RIVER KAVERI part2

27 Kollidam and Kaveri 

While passing through Erode, two more tributaries merge with Kaveri. Noyyal and Amaravathi join it before it crosses Erode district. Here the river becomes wider, with a sandy bed, and flows in eastern direction until it splits into two at upper Anicut Mukkombu about 14 kilometres west of Trichy. 

The northern branch of the river is called the Coleroon or Kollidam while the southern branch retains the name Kaveri and then goes directly eastwards into Thanjavur District. These two rivers join again and form the Srirangam Island near Tiruchirapalli. 

( I was at Trichy as Deputy divisional engineer for more than 2 years from 1991. I knew Sri Rangam was  formed as island joining of Kollidam and Kaveri. But I was not aware Kolllidam and Kaveri are same and Kollidam is  only a branching and re joining. ) 

28.Kallanai / Grand Anicut built by Karikala Cholan, near Tiruchirappalli 

The Chola king Karikalan has been immortalised as he constructed the bank for the Kaveri all the way from Puhar (Kaveripoompattinam) to Srirangam. It was built as far back as 1,600 years ago or even more. On both sides of the river are found walls spreading to a distance of 1,080 feet (330 m). 

The Kallanai dam constructed by him on the border between Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur is a superb work of engineering, which was made with earth and stone and has stood the vagaries of nature for hundreds of years. 

In 19th century, it was renovated on a bigger scale. The name of the historical dam has since been changed to "Grand Anicut" and stands as the head of a great irrigation system in the Thanjavur district. From this point, the Coleroon or Kollidam River runs northeast and discharges itself into the sea at Devikottai, a little south of Parangipettai. 

From river Coleroon, Manniar and Uppanai branch off at lower Anicut and irrigate a portion of Mayiladuthurai taluk and Sirkazhi taluk in Nagapatnam District. 

After Grand Anicut, the Kaveri divides into numerous branches and covers the whole of the delta with a vast network of irrigation channels in Nagapatnam and Tiruvarur districts and gets lost in the wide expanse of paddy fields. 

The mighty Kaveri River  finally enters the Bay of Bengal at the historical place of Poompuhar about 13 km north of Tharangambadi (or Tranquebar). While writing this I am reminded of film music "Karikalan Ketti vechhan Kallanai .." acted by Late Jayasankar and Vanisree. Name of film does not come to my memory. 

29. Dry Kaveri 

The water for the Kaveri is primarily supplied by monsoon rains. Dams, such as the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam and Mettur Dam, and those on its tributaries such as Banasura Sagar Dam project on a Kabini River tributary, store water from monsoon periods and release the water during the dry months. Even so, during the months of February-May, water levels are often quite low, and in some channels and distributaries riverbeds may become dry 

30 Talakkad temple 

On the banks of the Kaveri is the ancient temple town of Talakad where the holy festival Panchalinga Darshana is held every 12 years and devotees bathe in the Kaveri River. The temple town of Kumbakonam is in the Kaveri banks. 

31. Kaveri Link with puranic icons 

The legend of Kaveri has its origins in Puranas. Kaveri is linked with three puranic icons i.e. Agasthya, King Kavera and Lopamudra, the earthly, feminine manifestation of Kaveri herself. It is held that Lopamudra was granted the form of a river, by Brahma, in answer to tapas performed by all the three, including herself. 

Both saint Agasthya and king Kavera were independently performing tapas with salvation (Moksha) as the goal. Pleased by their tapas, Brahma appears before them only to deny both immediate Moksha. Instead, Brahma rules to Kavera that he shall beget a daughter who will lead him to Moksha; to Agasthya, Brahma says, he shall give him a divine wife; Agasthya is to live with her and enrich the world before eventually attaining Moksha. 

In the meantime it was said that Vishnumaya, the divine daughter of Brahma—the impeccable feminine creation of the creator, expressing to Brahma her wish to serve the world. Being pleased, Brahma ordains her to be, in due time, Lopamudra, the daughter of Kavera, then the wife of Agasthya, and eventually the sacred of the sacred, the river Kaveri. In this Kavera is told as a king and not as sage. Kaveri is called as Vishnumaya. Hence my inclusion.

32. Kaveri perform a second Tapas 

After assuming the form river, Kaveri performed another tapas to become the sacred of rivers, MORE SACRED THAN EVEN THE GANGES. Her tapas were answered and Lord Vishnu appears before her. 

On hearing her wish, Lord Vishnu says "Ganges is sacred because she originates from my feet; but you are infinitely more sacred to her as I adorn you as my garland". Upon this blessing, it is said that even Ganges is said to come underground, once a year, to Kaveri to cleanse herself. 

33. Talakkaveri- kaveri flushing like a fountain 

I have referred Talakaveri at least three times earlier  but added here for the following. Talakaveri is a pilgrimage site set amidst Bramahagiri Hills in Kodagu. Thousands of pilgrims flock to the three temples at the source of the river, especially on the specified day known as Tula sankramana when the river water has been said to gush out like a fountain at a predetermined time. 

To this day, Vaishnavites regard Kaveri, the river that holds Srirangam in her bosom, as the most sacred of rivers. 

Vaishnavaites lovingly regard Kaveri as the mother of Ranganayaki, the divine consort of Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam. 

34. Hydro electric projects 

The hydroelectric plant built on the left Sivanasamudra Falls on the Kaveri in 1902 was the first hydroelectric plant in Karnataka. The Krishna Raja Sagara Dam has a capacity of 49 tmc ft. and the Mettur Dam, which creates Stanley Reservoir, has a capacity of 93.4 tmc ft. 

35. Kaveri dispute tribunal 

I am not  touching Kaveri water sharing issues between Tamilandu and Karnataka. It is beyond the scope of my posting.