Talakaveri

Talakaveri Overview

Talakaveri is the place that is generally considered to be the source of the river Kaveri. It is located by Brahmagiri hill (not to be confused with the Brahmagiri range further south) near Bhagamandala in Kodagu district, Karnataka bordering Kasarkod district of Kerala. It stands at a height of 1,276 m. above sea level. However, there is not a permanent visible flow from this place to the main rivercourse except during the Monsoon. A tank or kundike has been erected on a hillside by kodavas, at the place that is said to be the origin. It is also marked by a small temple, and the area is frequented by pilgrims mainly it is the worship place of kodavas. The river originates as a spring feeding this tank, which is considered to be a holy place to bathe on special days. The waters are then said to flow underground to emerge as the Kaveri river some distance away. The temple has been renovated extensively by the state government recently [2007]. On Cauvery changrandi day (the first day of Tula Masa month , according to the Hindu calendar, which normally falls in mid October) thousands of pilgrims from neighboring flock to the river's birthplace to witness the rise of the fountainhead, when water gushes up from the spring at a predetermined moment. The cauvery changrandi (Sacred bath in the Tula month) is observed across pilgrim towns in Kaveri's banks.