Varalotti pays his "tribute" to Cauvery in his unique way !

Dear Sridhar,
water is the exilir of all life. And Kaveri is considered the pregnant daughter who comes to her mother's house. She is treated with all kinds of goodies on Aadi 18 and worshipped also. It is Kaveri who gives us our daily rice.
Myself and my hubby used to visit Kumbakonam during the Aadi month, just after water is released in the Kaveri and soak and play in the water in the morning as well as in the evenings. (Hubby's ancestoral house is just near a padithurai). Now that no one is living there, we are missing on that.
A very beautiful middle, as always.

Dear Sridhar,

Your article is really very nostalgic. Mysore was my grandma's place (and now my in-laws place). When we were kids...we always used to goto Mysore for our summer and Dasara holidays. As VS mentioned, on our way to Mysore from Bangalore, in Srirangapatna, our grandma used to give all of us coins when we cross the sacred river Cauvery and we all used to pray and drop the coins into the river. At that time it was kind of fun activity for all of us ...we used to wait to cross Cauvery river.

Readind VS's reply has brought back all my childhood memories.....KRS dam, Srirangapatna, T.Narsipura, Gaganachukki and Bharachukki...oh! how I wish that I could visit Mysore right now with all my cousins like we used to in our childhood days !!

Regards,
Sihi

Thanks Chitra, once again, for bringing this latest middle of Varalotti to our notice.
Sridhar, we sure are the blessed lot to be able to read all your writings without even asking or looking for it. Your writing is improving by leaps and bounds and your varied themes are enriching my perpectives. Just as you provoke us to some introspection on life's varied aspects, you feast our sensibilities by bringing the rich writings of Kambar and Bharati.
Your write up on Kaveri is lyrical and your description of her travels makes her dance in my mind's eyes. If I spend some more time reading such wonderful essays of your's about our Motherland's richness, it is possible I will want to pack my bags soon and get to Kaveri's banks! And no regrets.
Thank you so much dear writer. After Madurai, it is Kaveri. What next?!

L, Kamla

Another special thanks to you as your threads are bringing other good writers forth. Vidyasarada, your postings are always a pleasure to read and I actually look forward to them these days:)

Beautiful write up Sridhar,

Of course I have had the good fortune to vist dear kaveri right from her birth place at thala kaveri in Coorg. Oh it is such a divine place, so serene ( i visited some 20 years back and hope it is still the same!!) .

I have had the opportunity to take a dip in her waters in Kumbakonam . And of course visit the famous temples situated near her banks. She is indeed a jewel of the south. Thanks for bringing such gems into our lives.


Vandhana

Hi Purnima,

Only this afternoon I received the hard copy of DH in which my article appeared. They have devoted a whole page for Cauvery - under the heading Nee Kudiyuva neer Kaveri. And my article is the last of the three. They have chopped off what I said about its origin and all and have retained my description of cauvery in the delta region.

As you were happy reading this article, I am happy to have made you happy early in the morning, last Sunday.
Thanks for the appreciative post.
regards,
varalotti

Dear Vidya,

A river especially like Cauvery is not just a water-body, it is a part of our life, our culture, civilisation, more a part of our history than our geography.

I have been to Kallanai during my young days. Whenever I go to Chennai by Vaigai, when the train crosses Cauvery and Kollidam I will drop the book and listen intently on what the river has to say.

I am afraid that the next generation and the generation after next will not have such real joys - they will have to be content with virtual happiness and plastic pleasures.

Thanks for the participation, vidya.
varalotti

Thanks a ton Seena for your kind words. While folklore is abundant as to who brought Cauvery to us, I am happy that I brought Cauvery to your mind.

I am happy that you read and enjoyed this piece of writing and am grateful for your kind words.
regards,
sridhar

Dear VS,
For us Cauvery is the mother. Even when we do Ganga Snanam on the Deepavali day the mantra we utter includes Cauvery.

Cauvery as a river is quite unique. If you trace its course you will find, as in many a human life, there are times of affluence and times of poverty. When the river appears smaller than a stream and when the river looks larger than the sea. The former is described as Aadhu Thandum Cauvery - (her banks are so close that a sheep can jump from one bank to the opposite bank) and Akanda Cauvery, the broad river.

But the beauty is that her water tastes the same in both the cases, in the same way, the behaviour of noble souls is not affected by the change in circumstances.

As usual you have added to my education (the gap-filling process) by pointing out some sthalas and temples which I missed out.
Thanks VS for enriching the thread.
regards,
sridhar

Dear Meenu,
Seeing your post I am reminded of our poet who put his words into the mouth of MGR,
வானும் நீரும் காற்றும் நெருப்பும் பொதுவில் இருக்குது
மனிதன் காலடி பட்ட பூமி மட்டும் பிரிஞ்சி கிடக்குது
The sky, the water, the air and the fire
Belong to all of us
Whilst the cursed earth on which
Man set his foot is divided into mine and yours.

That was said in 70s. With the advancement in our culture we have now taken water from the "belongs to all" list and are trying to move to "mine and yours" list
But for the time pressure and the space pressure (700 words) I would have paid a better tribute to Mother Cauvery.
regards,
varalotti

Dear Varudhini,

I would love to publish this in any paper, any medium which has the reach of this country's millions. But national papers would not pay heed to articles like this. On the day riots broke on in Bangalore and Tamilnadu-Karnataka border almost all the national papers published detailed treatises on how many QMCs of water should be given by whom to whom and how this will affect agriculture, industry etc.

You will be surprised to know that about a million times the quantity of water in dispute in the Cauvery case, flows into the Arabian sea, almost unused.
Instead of fighting against each other if we join hands against that kind of wastage, we can reach greater heights.

Thanks for your kind post, Varudhini.
regards,
sridhar