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Hogenakkal is boasted to be a wonderful tourist place by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation(TTDC). It is described as "one of the most beautiful places in the state". There is one more important thing they neglect to mention - the trip to Hogenakkal can be a very dangerous one too!
Not wanting to scare the tourists away the TTDC do not mention this fact at all. Not only do they not inform you about the dangers lurking at Hogenakkal but they do not even try to make it any safer. This tourist site maintained by TTDC, is taxing every tourist in multiple locations for enjoying nature that is meant to be free and yet they won’t provide any safety measures.
My wife and I have lost our only son Vijayan in Hogenakkal, on the 16th of October 1999, due to improper maintenance and safety. Vijayan was a B.com final year student in Kodaikanal Christian College. On a tour to Hogenakkal, arranged by the college, Vijayan slipped into the waters and lost his life. He was fetching water to help revive a friend of his, who had lost conscience, when due to improper safety precautions on the TTDC's part he slipped and fell into the waters and lost his life.
Hogenakkal being a famous tourist spot should be equipped with more safety precautions such as warning signs and barriers; warning and preventing innocent tourists from entering dangerous areas such as the one Vijayan had entered. Hogenakkal is even lacking the most basic safety features all water areas have - life guards.
The waters of Hogenakkal is propagandized to be sacred and to have healing powers by the TTDC. Even in the place where people take bath, the safety railings are missing and the few remaining ones are falling apart. The important middle iron bar which will be the life saving supporter for the people who take bath is not there in many places. Life of some one may be so cheep for TTDC, but Vijayan was our only son, he is so precious to us he lost his life while trying to help a friend in distress.
I am very sorry for the loss of your son. It takes tremendous courage to go through this pain and then live to tell about it. Thankyou for setting up this blog to warn others about the dangers of that place. Everything you have talked about is true, as I can vouch from my own first-hand experience. Hogenakkal as a safe tourist destination stands exposed as a lie. I only wish that more people who are considering visiting the area would read this to become aware of what they are really inviting into their lives when the visit. Boycott that place, people! Those flimsy coracles, the care-a-damn people, the deserted rocky areas, the gushing currents, the slippery slopes, the complete lack of protection and consideration for human life... it's just not worth it.
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