Origin of Kaveri River
The River Kaveri originates in the Western Ghats, a mountain range located in southwestern India. The exact source of the Kaveri is a place called Talakaveri, situated atop the Brahmagiri hills in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, near the town of Bhagamandala.
Interesting Facts About Kaveri River
The Kaveri is the largest river in the state of Tamil Nadu and the third largest in southern India.
The Kaveri River is also known as ‘Dakshina Ganga’, or the ‘Ganga of the South’
In ancient times, the Kaveri River was also called Ponni in Tamil, which means golden.
The protracted Kaveri water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka centres around conflicting claims to the river's waters. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted in 1990 to resolve these conflicts. The Kaveri Management Scheme was laid down by the Supreme Court in 2018 which led to the establishment of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to allocate the waters of the river.
The Shivanasamudra Falls formed by the Kaveri in Karnataka is India's second largest waterfall.
The famous dams on the Kaveri River are the Upper Anicut, Krishna Raja Sagar, Kattepura, Amaravati, Kabini, Karanampalayam, and Mettur Dams.
The Upper Anicut, also known as Kallanai Dam, is one of the oldest dams in the world, and the oldest dam of India. It was built by a Chola King, Karikalan, nearly 1800 years ago.
The confluence of the Kaveri with the Kannike and the mythical Sujyothi River is called Triveni Sangama, near Bhagamandala town. It is believed that the Kaveri emerges from the jata of Lord Shiva here.
River Course of Kaveri River
At Talakaveri, the river emerges as a small spring, known as the Kaveri Kundike or Kaveri's tank, in the Talakaveri Temple. This spring is believed to be the primary source of the river's waters, which flows in a southeastern direction onto the Deccan plateau. It splits up to form two islands, Srirangapatna and Shivanasamudra. The river then merges and passes through the Mekedatu gorge in Karnataka. The Kaveri then enters Tamil Nadu, dividing the latter into a northern and a southern half. Finally, it empties into the Bay of Bengal near the town of Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri splits up into several branches before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. The important distributaries of the Kaveri are the Nandalar, the Nattar, the Vanjiyar, the Noolar, the Arasalar, the Thirumalairajanar, and the Puravadaiyanar rivers.
Main tributaries of Kaveri River
Amaravathi – the largest tributary of the Kaveri
Shimsha – a large tributary
Kabini – important tributary
Bhavani – important tributary
Hemavathi – the longest tributary of the Kaveri
Harangi
Arkavathi
Sarabanga
Thirumanimutharu
Lakshmanatirtha
Noyyal
Suvarnavathi
Key Tourist and Spiritual Places located around the Kaveri River
Thalacauvery or Talakaveri Temple: Talakaveri is revered as the birthplace of the river and is a popular pilgrimage site.
Talakaveri Origin of River Kaveri Bhagandeshwara Temple: Dedicated to Lord Bhagandeshwara, a form of Lord Shiva.
The Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary: A designated Ramsar wetland site.
Dubare Elephant Camp – Elephants are trained here for the Mysore Dussehra festival procession. Visitors can bathe and feed elephants, and learn more about them.
Tamboori Temple – This unique temple in Rudrapattana, Karnataka, is shaped like the musical instrument, Tamboori. The temple was built as a tribute to the great musicians who hail from this village.
Shree Omkareshwara Temple, Madikeri – Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple was built by King Lingarajendra in 1820.
Namdroling Monastery: A famous Tibetan Buddhist monastery that houses beautiful art pieces. It is also called the Golden Temple due to the gold detailing in the paintings.
Chunchanakatte Falls: Famous waterfall on the Kaveri in Mysore district, with a famous temple dedicated to Lord Rama called the Kodandarama Temple. It is said that Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana stayed here during their exile.
Brindavana Gardens: A major tourist attraction, this garden is spread across 60 acres. It is located near Mysore and the KRS dam.
Krishnarajasagar Dam Mysore: This dam was built by the King of Mysore, Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, in the early 20th century.
The Talakadu temples: A group of ancient temples dating as far back as the 4th century have been excavated from the sands in Talakadu. The largest one is a Vaidyeshvara Temple.
Barachukki and Gaganachukki Falls: Famous touristic waterfalls on the Kaveri, near Mysore.
Crocodile Park and Hogenakkal Water Falls: Waterfalls at Hogenakkal and a crocodile conservation park. This place is famous for eco-tourism.
Kulavilakku Amman Temple: A temple dedicated to Goddess Kulavilakku, a family deity for many families, in Mannathampalayam, Tamil Nadu
Tropical Butterfly conservatory: Asia's Biggest Butterfly Conservatory, situated in Melur, Tamil Nadu.
Jambukeswarar Temple: This temple dedicated to Jambukeshwara (Shiva) and Akilandeswari (Parvati) is located in Tiruchirapalli district, in the state of Tamil Nadu. The temple is one of the five temples in Tamil Nadu that represent the five elements, or Mahabhuta. This temple denotes the water element, and there is said to be an underground stream in the Garbha Griha.
Sri Jalakandeshwarar Temple: This is a submerged temple in the Stanley Reservoir near the Mettur Dam. There is a gigantic statue of Nandi Bull in this temple. The temple was submerged due to the construction of the reservoir. When the water levels are low in the summer months, the Nandi statue, the temple and twin towers of a nearby church become visible.
Ranganathaswamy Temple: A famous temple dedicated to Ranganatha (Vishnu), located in Srirangam, in the state of Tamil Nadu. The oldest parts of the temple are said to be nearly 2200 years old. The temple is on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Tiruchirappalli Rock Fort: This is a fort and temple complex built on an ancient rock. The rock is 3.8 billion years old, making it older than the Himalayas.
Brihadishwara Temple: Also known as Rajarajesvaram, this is a temple dedicated to Shiva. Built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I in the 11th century, it is one of the largest Hindu temples. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Great Living Chola Temples’.
Mythological Origin Story of Kaveri River
The Kaveri River is worshipped as Kaveri Amman, a goddess. There are many stories narrated in the Puranas about the origin of Kaveri as a river and a goddess.
One legend says that in ancient times, the land was dry in this region, devoid of any river. Rishi Agastya prayed to Lord Brahma for a way to alleviate the suffering of the people. Lord Brahma gave him water in his kamandalu. As Rishi Agastya looked for a suitable place to pour the water, Lord Ganesh, taking the form of a child, helped him to find the right spot. As Ganesha was gone for a few minutes to call the rishi to the spot, a crow tipped over the kamandal, giving birth to the Kaveri at Kodagu.
Another legend from the Skanda Purana narrates that during the Samudra Manthana, Vishnu in the form of Mohini, assisted by an apsara called Lopamudra, rescued amrita, the elixir of immortality, from rakshasas and gave it to the gods. Afterwards, Mohini turned herself into a cave in the Brahmagiri hills, while Brahma adopted Lopamudra as his daughter. When King Kavera prayed to Brahma for a child, he gave Lopamudra to the king. She was then renamed as Kaveri, who grew up to become the sacred river.
Key Cities located on the bank of the Kaveri River
Bhagamandala: Located near the origin of the Kaveri River in the Brahmagiri Hills of Karnataka, Bhagamandala is a pilgrimage town known for its confluence of three rivers - the Kaveri, the Kannike, and the Sujyothi.
Srirangapatna: This historic town in Karnataka is renowned for its religious and cultural heritage, including the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and the Daria Daulat Bagh, a teakwood palace. It is situated on an island formed by bifurcation of the Kaveri River.
Mysore (Mysuru): One of Karnataka's largest cities, Mysore, lies along the banks of the Kaveri River. It is famous for its palaces, gardens, and traditional festivals, including the Mysore Dasara.
Shivanasamudra: This town in Karnataka is known for the Shivanasamudra Falls.
Tiruchirappalli (Trichy): A major city in Tamil Nadu, Tiruchirappalli is situated on the banks of the Kaveri River. It is known for its temples, including the Rockfort Temple and the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.
Thanjavur (Tanjore): Another important city in Tamil Nadu, Thanjavur, lies along the banks of the Kaveri River. It is renowned for the Brihadeeswarar Temple and its rich cultural heritage.
Erode: a major city of Tamil Nadu
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