The River Kaveri originates in the Western Ghats at Talakaveri, atop the Brahmagiri hills in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. It is the largest river in Tamil Nadu and the third largest in southern India, also known as 'Dakshina Ganga', the Ganga of the South, and historically called Ponni in Tamil, meaning golden.
Mythological Origin: One legend says that Rishi Agastya prayed to Lord Brahma to relieve a drought, and was given water in his kamandalu. As he looked for a spot to pour it, a crow tipped over the vessel, giving birth to the Kaveri at Kodagu. Another legend from the Skanda Purana tells of the apsara Lopamudra, adopted by Brahma, who was given to King Kavera as a child after he prayed for one - she was renamed Kaveri and grew to become the sacred river.
Course: From Talakaveri, the river flows southeast onto the Deccan plateau, splitting to form the islands of Srirangapatna and Shivanasamudra, passing through the Mekedatu gorge, and entering Tamil Nadu before emptying into the Bay of Bengal near Poompuhar. Its main tributaries include the Amaravathi, Kabini, Bhavani, and Hemavathi rivers.
Key Places: The Upper Anicut (Kallanai Dam), built by Chola King Karikalan nearly 1800 years ago, is the oldest dam in India still in use. The Shivanasamudra Falls is India's second largest waterfall. Talakaveri Temple marks the river's birthplace and is a major pilgrimage site, alongside the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam and the Brihadishwara Temple in Thanjavur, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Major cities on its banks include Mysore, Srirangapatna, Tiruchirappalli, and Thanjavur.