Facts & Figures
Dr. Rajan Chungath – Dr. Haritha M K & Inputs from Mr.Venugoplan Nair’s Study Report
Bharathapuzha is an inter-state river that originates in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu and flows into the Arabian Sea at the Ponnani, Kerala. Bharathapuzha is also known as Nila’ in Sanskrit. The length of Bharathapuzha is 250 km, 41 km in Tamil Nadu and 209 km (206.97 Km as per the Google Earth Satellite Image Studies) in Kerala. Bharathapuzha, which flows through Coimbatore, Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts, donates 7476 million cubic meters of water a year into the Arabian Sea. The Bharathapuzha River collects this much water from the 4,400 sq km Kerala and 1768 sq km Tamil Nadu catchment areas.
Dated: 25th February 2022 (Rights Reserved)
Extract from a Research Document prepared by Mr.Venugopal Nair, Exectuive Member, Friends of Bharathappuzha
From Origin to Uppar Junction in TN
Exact Point of Origin could not be ascertained from Google Earth. The origin is somewhere on the higher ranges in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve where the most prominent peak that could be judged from the satellite imageries is at an elevation of about 2100 m.
Uppar Jn to Kerala Border
Thus the total length of the Main River in Tamil Nadu is 68.45 Kms. Coconut plantations abound on either banks of the River between Uppar Jn and Kerala with minimal constructions close to the River.
Chittur Puzha – From TN Border to Parali Sangamam
Parali Jn with Kalapathy Puzha – 116 Km. With 16 Weirs in less than 48 Kms of Length, the river section averages with one weir every 3 Km of length. However, most Weirs are seen made indiscriminately with the last 7 Weirs made in 11.4 Kms’ length, a set of another 3 in just 1.4 Km and the first two at just 600 meters’apart!
Bharatappuzha - Parali Sangamam to Ponnani Azhimukham
Total Length : 90.97 Km. Grand Total – Length of Bharathappuzha from the Origin in Tmail Nadu to Ponnani Azhimukham is : 206.97 Km This is seen 2 Km less than the 209 Km that is reported in the recent papers by various agencies.
Bharathapuzha has five major tributaries namely Chittoorpuzha, Kalpathipuzha, Gayatripuzha, Thoothapuzha and Tirurpuzha. The Palar, Uppar and Aliyar are subtributaries of the Coimbatore district where the Chittoor Puzha originates. The Korayar, Varattar, Walayar and Malampuzha are the tributaries of the Kalpathipuzha and the Pothundi, Meenkara, Chulliyar and Mangalam puzha are the subtributaries of the Gayatri Puzha. All these originate from different parts of the Western Ghats and flow westwards into the Bharathapuzha.
The Chittoor Puzha, a major tributary of the Bharathapuzha, joins the Kalpathipuzha near the Parali Bridge. The river then flows west through the Bharatha Ghanda and joins with the Gayatripuzha, at “Mayanur”.Thoothupuzha merges with Bharathapuzha at Koodalloor”Kuttakkadavu” near Trithala. Thirur Puzha, the last and fifth tributary joins the Bharathapuzha at Ponnani, which then joins the Arabian Sea.
Bharathapuzha, which is not a perennial river. It is rich in water only during monsoons. Due to the high hydraulic gradient of the river, the amount of rainwater released into the river will reach the Arabian Sea within 48 hours. For water storage, there are Trimurti, Aliyar, Walayar, Malampuzha, Pothundi, Mangalam, Chulliyar and Meenkara dams in Bharathapuzha and regulators at Moolathara, Velliyankallu and Chamravattam.
There are several check dams like:
Kalpathi
Njavalin Kadavu
Lakkidi
Thrangali
Shornoor
Changanakkunnu
Koottukadavu
Nila and Colours of Life
Banks of Nila is the fertile land for arts. Many of the prestigious art institutions of Kerala are situated along these shores. In fact, many arts form origi- nated here, like when Kunjan Nambiar conceived the theatre art Thullal.
Documentation of Nila is also recording the evolution of cultural history of Kerala. It covers the birth and growth of Kerala Kalamandalam as the premier art training institute in Kerala’s tradi- tional art forms. It also tracks the listless journey of the traveller who never rested that was Njaralath Rama Poduval, the Edakka maestro. It also captures the vibrancy of mehfils of Ponnani, where Mappilapattu scored a new realm for Muslim music genre.
Nila and Tale of Migration
The myth of Parayi, a woman of lower caste, bearing 12 children to a Brahmin traveller and these 12 children going on to form difierent communities or sects lies at the back of Kerala’s social matrix. At one end, it is an attempt to stamp the Brahminical authority over castes and creed in the land. At the other extreme, it is a sweet tale of communal harmony, where a spectrum of society evolving out of union between two extreme castes.
It is also a representation of the endIess travel that Kerala society has been making,
Nila and Patterns of Life
Like all rivers, Nila or Bharatapuzha flows through the lives, and minds, of the population that has settled on its banks.
It originates from Aanamala and covers nearly 250 km before touching the Arabian Sea at Ponnani.
Originating from Aanamalai, near Pollachi in Tamil Nadu, Amaravathipuzha or Chittoorpuzha joins Kalpathipuzha to become Nila. Palar, Aliyar and Uppar are main tributaries of Amaravathipuzha. Besides Amaravathipuzha and Kalpathy- puzha, the other two main tributaries of Nila are Gayatripuzha and Thoothapuzha. Malampuzha joins the river near Valayar at the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. The catchment area of Nila is spread over 4400 sq.km. Kerala and 1768 sq.km. in Tamil Nadu. Read More
Nila and Waves of History
Deep inside its heart Nila keeps the history of Kollangode dynasty or the Vengunadu Swaroopam. Myths say that the dynasty is linked to Gandharvas. Truth has it that stories of lust and unbridled passion filled the corridors of palaces here. Downstream, Nila becomes witness of mindless cruelty and gory of death. Mamankam is a dark spot in Kerala’s history, where innumerable warriors laid their lives in attempt to challenge the reign of the king, The endless, mindless tale of aggression and death formed the basis of Valluvanad. But now the land exists only in the literature and nostalgia of Malayali.
Nila and Stream of Words
Nila is a recurring motif in Malayalam literature. It remains as a perennial allusion to the goodness of past. It is said that Malayalam literature was born, and came of age, along the banks of Nila. Though there are many theories about association of Nila with Malay- alam literature, history has it that many of Malayalam’s illustrious writers were born by the side of Nila. The long list starts with Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, known as the first recognised writer in Malayalam. The literature that Nila created went on to change the social matrix of Kerala. Writers, from Ezhuthachan to V.T. Bhat- tathiripad to V.K.N., worked towards cleaning the dirt accumulated in our culture. Thus, literary tradition borne by Nila becomes a record of social evolution of Kerala.
The father of the Malayalam language, Thunchath Ramanujan Ezhuthachan and the Gnyanapeeth winner who nurtured Malayalam, M. T. Vasudevan Nair, the great poet Akkitham, M. P. Shankunni Nair, P. Kunjiraman Nair, V. T Bhattathiripad, Punnassery Neelakanda Sharma, K. P. Narayana Pisharody, V. K. N., Kunchan Nambiar, Vilvamangalam, Melpathur, Vallathol, C. Radhakrishnan, O.V. Vijayan, Olappamanna and Alancode Leela Krishnan all grew up on this river bank.
Festivals known as ‘Velapurams’ are another major celebrations on the bank of this river. ‘Aana-poorams’, ‘Aanayilla-poorams’, Kaalaveela, ‘poothan’, ‘thira’, ‘thattinmelkoothu’, ‘tholppavakoothu’ and ‘devaratha prayanam’ all add to the festivities along the Bharathapuzha-bank . Fireworks, orchestras and performances of traditional art forms are part of the festivities.Koothu, Koodiyattam, Thullal and Kathakali are also performed here as part of the festivities and rituals.
This river bank is rich with legends. Bharathapuzhayoram is the birthplace of the Parayipetta Panthirukulam, one of the most beautiful myths of Kerala. All the 10 people out of 12 is the Panthirukula story are from Bharathapuzha bank . Many of their descendants still live on this riverbank. There are legendary monuments associated with them along the river. If you walk along the river with a mind that loves stories, we will experience their presence.
