May be the States of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are at decades long “legal war” over her. But that did not prevent thousands from thronging the banks of the river Kaveri on Sunday to observe Aadi Perukku, a ritual expressing their devotion, dedication and admiration for this 802-km long river which originates at Talacavery in Karnataka and meandering through the States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry before joining the Bay of Bengal, described as her husband Samudra Raja in epics.
Aadi Perukku is observed on the 18th day of Tamil month Aadi for invoking the blessings of Mother Kaveri (Cauvery is the anglicised name of this river) for prosperity, fertility, productivity and happiness of earth, man and woman. Perukku in Tamil means multiplicity. “If only Mother Kaveri blesses us with copious flow of water we will be able to grow more paddy to feed the people of the State,” said Krishnamachari, a priest helping people to pray to Mother Kaveri on the banks of the river at Srirangam.
The disputed river flows through Tamil Nadu, mainly through the rice bowl districts of Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Cuddalore Nagapattinam, in Tamil Nadu. When there is sufficient water in this stretch of the river, there is prosperity and happiness in Tamil Nadu. Whenever the river dries up, a sense of sorrow and grief prevails all over the state. Till last week, there was no water in Kaveri. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, as a special gesture, ordered the release of water from Mettur Dam so that people could pray to Mother Kaveri for happiness and prosperity.
Hundreds of newly married couples got their mangalya sutra changed on the occasion to commemorate lord Ranganatha’s gift to Mother Kaveri. Ramasamy and Uma from Kumbhakonam re-enacted their marriage after three years of wedded life and a one-year -old child as M Krishnamoorthy, the priest chanted the Ashtalakshmi Mantra. Uma wore the same Kancheepuram sari she had worn on her wedding day in 2011 and even had the looks of the new bride.
Prof S Sadagopan, who has made it to Srirangam to worship on the banks of the river said it was a custom which has been observed by the people in the Cauvery Delta since time immemorial. “For us, Kaveri is our mother like people in North India consider Ganga as their mother. Kaveri is the daughter of King Kaavera and hence the name Kaveri. So long as Kaveri flows through Tamil Nadu, there would be peace and prosperity in this part of the world,” said Sadagopan as he recited “lobha Mitraaya Vidmahi, Agasthyapathni Saadinee, Dhanno Kaveri Prachodaya Devi..” and offered flowers and fruits to the river.
Though Tamil Nadu politicians are unanimous against their opposition to Sanskrit, the recitals from priests and devotees who had gathered on the river bank were in Sanskrit only.