Karnataka

Talakaveri

The next day after our visit to the Dubare Elephant Camp [Mythili's Son], we set out to see the Talakaveri, the worshipping Goddess of Kodagu, which is about 100 kms. from the Elephant Corridor, Coorg, Homestay Resort (www.coorghomestay.piczo.com)  run by Viju & Nimi Biddanda Chengapa couple.

It was raining.  A cold and misty morning with tiny needles of rain wetting our faces.  But then, we had decided to visit two places of pilgrimage - Bhagamandala and Talakaveri.  They are about 40 and 48 kms. respectively from Madikeri which is the nearest town. 

The local custom is to visit the Bhagamandala Triveni Sangamam first and then proceed to Talakaveri.  We did accordingly, but for the sake of convenience and clarity I  have changed the order of visit in this blog.


Entrance to the Talakaveri Temple.   

The river Cauvery is an inter state river in South India, flowing East, and emptying into the Bay of Bengal.  Its origin is on the  Brahmagiri Hills in the Western ghats, in the Kodagu district of the state of  Karnataka and is about 3,700 feet above Mean Sea Level.  It traverses both the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu, for a length of 800 kms, and descends the Eastern Ghats, in a series of great water falls.  The devout Hindus call it  the Dakshina Ganga and tamil poets from yore till today have sung peans in her praise. 


The Brahma Kundike, the Origin of Kaveri as a spring from the mountains.

People attribute miraculous powers to this Talakaveri. At a predetermined time on  Tula Sankaramana day in the middle of October, there is a sudden surge  or gushing of water from a  small pond and devout Kodavas take a holy dip in the nearby pond and take home the holy water for worship.   But what is troubling my rational mind is that there is no permanent flow that is visible from this pond to the main river course. 


Devout Hindus taking a bath at the pond adjacent to the Kundike. 


My family engulfed in the mist on the foot steps of the pond.

A small rectangular kundike (small spring/pond) or a tank has been erected on the hillside, at the place that is said to be the origin of Kaveri.  It is alleged that the River Kaveri originates as a spring feeding this kuntike, from which the pond gets its quota of water and the excess is fed out through the mouth of the Nandi at a lower level.  After this the water is said to flow underground, to emerge as a river some distance away and we saw her spreading her reach at Baghamandala where she is joined by the rivers Kannike and the mythical  Sujyothi - hence the name Triveni Sangamam. 


Over flowing waters through the mouth of the Nandi going underground and surface again a short distance away??   

What made Cauvery flow where Kaveri flows now?  There is a very interesting and charming legend to it.  


An offshoot of the Divine Tree planted by Sage Agasthya.

During the marriage of Siva and Parvathi, in the  Mount Kailas, the mighty Meru, could not withstand the overcrowding of the guests both invited and uninvited. The North of Bharatha Kandam was tilting precariously with every possibility of the upending of the South. Lord  Siva ordered Agasthya to go to the South specifically to the Vindhya Mountains,  to counter-balance the tilt in the North. 

Agasthya was created in a pitcher, or a Kumbha, and he has several names to reflect that. Kumbha Muni, Kumbha Sambhava and Kalasodhbhava, Tamil Muni etc. because he is the founder of Tamil Language which was taught to him by Tamil God Lord Murugan. He also drew up the first grammar rules for the Tamil Language.

Agasthya was very reluctant to go to South, as he also wanted to witness the celestial marriage and as an excuse he remonstrated that without  a holy tirtha for doing his sankalpas and  holy rituals he would not budge from Mount Kailas.  The Kapadanatakasutradaari, Lord Siva, packed the ever flowing Cauvery in the Kamandalu of Sage Agasthya and packed him off to South.

In between, for one of his capers, Lord Indra was cursed to hide in between the strand of a fibre in a Lotus stalk.  He had to perform a penance to Lord Siva to regain his lost glory for which he needed a holy thirtham. 

Indira was advised by Sage Narada, to pray to Lord Ganesha to bring a holy river to where he was hiding and the nearest happened to be the Kamandalu of Sage Agasthya where in Kaveri was confined.  Lord Ganesha took the form of a crow and perched himself on the Kamandalu of Sage Agasthya while he was meditating. 

Sage Agasthya was rattled.  Many a times he had shooed the Divine Crow but the Crow was adamant and settled itself on the Kamandalu again and  yet again.  Exasperated he was about to strike the bird, when it tipped the Kamandalu and flew away.  Kaveri who was confined in a very restricted place, poured out in joy and thus began her journey from Talakaveri.  Even though the crow flew away, Sage Agasthya was given a darshan by Lord Ganesha in the form of a young boy.  In his blind fury, Sage Agasthya was about to pound the head of the young boy with his  clenched knuckles, when the young boy also disappeared and in his place stood Lord Ganesha.  Agasthya was astounded  at the realisation that he had just tried to knock the head of Lord Ganesha Himself. As an atonement, he knocked his own head with both of his clenched fists. This became the "Pillaiyaar Kuttu" which is an integral part of  Vigna Vinayaka worship.

The temple at Talakaveri has the Siva Linga installed by Sage Agasthya.  It is dedicated to Lord  Agastheeswara considered to be a link between Sage Agasthya and the river Cauvery. It also has the branch of a Divine tree planted and revered by the public, as it is rumoured to be from the tree originally planted by Sage Agasthya. 

BHAGAMANDALA 



Bhagamandala Triveni Sangamam. 

Pitru Tharpanam at the Triveni Sangamam.

This holy place is in the foothills of Talakaveri and is 8 kms. down hill.  It is the confluence of three sacred rivers Kaveri, Kannike, and the subterranean stream, Sujyothi, which is not visible to the naked eye.  On the banks of these three rivers is located the Bhagandeshwara temple, one of the important pilgrimage centres in Coorg.   Pilgrims proceed to Talakaveri only after offering worship at Bhagamandala. It is customary for the Kodava Males  to shave their head at Bhagamandala in the event of a bereavement in the family. 




The mist covered Brahmagiri Hills  Range.

It was time for us to return to our resort.  Brahmagiri Hills were enveloped in wisps of dark rain bearing clouds and continuous mist which made visibility almost nil. 


Even the entrance to the temple at Talakaveri was barely visible.   

Technical Details: 

Nikon F 80 with Nikkor AF 28-105mm. f3.5-4.5 D Lens. (Film Based)
 
Light :  Available light photography.  

Weather: Cloudy, with intermittent rains, and sunlight once in a while. 

All photographs, hand held, without  the use of a tripod. 

All above Photographs copyright fotoRaj. [aka Rajaputhran]

Cauvery as she appears in Tamilnadu. 

Image courtesy: http://www.deccan.net/india/cauvery/    

In Tamilnadu, the Kaveri  River of Karnataka, is written as Cauvery River.  


Rajaputhran.