17 Kaveri River Facts: Learn And Understand Its Importance!

Did you know that rivers are worshipped as goddesses in Indian culture?

Except for the Brahmaputra River in North India, which is worshipped as male, most rivers in India have been associated with female, often mother deities throughout history. The reason behind this is that river water provides a source of living for the people. like a mother.

In South India, the Kaveri River is a prominent holy river. It is one of the longest rivers in India. being the ninth-longest river of the country and the third-longest river of South India.

The Kaveri River is one of the seven sacred Hindu rivers, along with Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Sindhu/Indus, Narmada, and the Godavari.

The Kaveri River is also called Cauvery River; Kaveri’s English version is used by the British in India, while the ancient kingdoms of south India called it the Ponni River.

River Cauvery originates from the Brahmagiri Hills in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, in the Western Ghats region. The Kaveri River rises from an elevation of 4,425 ft (1,348 m) above sea level and flows for about 497 mi (800 km) through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Other significant features of the Kaveri river include the 31,334 sq mi (81,155 sq km) large river basin and the Cauvery delta, which is heavily populated and is one of the most fertile regions in India.

Here, we will discuss many more interesting Kaveri River facts to help you learn and understand the importance of this holy river.

Unique Facts About The Kaveri River

Do you know the goddess associated with the River Cauvery? The Kaveri River is named after Hindu goddess Kaveri, who was born to King Kavera as a blessing and reward for his endless devotion to Lord Vishnu.

Goddess Kaveri was married to the famous sage Agastya, who one day turned her into water and poured her into his 'kamandalu' (pot) to keep her safe. But this pot was tipped by mistake, and Kaveri flowed through the land, joined other existing bodies of water, and formed a river.

This is how the River Kaveri came into existence, according to Hindu mythology.

Apart from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the Kaveri River’s basin also covers the Indian Union Territory of Pondicherry in South India.

In the southernmost region of Karnataka, the River Kaveri forms an island, called the island of Shivanasamudra and is surrounded by the beautiful Shivanasamudra Falls. In 1902, the first hydroelectric plant of Asia was built on the Shivanasamudra Falls, on the River Kaveri.

Another famous waterfall on the Cauvery River is the Hogenakal Falls, in the Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu. The Hogenakal Falls are also called the Niagara Falls of India.

The River Cauvery also has many dams along its course. The largest dam in the Kaveri River is the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam, located in Karnataka. In Tamil Nadu, the Mettur Dam is built on the Kaveri river and is one of the largest dams in India.

Facts About The Kaveri River's Course

From its rising in the Western Ghats in Karnataka to its emptying in the Bay of Bengal through Tamil Nadu in the east, the Cauvery River travels about 497 mi (800 km) in South India.

From the Brahmagiri Hills in Karnataka, the Kaveri River flows through the Deccan plateau, forming two islands, Srirangapatna and Shivanasamudra. At Shivanasamudra island, the river falls from a height of 323 ft (98 m), forming the two well-known Shivanasamudra Falls, which are separately called Gagana Chukki and Bhara Chukki.

Asia's first hydroelectric plant was built on these waterfalls in 1902. On its way through Karnataka, the Cauvery River is met by 12 dams for irrigation.

The Krishna Raja Sagara Dam is the largest dam on river Kaveri’s course and lies in the Mandya region of Karnataka. Kaveri River enters Tamil Nadu through the Dharmapuri district.

The Hogenakkal Falls are formed from Kaveri’s water, through which the river arrives in the town of Hogenakkal, in Tamil Nadu. Here, the Kaveri River reaches flat plains where it meets many tributaries. Above Stanley Reservoir in Mettur and the Mettur Dam, three small tributaries, Palar, Chinnar, and Thoppar, meet the Kaveri River.

After flowing from here, two more tributaries join the Kaveri River on the right bank, called Noyyal and Amaravati. Thus, the Cauvery River widens and becomes the Akhanda Kaveri.

Upon crossing the Trichy District of Tamil Nadu, the river is divided again into two branches: the northern branch is called Kollidam, and the southern branch retains the name of Kaveri. These two branches meet near the Kaveri Delta and form the Srirangam Island.

The Kaveri Delta is known to be the most fertile area of the Kaveri basin. The Cauvery falls into the Bay of Bengal as it flows through the Delta.

Kaveri River In Karnataka And Tamil Nadu

River Cauvery’s water is essential to the lives of people in South India as it generates electricity, is used for household consumption, and is purified as drinking water for millions.

Out of the Kaveri River’s total basin area, 41.2% lies in Karnataka, 55.5% in Tamil Nadu, and 3.3 % in Kerala.

The total length of the Cauvery River is approximately 500 mi (804 km), of which 200 mi (321 km) is in Karnataka, 260 mi (418 km) in Tamil Nadu.

As Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have access to the largest parts of the river, there has always been a conflict between the two states for access to the river and its resources.

This dispute goes back to the pre-independence time of India.

After Independence, both states filed numerous appeals to the Supreme Court, claiming they deserved more share of the river water than the other state.

In 2018, the central government of India declared that the state of Karnataka would get 284.75 thousand million cu ft (8.06 thousand million cu m) water, Tamil Nadu 404.25 thousand million cu ft (11.44 thousand million cu m), Kerala 30 thousand million cu ft (0.8 thousand million cu m), and the Union Territory of Pondicherry would get seven thousand million cu ft (0.2 thousand million cu m).

Kaveri River Tributaries

The Kaveri River has numerous tributaries along its 497 mi-long (800 km) course, and some are minor tributaries, while others are much larger. The most significant tributaries of the River Cauvery are:

Harangi River: It rises from Pushpagiri hills in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. The distance from the Harangi River’s origin to its confluence with the Kaveri River is 31 mi (50 km).

Hemavati River: It rises at an elevation of 4,022 ft (1,226 m) in the Chikmagalur District of Karnataka. At the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam of Karnataka, it merges with the Cauvery River.

Lakshmana Tirtha: It rises in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. The Lakshmana Tirtha River meets the Kaveri River in the Krishna Raja Sagara Lake.

Amaravathi River: The Amaravathi River is the longest tributary of the Kaveri River and originates at the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, in the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park in Tirupur district.

Bhavani River: It begins from the Nilgiri Hills in the Western Ghats in Kerala and flows towards Tamil Nadu to join the Cauvery River at Bhavani in Tamil Nadu. The Bhavani River also runs through the Silent Valley National Park in Kerala.