Kaveri

This article is about the river. For other uses, see Kaveri (disambiguation).

Kaveri Cauvery
Clockwise from top left: Talakaveri; Kaveri at Srirangapatna; Hogenakkal Falls; Kallanai Dam; Confluence with Bhavani; and Shivanasamudra Falls
Kaveri River basin
Location
Country	India
Region	South India
States	Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry
Physical characteristics
Source	Western Ghats
• location	Talakaveri, Kodagu district, Karnataka
• coordinates	12°23′N 75°29′E
• elevation	1,341 m (4,400 ft)
Mouth	Bay of Bengal
• location	Poompuhar, Mayiladuthurai district, Tamil Nadu
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	800 km (500 mi)[1]
Basin size	81,155 km^2 (31,334 sq mi)[2]
Discharge
• location	Lower Anaicut (58.5 km upstream of mouth)
• average	919 m^3/s (32,500 cu ft/s) (1998-2024)[3]
• minimum	144 m^3/s (5,100 cu ft/s)[3]
• maximum	4,075 m^3/s (143,900 cu ft/s)[3]
Discharge
• location	Grand Anicut (140 km upstream of mouth)
• average	400.716 m^3/s (14,151.2 cu ft/s) (1976-1979)[5] 1,131 m^3/s (39,900 cu ft/s) (1998-2024)[4]
• minimum	78 m^3/s (2,800 cu ft/s)[4]
• maximum	4,916 m^3/s (173,600 cu ft/s)[4]
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Harangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavati, Sarabanga, Thirumanimutharu
• right	Lakshmana Tirtha, Kabini, Bhavani, Noyyal, Amaravati, Moyar

The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery) is a major river flowing across Southern India. It is the third largest river in the region after Godavari and Krishna. The catchment area of the Kaveri basin is estimated to be 81,155 km² (31,334 sq mi) and encompasses the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the union territory of Puducherry.

The river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats. The source is located at an elevation of 1,341 m (4,400 ft) in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. The river flows for about 320 km (200 mi) through the Deccan plateau in Karnataka before entering Tamil Nadu. It flows further eastward in Tamil Nadu for 416 km (258 mi) before flowing into the Bay of Bengal near Poompuhar in Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu. The river flows for a total length of about 800 km (500 mi). The major tributaries include Amaravati, Arkavati, Bhavani, Hemavati, Kabini, Lakshmana Tirtha, and Noyyal.

There are a number of dams on the river which form part of an extensive irrigation system and are used for the generation of hydroelectric power. The river has supported agriculture for centuries and has served as the lifeline of several kingdoms in the past. Access to the river's waters has been a cause of dispute among the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for decades. The Kaveri basin is a densely populated region, with several towns and cities located on its banks.

The river is considered as sacred by the people of Southern India and is considered to be among the seven holy rivers of India. The river is often personified and worshiped as the goddess Kaveri. The river is mentioned in various Hindu religious texts including the Mahabharata and the Puranas. In ancient Tamil literature, the river is referenced to as Ponni meaning "the golden one".

Etymology

Kaveri is mentioned in Sanskrit as a holy river in various Hindu religious texts including the Mahabharata and the Puranas.^[6] The name itself might have had different etymologies. As per Skanda Purana, the river arose after Ganesha took a form of a crow and toppled sage Agastya's kamandala. The river then took its name from the Tamil language words kā meaning "crow" and viri meaning "spread" literally translating to "spread by a crow". It might also mean a river with wide spread banks as viri can also be translated as wide spread.^[6][7][8] The etymology of the river might have also been derived from kāviri, the Sankethi word for "river" from the language spoken by the Sankethi people, who live along its waters.^[9] Cauvery is the anglicized version of the original name.^[8]

The river is also known by other names. In ancient Tamil literature, the river was called Ponni meaning "the golden one" in reference to the fine silt it deposits.^[10][11][12] It is known as Daksina gaṅgā meaning the "Ganges of the South" indicating its geographical location and its significance.^[13] It is also mentioned as Ardha gaṅgā meaning Half Ganga in Mahabharata and other literature, due to its purported mythology of having arisen from the Ganges.^[6] Marudvṛdhā is another hypothesised name for this river, meaning "the beloved of the Maruts" in Sanskrit.^[14]

Course

The river arises at Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka.^[15] The source of the river is located at an altitude of 1,341 m (4,400 ft) in the Brahmagiri Hills of the Western Ghats.^[1] Its follows a rough upper course consisting of rocky beds and high banks. Once it leaves the Kodagu hills, it flows eastwards and forms a series of rapids and falls. It flows through a narrow gorge onto the Deccan plateau and drops about 18–24 m (59–79 ft) at Chunchanakatte Falls.^[13] The river forms the island of Srirangapatna and widens to 900–1,200 ft (270–370 m) before flowing south-east.^[13][15] At Shivanasamudra, the river drops 91 m (299 ft) and forms the Shivanasamudra Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the country.^[1][15] After forming the island of Shivanasamudra, the river converges and passes through the Mekedatu gorge.^[1][16] After flowing for 320 km (200 mi) in Karnataka, the river flows for about 64 km (40 mi) along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.^[1]

The river enters Tamil Nadu and forms the Hogenakkal Falls.^[15] After the falls, the river flows southwards towards Mettur Dam and joins its main right bank tributary Bhavani at Kooduthurai.^[1][16] The river flows eastwards through Erode and Karur, and widens further before entering the Tiruchirappalli district. It splits into two branches with the northern part called as Kollidam River and the southern part of the river retaining the name Kaveri.^[1] After flowing for 16 km (9.9 mi), the two branches converge around the Srirangam island.^[1][16] The river further branches off into 36 different channels before emptying into the Bay of Bengal near Puhar in Mayiladuthurai district.^[17] The river traverses for about 416 km (258 mi) in Tamil Nadu for a total length of about 800 km (500 mi).^[1]

Tributaries

The Kaveri River has 21 major tributaries.^[1] The largest tributary Hemavati, and Lakshmana Tirtha join the river at Krishna Raja Sagara.^[1][13] Kabini is another major contributor to the flow of Kaveri and joins the river in Karnataka. It meets with its second largest tributary Bhavani at Kooduthurai in Bhavani and two other tributaries Noyyal, and Amaravati join further down the stream in Tamil Nadu.^[1] Other tributaries of Kaveri include Shimsha, Arkavati, Sarabanga, and Thirumanimutharu.^[1][16]

Discharge

Source:^[3][4]

Discharge

Year		Grand Anicut				Lower Anicut
		(m^3/s)				(m^3/s)
		Min	Mean	Max		Min	Mean	Max
1998		170	1,099	3,454		161	885	2,540
1999		289	1,131	3,778		285	864	2,845
2000		343	1,287	4,903		233	1,011	3,335
2001		258	1,080	3,348		309	948	3,115
2002		139	772	2,392		144	867	2,423
2003		78	667	2,297		216	646	2,100
2004		103	895	3,303		217	839	3,160
2005		179	1,012	3,354		240	991	3,873
2006		268	1,072	2,495		473	1,091	3,187
2007		118	993	3,308		324	1,126	4,075
2008		132	1,094	3,677		398	1,103	3,167
2009		227	1,040	3,238		290	965	3,301
2010		373	1,080	3,141		411	1,022	3,626
2011		171	1,163	3,815		296	928	3,014
2012		190	874	3,342		177	711	2,149
2013		82	1,043	3,281		229	856	3,127
2014		279	1,148	3,663		409	980	2,533
2015		559	1,422	3,816		407	913	2,177
2016		490	1,129	2,890		276	728	1,733
2017		216	931	3,586		154	671	1,832
2018		341	1,571	4,439		266	934	3,427
2019		331	1,473	4,559		173	966	3,070
2020		591	1,590	4,373		209	983	2,944
2021		478	1,502	3,935		257	988	3,136
2022		548	1,713	4,916		407	1,172	3,385
Overall		78	1,151	4,916		144	928	4,075

Geology and ecology

The location of the supposed impact structure (red circle) surrounded by hills within the Deccan peninsula

The Kaveri basin was formed in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous period during Gondwana breakup and opening of the Indian Ocean.^[18] Most of the basin is made up of Precambrian rocks and the two major rock types that are found are metamorphic and igneous rocks.^[16] Closepet granite is found in the upper parts of the Kaveri basin and Charnockite rocks are only found in the central part.^[15] A 2017 paper proposed that an impact structure was present in the vicinity of the Kaveri river.^[19] The run-off from the river does not drain off quickly because of the shape of the river basin, which limits the occurrence of floods. It is a perennial river fed mostly by monsoons. Four distinct seasons occur in the basin with hot and cold seasons sandwiching the monsoon seasons. The river basin is fed by South-West monsoon in Karnataka, and North-East monsoon in Tamil Nadu.^[1]

The Kaveri basin is made up of two sub-zones, forest and agro-ecosystem.^[20] The forest vegetation consists of a mix of dry deciduous, evergreen forests, and grasslands.^[21] As per a study, about 12,850 km² (4,960 sq mi) of natural vegetation was lost in the river basin between 1965 to 2016.^[22] The basin has a variety of flora with major species including Terminalia arjuna, Tamarindus indica, Pongamia pinnata, Salix tetrasperma, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus religiosa, Eucalyptus torticornis, and Diospyros montana.^[20]

There are many protected areas spread across the river basin including significant tiger and elephant habitats. The basin provides habitat to a range of animal species such as gaur, leopard, sloth bear, Bengal tiger, Indian elephant, Nilgiri tahr, grizzled giant squirrel, and various species of deer, wild boar and reptiles.^[21] The river also hosts a variety of avifauna including the painted stork (Mycteria leucocephala), spot-billed pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), and black-headed ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus). It is also home to the mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), and hump-backed mahseer (Tor remadevii).^[23]

Riparian zone

Stanley Reservoir formed by Mettur Dam, the largest dams on the river.

The total watershed of the basin is 81,155 km² (31,334 sq mi) and the riparian zone of the river consists of 43,856 km² (16,933 sq mi) in Tamil Nadu, 34,273 km² (13,233 sq mi) in Karnataka, 2,866 km² (1,107 sq mi) in Kerala, and 160 km² (62 sq mi) in the union territory of Puducherry.^[2][1] Over half of the Kaveri basin is arable and the most cultivated crops are rice and sugarcane.^[20] An estimate at the time of the first Five Year Plan put the total flow of the river at 15 cubic kilometres (12,000,000 acre⋅ft), of which 60% was used for irrigation.^[24] The river is also used for drinking water and hydroelectric power generation.^[13][25]

The Grand Anicut was constructed by a Chola King in 2nd century CE.^[1] The hydroelectric plant built on the Sivanasamudra Falls in 1902 was the first hydroelectric plant in Asia.^[26] The Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu was constructed in 1934 and the Stanley Reservoir formed by the dam has a capacity of 93.4 tmc ft.^[13][27] Krishna Raja Sagara in Karnataka is the second largest dam on the river and has a capacity of 49.5 tmc ft.^[27][28] Bhavanisagar Dam (32.8 tmc ft) on the Bhavani River in Tamil Nadu, Hemavathy Dam (37.1 tmc ft) on the Hemavathi River, Kabini Dam (18.5 tmc ft) on the Kabini River, and Harangi Dam (9.5 tmc ft) on the Harangi River in Karnataka are major dams on the tributaries of Kaveri.^[2][27]

Water dispute

Kaveri basin

Further information: Kaveri River water dispute

The dispute over the sharing of Kaveri waters began in 1807 when the Madras Presidency objected to the plans of the Mysore kingdom to develop irrigation projects. After initial discussions failed, the British Raj intervened and a six rule agreement called the General Agreement of 1892 was signed.^[29] After Indian Independence, article 262 of the Constitution of India provided powers to the Government of India to adjudicate on inter-state disputes on water sharing.^[30] The Government of India constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on 2 June 1990 to adjudicate the water dispute between the riparian states and territories in the river basin. In an order passed in June 1991, the CWDT directed Karnataka to release 205 tmc ft of water per year to Tamil Nadu based on a specific schedule. The water was to be released in four equal installments in a particular month and any shortfall would need to be covered in the subsequent week. Tamil Nadu was directed to provide 6 tmc ft of water to Puducherry.^[2]

In July 1991, the President of India asked the Supreme Court of India to rule on the validity and legality of the tribunal under the Constitution. In November 1991, the Supreme Court opined that the order needs to be published by the central government in the Official Gazette, which was done on 1 December 1991.^[2] In May 1992, the Government of Tamil Nadu filed a case in the Supreme Court to direct the Indian Government to pass necessary orders to ensure the implementation of the provisions of the tribunal order. In April 1997, the Attorney General of India reverted that the central government has prepared a scheme under the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956 for the implementation of the tribunal award and the Cauvery Water Authority (CRA) and Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC) were formed subsequently as a part of the Cauvery Water (Implementation of Interim Orders of 1991 and all subsequent Tribunal Orders) Scheme, 1998. The CRA is headed by the Prime Minister of India and consists of the Chief Ministers of the riparian states as its consituent members.^[2]

On 16 February 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that Karnataka will get 284.75 tmc ft, Tamil Nadu will get 404.25 tmc ft, Kerala will get 30 tmc ft and Puducherry will get 7 tmc ft of water from the river. An additional 10 tmc ft was reserved for environmental protection and 4 tmc ft was reserved for wastage into the sea.^[31] The court directed the government to form a Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) within six weeks and acting on the Supreme Court's direction, the central government constituted the CMWA in June 2018.^[32][33][34]

Religious significance

As per Hindu mythology, Sage Agastya is believed to have brought Kaveri to the region.

In Hinduism, the river is considered one of seven holy rivers in India. The river is personified and worshiped as the river goddess Kaveri Amma.

^[6][35] Kaveri is mentioned as both a river and a goddess in various Hindu texts such as the Mahabharata and the Puranas. The river is mentioned as one of the seven holy Gangas and bathing in the river is said to grant one's desired as per the Sivapurana. The Varaha Purana states that the river flows from the five great mountains and gives longevity to those who drink the waters of the river. The Skanda Purana narrates the various origins of the river. Shiva filled Agastya's bowl with Kaveri, who flowed as a river with the help of Ganesha.^[6]

In another legend, Lopamudra becomes Agastya's wife and takes on a form of water during a severe drought in South India. Agastya carries her in his small brass water pot and Ganesha, in the form of crow, knocks the water pot down. The spilled water runs down the hill and onto the drought-stricken land.^[36] Another story narrates that during the Samudra Manthana, or churning of the Ocean of Milk, Mohini and Lopamudra retrieved the nectar of immortality for the gods. Afterwards, Brahma took care of Lopamudra as his daughter and later offered her to king Kavera, who renamed her as Kaveri. When Kaveri grew up she prayed to Brahma to transform her into a purifying river.^[35]

As per the Tamil literature Manimekalai, Agastya drank the Ganges River in anger, when the floods destroyed his tapas and later released it in South India. Silapathikaram mentions Kaveri as the daughter of Kavera. In Theravada Buddhism, Kaveri is mentioned as a water channel. It is part of the twenty canal-systems associated with the reservoir Parakkamasamudda that existed in the Polonnaruwa region during the reign of king Parakramabahu I.^[6]

See also

• List of rivers of India
• Kaveri Pushkaram

References

1. Integrated Hydrological Data Book (PDF) (Report). Central Water Commission. p. 92. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
2. "Cauvery Water". Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
3. "River Discharge and Reservoir Storage Changes - Area 2043". Flood observatory, Colorado University. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
4. "River Discharge and Reservoir Storage Changes - Area 2042". Flood observatory, Colorado University. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
5. "Gauging Station - Data Summary". RivDis. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
6. "Kaveri". Wisdom library. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
7. "River Kaveri Story". Samayam (in Tamil). 9 September 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
8. "Cauvery flows, thanks to a crow!". E-pao. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
9. "How the Rivers of India Descended From the Heavens: Kaveri". Outlook. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
10. "Daughter of Ponni". The Indian Express. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
11. "Cauvery Chronicles II: Ponni's Perish". Newslaundry. 8 February 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
12. "The death of a river". Millennium Post. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
13. "Kaveri River". Britannica. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
14. "Marudvṛdhā". Sanskrit Lexicon. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
15. Jain, Sharad K.; Agarwal, Pushpendra K.; Singh, Vijay P. (2007). Hydrology and Water Resources of India. Springer Science. pp. 702–711. ISBN 9781402051807.
16. Singh, Dhruv Sen (2018). The Indian rivers : scientific and socio-economic aspects. Singapore: Springer Science. pp. 354–356.
17. Ramkumar, Mu; Kumaraswamy, K.; Mohanraj, R. (2015). Environmental Management of River Basin Ecosystems. Springer Science. p. 286.
18. Nagendra, R.; Nallapa Reddy, A. (2017). "Major geologic events of the Cauvery Basin, India and their correlation with global signatures – A review". Journal of Palaeogeography. 6 (1): 69–83. doi:10.1016/j.jop.2016.09.002.
19. Subrahmanya, K. R.; Prakash Narasimha, K. N. (October 2017). "Kaveri crater – An impact structure in the Precambrian terrain of southern India". Journal of the Geological Society of India. 90 (4): 387–395. doi:10.1007/s12594-017-0733-5. ISSN 0016-7622. S2CID 134717819.
20. Sunil, C.; Somashekar, R. K.; Nagaraja, B. C. (1 November 2010). "Riparian vegetation assessment of Cauvery River Basin of South India". Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 170 (1): 548. doi:10.1007/s10661-009-1256-3. PMID 20024615. S2CID 19865294.
21. National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in India (PDF). Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India (Report). November 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
22. "Natural vegetation on nearly 12,850 sq. km in the Cauvery basin has been lost, says a research paper". The Hindu. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
23. "Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
24. "Chapter 26: Irrigation and power". 1st Five Year Plan. Planning Commission of India. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
25. "Archived copy" (PDF). TCE. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
26. "World Waterfall Database". Archived from the original on 14 November 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2006.
27. "Reservoir levels". Government of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
28. "Corporation urged to chalk out water policy for Mysore city". The Hindu. 26 March 2006. Archived from the original on 29 October 2006.
29. Rani, Midatala; Rani, Middatala (2002). "Historical Background Of The Cauvery Water Dispute". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 63: 1033–1042. JSTOR 44158173.
30. "Article 262 of Indian Consitution". Indiakanoon. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
31. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
32. Rajagopal, Krishnadas (16 February 2018). "Supreme Court curtails Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
33. "Cauvery Water Management Scheme, 2018". Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
34. "Cauvery dispute". News Minute. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
35. Warrier, Shrikala (2014). Kamandalu: The Seven Sacred Rivers of Hinduism. Mayur University. pp. 20, 192–195. ISBN 978-0-95356-797-3.
36. Eck, Diana L. (2012). India: A Sacred Geography. United States: Harmony Books. p. 179. ISBN 978-0-385-53191-7.

External links