RIVER KAVERI

NARMADA SINDHU KAVERI

GODAVRI NAMOSTHUTHAE 7

Dear friends  

On this title I have already posted about Narmada and Sindhu Rivers.  Now I am continuing with Kaveri River.

I am familiar to Kaveri River more comparing to other two Rivers. This was on account of my posting   at Sankari close to Erode. I recollect an occasion of taking bath in Kaveri with a colleague from Erode at Erode the Kaveri is slightly rough and flows through rocky areas. 

I was in Namakkal for pretty long time as Subdivisional officer. About 13 KM from Namakkal is Mohanur and Kaveri water is brought to Namakkal from there. At Mohanur unlike at Erode the river is very wide with no shallow and less current, and it was an enjoyment for taking bath. However Namakkal was experiencing severe water scarcity. 

Namakkal Anjaneyar temple was close to our telecom office and there was an agraharam while I was there from 1983-1988. Many occasions I have visited the temple. Many of departmental officers were specific to visit Anjaneyar temple while coming on visit to Namakkal. Without Anjaneyar there is no Namakkal.   With Namaskaram to Lord Anjaneyar I switch over to Kaveri

Sincerely, 

Gopala Krishnan    3-4-2010

Reposted on 7-5-2020 after editing matter. R. Gopala Krishnan

1. KAVERI INTRODUCTION

In India the river Kaveri is famous since times immemorial. It is believed to be an omnipresent river. If a bath is taken on the fourteenth day of the Paksha, falling on Tuesday and having Vyatipat yoga, it is said to give immense benefits. Those people, who get killed by weapons, can attain heaven, if 'Ekodisht Shradh' is performed at the banks of Kaveri and Sesame seeds, which are mixed with the water of Kaveri, are sprinkled in their names.

2. KAVERI KUND

South of Narmada, a sacred place known as 'Kaveri' Kund has been unearthed. By merely taking a dip in its holy water, a man achieves godliness. There is also a 'Siddh Linga' called 'Kundeshwar', which is worshipped by the deities and the Siddhas alike. If any person worships this 'linga' even unknowingly, it gives immense benefits. The benefits attained by taking a bath in the holy water of Kaveri are incomparable.

3. KAVERI- GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION

Kaveri (also known as Cauvery, the anglicized name), is an Indian river flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri River rises at Talakaveri on the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu district of the state of Karnataka, at an elevation of 1341m above mean sea level and flows for about 800 km before its outfall into the Bay of Bengal. 

It is the third largest river – after Godavari and Krishna – in South India and the largest in the State of Tamil Nadu which, on its course, bisects the state into North and South. 

The Kaveri is sacred river to the people of South India and is worshipped as the Goddess Kaveramma. The Kaveri is also one of the seven holy rivers of India.

An island named as 'Shiva Samudram' and situated approximately 35 miles east of Mysore, divides its course into two parts. This river is considered so sacred that it is called the Ganga of the South.

4. KAVERI RIVER-BACKGROUND:

The Kaveri River is the smallest of the five major rivers of the Indian peninsula, the others being the Mahanadi, Godavari, Narmada, and Krishna. However, it forms perhaps the most important watershed of the South. As told earlier, known as "Dakshin Ganga" (the Ganges of the South), it serves as a lifeline to the people of Southern Karnataka, and the Cauvery basin of Tamil Nadu. 

5. LEGENDS ABOUT KAVERI:

1. According to mythology, there was a childless king named Kaverna and Brahma gifted him a beautiful girl Kaveri. She was married to Agastya muni on the condition that he would never leave her alone. 

One day, Agastya muni began teaching his disciples a difficult lesson in philosophy. Assuming that something unfortunate had happened to him and not wanting to live alone Kaveri jumped into a tank. But she did not die. She became a river, flowed up the Brahmagiri Mountain and reappeared as a spring. (A different story about Kaveri origin- hence I am keeping it first!!!)

2. It is    said that once all the Rishis from all over the world went north to hear    Shiva reveals the secret of the Veda and the Tantra. This caused the earth to tilt and so Shiva asked Agastya to go south and restore the   balance of the earth for the spiritual weight of Agastya was equal to   the weight of all the other Rishis put together. (Again not on the occasion of marriage of Siva with Parvathi- a different version!!)

3 Agastya had two fathers, the Vedic gods Mitra and Varuna, and one mother, the nymph Urvashi. 

Agastya created a woman with his magical powers using the most beautiful parts of the birds and beasts of    the forests. Since this woman was created by the loss (lopa) of the most         beautiful features (mudra) of animals, she came to be known as   Lopamudra. He married her later. This story is most popular. 

Lopamudra followed her short and stout husband dutifully but requested that he treat her as a princess that she was. "Approach me in   clothes that are beautiful on a bed that is comfortable in a house that is prosperous." 

While going to south he transformed Lopa mudra in to water and taken in a Kamandalu. When he was in the Brahma Giri Mountains, it was time for ablutions; he kept the Kamandalu on the rocks. 

Lord Ganesha either took the form of crow or rat, (two versions again) tilted the Kamadalu, which got opened, Lopamudra started to flow as she desired to be a river one day and Agasthia too felt let her desire be accomplished. 

6.THE JOURNEY AND TRIBUTRIES:

The River Kaveri flows through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Its source is a spring in the Brahmagiri Mountains in Mysore at a height of 1320 metres above sea level. The Kaveri River flows   765 kilometres before emptying to Bay of Bengal. 

As the Kaveri flows down the Brahmagiri Mountain and enters the plain, two small rivers, the Kanaka and the Gajoti, join it. They meet at the town of Bahamandalam till here it is a small river. 

Two more rivers, Hemavati and Lakshman Theertham join it, that it becomes a large river, broad and deep. It is here that the water of the three rivers is collected in the Krishnaraj Sagar reservoir, on the banks of which is laid one of the most beautiful gardens of Mysore - Brindavan.

7. PATHINETTAM PERUKKU- 'FLOOD OF THE EIGHTEENTH'

This river runs through some of the richest south Indian lands, watering the fields and blessing the people on its course. The people of Tamil Nadu celebrate the flood in the river in a special way with a festival. This festival is called the 'Flood of the Eighteenth'. On the eighteenth day of the month of Aadi (July-August), people come to worship the river. They light special lamps and express their gratitude by throwing offerings of fruits, sweetmeats and flowers. It is a day of rejoicing for the people as they thank the river goddess for her blessings and prosperity. It is special for the newly wedded. In Tamil it is called Pathinettam Perukku. 

8. DISPUTE ABOUT RIVER WATER:

The Kaveri River is the focus of a water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. That dispute is well over decades. The past two decades have seen increasing friction between the two states. Other details are beyond the scope of this posting.

9. Reference in Rigveda

Agastya and Lopamudra are associated with hymns found in the Rig Veda. Both are said to have popularised Lalita Sahashranama, the 1000 names   of the Goddess. 

10 AGASTHYA & SIDDHA

Agastya is renowned in the South as the father of    Siddha, the southern form of Ayurveda. He is also associated with occult    arts of architecture and forecasting as well as formulation of the Tamil         language. 

Even today, a mountain peak between Tamil Nadu and Kerala associated with rare medicinal herbs is called Agastyamalai, or Agastyas hill, a reminder of his presence in and contribution to the civilisation in South India.

11 Talakkaveri

A compilation about Kaveri River is incomplete without detailing Talakkaveri

Talakaveri or Talacauvery is the place that is generally considered to be the source of the river Kaveri and a holy place for many Hindus. It is located on Brahmagiri hills near Bhagamandala in Coorg district, Karnataka. It is located close to the border with Kasaragod district of Kerala State. 

Talakaveri stands at a height of 1,276 m. above sea level. However, there is not a permanent visible flow from this place to the main river course except during the Monsoon.

A tank or kundike has been erected on a hillside, at the place that is said to be the origin. It is also marked by a small temple, and the area is frequented by pilgrims mainly it is the worship place of kodavas. The river originates as a spring feeding this tank, which is considered to be a holy place to bathe on special days. The waters are then said to flow underground to emerge as the Kaveri River some distance away. The temple has been renovated extensively by the state government recently (2007).

On Cauvery Sankramana (colloquial changrandi) day (the first day of Tula Masa month , according to the Hindu calendar, which normally falls in mid October) thousands of pilgrims from neighbouring flock to the river's birthplace to witness the rise of the fountainhead, when water gushes up from the spring at a predetermined moment. The cauvery changrandi (Sacred bath in the Tula month) is observed across pilgrim towns in Kaveri's banks

Talakaveri is about 8 km away from Bhagamandala, 36 km from Panathur (Kerala) and 48 km from Madikeri.

My note on 7-5-2020- I had been on a family tour about four years back to Madikkeri and we visited Talakkaveri. I performed pooja with wife at Talakkaveri waiting in queue for one hour and took bath in the small pond. One should use two towels, one for wearing and another for removing water from head. Dress change room is separate. Without towel no one is permitted to bath.  

11.1 Pilgrim center

The temple here is dedicated to Goddess Kaveramma. Other deities worshipped here are Lord Agasthiswara, which denotes the link between Kaveri and Sage Agasthya.

The link between Kaveri and Lord Ganesha extends to Srirangam, in Lord Ganesha's role in setting up the Ranganatha temple there..

The temple at Tirumakudalu Narasipura (confluence of Kabini, Kaveri and the legendary Spatika Sarovara)) is also dedicated to Agasthiwara.

11.2 History of the temple priests of Talakaveri

It is believed that Mayura Varma, and Narasimman the Kadamba King who ruled vast areas of southern and central India in the 4th Century A.D. brought Brahmins from Ahi Kshetra (or Ahichatra) and put them in-charge of various temples in Tulu Nadu. Ahi Kshetra is mentioned in the Mahabharata as lying north of the Ganges, and as being the capital of Northern Panchala 

The Brahmins who first landed in Shivalli in Tulunadu and then spread across 31 villages came to be known as Shivalli Brahmins or Tulu Brahmins. It is from Shivalli and Tulu Brahmins, which the priests of Talakaveri temple have come from. Further lengthy details can be read from Talakkaveri in wikipedia

The Brahmagiri hill is situated right beside the temple. There are a series of steps leading to the top of the hill.

Hogenakkal falls

It is Kaveri River falling through steep rocks at Hogenakkal close to Dharmapuri in Tamilnadu/Karnataka border.RIV