| Kalamangalam Where you can catch the Cauvery in a tearing hurry, writes SUBHA J RAO |
It is just a day since water has started flowing from the Mettur Dam. Friends from Erode call to tell us the rivers are full and flowing again, and make for a beautiful sight. “An RLT?” I wonder. And, realise a couple of hours later that I was right.
The drive from Erode on the Karur Road is a lesson in how bountiful Nature can get. Banana groves lush with ready-to-pluck plantains, perfectly formed coconuts, and happy farmers are frequent sights.
En route to Mannadhampalayam, where the Kalamangalam temple is located, and the Cauvery flows, smoke billows from the many fields set afire after harvest, releasing a sugary aroma in the air. Channels (vaaikaals) brimming with water, and a railway crossing framed by trees make for beautiful sights.
River placid
Finally, the river. Before you walk to the banks, you sight three temples, one each dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Amman. The first two date back to more than a thousand years. A huge peepul tree marks the pathway to the river, gushing and flowing placid, in turns.
PERFECT SETTING At Kalamangalam
Everywhere you can see temporary green islands formed by bulbous water hyacinth uprooted by the river as it rushed down from Mettur. The local fisherfolk are a happy lot, for their fortunes boom when the water flows. The men are already out in their parisals (coracles), ready to haul back whatever fish they net.
The other side of the bank is Iraimangalam in Tiruchengode (Namakkal district). And, the coracles ferry you there for a charge. Only, you need at least ten passengers to keep it afloat in the choppy waters. So, we give it a miss. From this shore, all you can see are matchbox-sized huts, three stone pillars (part of a water pumping system), and lots of people buzzing about.
In between the river is a sandy patch with a bit of greenery. The locals expect it will also go underwater by the evening. And, that is what happens. This patch is where the local waterbirds take rest in between feasting on fish and other marine life. Snow white cranes, black ‘neer kaakai’ (little cormorants), and other birds that are a speck in the sky make for a perfect photo-op. And, Ananthan never stops clicking.
Walking a little distance in the wet sand, the stench of ammonia invades the nostrils. We climb on rocks polished over the years by the rough waters and, predictably, see a gaggle of geese, and a team of ducks nearby.
The rocks are also home to slightly-damaged stone idols of gods, abandoned on the banks of the river by temples and devotees. One of them catches our fancy. A goddess (face unclear) has found her resting place on a damaged Shivalinga. Another idol lies facedown, its water-filled crevices sheltering the insects that thrive in puddles. Placed near them are rudimentary coops, fashioned out of canvas and bamboo, to house the hens and ducks.
Walking past a family of fisher folk who are moving their belongings to high ground in anticipation of the rising water level, we reach an umbrella-like structure made of stone. It shelters nine statues, which the locals insist are the n avagrahas.
A word of warning. The water level will be unstable for a few weeks to come. So, if you love diving into the water, restrain yourself. Just stand on the banks, or plonk yourselves on the numerous rocks around and take in the sight of a river flowing by.
How to go
From Erode, take the road leading to Karur, and drive till Ganapathypalayam (20 km). Turn left at the ‘four roads’ junction, and drive about 2.5 km to reach the river.
Courtesy: http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/07/28/stories/2007072851290200.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment