress mainly due to the rampant unplanned developmental activities in the catchment. The functional ability of the ecosystem is impaired due to structural changes in the ecosystem. This is evident from poor water quality, breeding of disease vectors, contamination of groundwater in the catchment, frequent flooding in the catchment due to topography alteration, decline in groundwater table, erosion in lake bed, etc. The development plans of the region (current as well as the proposed) ignore the integrated planning approaches considering all components of the ecosystem. Serious threats to the sustainability of the region due to lack of holistic approaches in aquatic resources management are land use changes (removal of vegetation cover, etc.), point and non-point sources of pollution impairing water quality, dumping of solid waste (building waste, etc.).

Helpline & emergency contacts

• **Police Station:**Chickballapur

• **Nearest Hospital:**Chickballapur

• Society/Community Phone Number

Mobile network coverage

Airtel, Jio, BSNL, and Vi all provide coverage across Karnataka. 4G is reliable in Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli, and along highways. Coverage may be weaker in deep forest areas of Bandipur, Nagarhole, and certain Western Ghats sections. Most hotels, resorts, and cafes in tourist areas offer free Wi-Fi.

Food & restaurants nearby

Food options are available in the nearest town. Karnataka cuisine ranges from coastal seafood to Udupi vegetarian to Coorg’s pandi curry. Dosa, idli, bisi bele bath, and filter coffee are iconic.

Nearest petrol pump

Petrol pumps are available in the nearest town or on the approach road — check locally for the closest option.

Best time to visit South Pennar River

Post-monsoon (October-December) offers the fullest water flow. October to March provides pleasant weather for riverside activities. Summer (April-May) has reduced flow. Monsoon (June-September) is spectacular but swimming and boating are dangerous.

Timings & opening hours

Accessible throughout the day. Best viewed during daylight hours. Monsoon season brings fullest flow but requires caution near the banks.

Entry fee & tickets

No entry fee for river access. Specific riverbank parks or viewpoints may charge nominal fees. Boating and water sports operators have their own charges.

Duration needed

30 minutes to 1 hour at a specific viewpoint. 2-3 hours for riverside walks and photography. Half a day for boating or river-based activities.

Safety tips

Do not swim in unknown river sections — currents can be deceptively strong. Avoid riverbanks during heavy rain or when water levels are rising. Never cross flooded rivers. Be cautious on slippery rocks near the water. Follow local advice about crocodile presence in certain river stretches.

Things to carry

Carry drinking water, snacks, comfortable walking shoes, hat/cap, sunscreen, sunglasses, camera, power bank, and personal medications. A light jacket or umbrella is recommended during monsoon season (June-September). For riverside picnics, carry a mat, food, and extra water. If visiting during monsoon, carry rain gear. Binoculars for birdwatching along the river.

Nearest airport, railway & bus

Nearest railway station in the district through which the river flows. Nearest airport varies by river location. KSRTC buses connect riverside towns and villages.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is swimming in South Pennar River safe? A: Swimming is not recommended in most sections due to currents. Stick to shallow, known-safe areas. Q: Is fishing allowed? A: Fishing with a permit is allowed in certain sections. Check local regulations. Q: What is the best time to visit? A: October to March offers pleasant weather and good water flow.

Quick facts

• Type: Destination
• State: Karnataka
• Category: Rivers

Photo gallery of South Pennar River

Photos coming soon. In the meantime, you can find images of South Pennar River on popular travel photography sites and social media.