In India water is not just vital for its life- support characteristics but holy Rivers are worshipped as Goddess and Mother. Holy bath in the waters of the sacred Rivers is believed to help in removing sins, attaining salvation and key religious significance as well. Most of the ancient city of India like Haridwar, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Nasik, Patna, Tiruchirappalli, Ujjain etc. are located on the banks of the holy Rivers. Kaveri is one of the seven sacred River also known as Goddess Kaveri. It is the third largest river of south India and largest river of Tamilnadu.
Legend and Importance of Sacred River of India – Kaveri
Sacred River Kaveri is one of the large river of India, passing through the Karnataka and Tamilnadu. The origin of the river is at Talakaveri on the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu district of Karnataka, and flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before outfall into the Bay of Bengal. The basin of Kaveri is around 81,155 km2 with many tributaries like Shimsha, Hemavati, Arkavati, Honnuhole, Lakshmana Tirtha, Kabini, Bhavani, Lokapavani, Noyyal and Amaravati. This forms the wide delta called the “Garden of South India” and devotee also called Kaveri as Ganga of Dakshina or Ganges of South. The basin covers state including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry. It forms the beautiful sacred islands of Shivanasamudra beside the Shivanasamudra Falls and Srirangapatnam the major pilgrimage centre.
From the ancient time Kaveri River is the lifeguard of many cities and kingdom of south India and used for irrigation and hydroelectric power. In Tamilnadu, there is a Mettur Dam on River Kaveri, with 5,300 feet long and 176 feet high, which helps in agricultural and industry for irrigation and hydropower. Three kilometres away from Srirangapatna, the Kaveri is the basis for the Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary. The confluence of the rivers Kaveri, Bhavani and Akash Ganga is at the place of Bhavani, Tamil Nadu Kooduthurai or Triveni Sangam, Northern part of Erode City. While passing through Erode, more tributaries like Thirumani Mutharu Noyyal and Amaravathi join Kaveri and reaches Mayanur Dam, about 20 kilometers east of Karur city.
As per the ancient scriptures, great King Kavera, always in a thought of peace and happiness of people of his kingdom thus to achieved he performed penance of Lord Shiva. He got the blessing of Lord Shiva in form of daughter – Kaveri who will fulfil his wish. Going forward Kaveri married with great sage Agastya and spent their life in helping people. One day Sage Agastya went to a lake for bath and felt it is not safe for Kaveri to be let alone in ashram. Thus he form Kaveri into a water and put her in his Kamandala. As he entered into lake, put the Kamandala on bank. Then Lord Ganesha came in the form of crow and hit the Kamandala, the water from it flowed and turned into a river. This is how Kaveri helped people by converting herself into water. Thus Kaveri is one of the seven sacred River along with the Ganga , Yamuna , Saraswati , Narmada , Godavari and Sindhu.
Another legendary tale associated with Kaveri is about cleanse holy river Ganges once in a year. As millions of pilgrimages takes holy dip into the Ganges to cleanse their sins. Thus River Ganga flows underground and meet Kaveri, every year to cleanse herself and free her of those sins.
