Kousika River

Kousika River is a river in Tamil Nadu, India.^[1] The river starts from Guru Rishi Hill (also called Kurudi Hill), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Mel mudi (Height of 5385 feet), Nadukandaan Poli (5287 feet), and Lambton's Peak (5080 feet) are three mountain peaks in Guru Rishi Hill (Kurudi Hill). William Lambton made natural surveys of Indian land as part of a triangulation survey to determine the shape of the Earth. To honor him, the mountain's peak was named Lambton's Peak. The origin of the name Kousika River is derived from two sources. The first is that once on the river's shore there lived a sage called "Kousika Munivar." The second is that the king, "Kavanagan", who later became "Kousikan", ruled this area. Kousika River is also called Vannathan Karai or Perumpallam, however its ancient name is Kousika River.

Route

The Kousika River starts from Kurudi Hill in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. This river's route starts at Thekkupalayam, Narasimmanaikkanpalayam, flows through NGGO colony, Sengalipalayam, Idikarai, Athippalaiyam, Vayyampalayam, Kotaipalayam, Keeranam, Agragara Saamarkulam, Kurumbapalayam, Kovilpalayam, Thevenpalayam, Pethanaikanpalayam, Kallipalayam, Pachapalayam, Vadukapalayam, Saalaiyur, Sundamedu, Karichipalayam, Vagarayampalaym, Pappampatti, Kittampalayam, Kolathupalayam, and Thekkalur of Coimbatore District, Thimaniyampalayam, Puthunallur, Eripalayam, Moonukattipalayam, Puthupalayam, Kothapalayam, Smanthankottai, Govindapuram, Vanjipalayam, and finally joins in the Noyyal River at Kaniyampundi Village, Tiruppur District.

History

The Thalamadal stream and the Thannasi stream of Kurudampalayam in Coimbatore join the water ways of Wild River of Kousika. Along the Kousika River Mouriyas, Thosarkal, Irattarkal, Gankarkal, Kongu Shollarakal, Kongu Pandiyarkal, Hoisolarakl, Vijayanakara mannarakal and Mysore mannarakal were rulers of the past. Arunagirinathar talked about "Kousika River" in Thiruppugazh (Tamil திருப்புகழ் tiruppukazh "Holy Praise" or "Divine Glory") which is a 15th-century anthology of Tamil religious songs dedicated to Murugan, the son of Shiva. In Kovilpalayam, an ancient temple "Kalakalishwarar" where Asia's Biggest Guru Statue (Thakshanamoorthy) is situated.^[2]

Reclamation

In Coimbatore, Bhavani River (approx. 20 km) and Noyyal River are running at north and south side of Kousika River.

The river is 52 km in length. Change of waterways and low rainfall have affected the flow of the Kousika River. For this reason along the sides of the Kousika River the groundwater has sunk under 1200 feet. The lives of about 10 million people are affected. The government local bodies Narasimmanaikkanpalayam town panchayat, Kudalur town panchayat, Kurudaampalayam panchayat, Idikarai town panchayat, Kondaiyampalyam panchayat, Keeranatham panchayat, Agrakara Saamakulam panchayat, Vellamadai panchayat, Sarkaar Saamakulam panchayat, Kallipalayam panchayat, Pachapalayam panchayat, Naranapuram panchayat, Moppripalayam town panchayat, Masakoundansettipalayam panchayat, Pathuvampalli panchayat, Kaduvettipalayam panchayat, Kittampalayam panchayat_, Thekkalur panchayat, Semandaampalayam panchayat, Pudhupalayam panchayat, Kaniyampoondi panchayat are taken resolution to reclaim Kousika River and inclusion of this waterway in Athikkadavu-Avinashi Groundwater Enrichment Scheme.

The people of Coimbatore, Athikadavu Kousika River Development Association and Secretary P.K. Selvaraj are taking the necessary steps to reclaim and save the Kousika River by linking the Government Project called Athikkadavu-Avinashi Groundwater Enrichment Scheme. ^[3]^[4]

Kousika Lake

Kousika Lake is situated near Kulathupalayam of Coimbatore district and Sengalaipalyam of Tirupur Distirct. People around the village started taking steps to rejuvenate this lake in 2018 with the help of the Government. Nearly 20 villages benefited by this lake with the help of ground water recharge improvement. More than 500 acres of agricultural land and approximately 50,000 people benefit from this lake.

Sarkarsamakulam Lake (Kondiyam Palayam lake)

Sarkarsamakkulam Lake is situated near Kovilpalayam and Kurumbapalayam of Coimbatore district. This lake has water saving area capacity of nearly 150 acres. It is very near to Kousika River and this outlet water way is linked with Kousika River and Kovilpalayam, known as "Sarkar Samakkulam" and "Kousika Puri."

Agrakarasamakulam Lake

Agrakarasamakulam Lake is situated near Idikarai, Vaiyampalayam. Agrakarasamakulam lake is within close proximity to the Kousika River and the outlet waterway is connected to the Kousika as well.

References

^ "Kousika River - கௌசிகா நதி". www.kousikanathi.com. Retrieved 2018-07-08.
^ "Historic habitation sites found". The Hindu. 2015-12-02. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
^ Ramkumar, Pratiksha (26 February 2016). "Coimbatore collector urged to take steps to revive Kousika river". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
^ "Breathing life into the Kousika". The Times of India. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-08.

[1] "Kousika River - கௌசிகா நதி". www.kousikanathi.com. Retrieved 2018-07-08.

[2] "Historic habitation sites found". The Hindu. 2015-12-02. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2019-03-20.

[3] Ramkumar, Pratiksha (26 February 2016). "Coimbatore collector urged to take steps to revive Kousika river". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 July 2018.

[4] "Breathing life into the Kousika". The Times of India. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-08.

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