Pambar Falls in February

Pambar Falls, better known to many generations of KIS students as Snake Falls, remains a special place in spite of the ecological and human changes in its catchment area. Pambar Shola, a dense and diverse, forest patch is now hard to distinguish from the plantations of non-native species. The forest is on the rebound thanks to restorative efforts by the Vattakanal Conservation Trust.

Close up of the Snake Falls area from Priest’s Walk: a happy destination for many Saturday adventures during our school years. Note the montane grasslands, which are still relatively undisturbed along the eastern cliff side. Hamilton’s account in “A Record of Sport in Southern India” refers to the Old Buck of Kodaikanal, which was shot along these hillsides.