TAMBRAPARANI - the perennial river

The river Tambraparani flows on the southern side of Naranammalpuram. Also known as Poorva Vahini as she flows here, there are five Theertha Ghats, viz. Rama Theertham, Jatayu Theertham, Rudrapada Theertham Papa Vimochana Theertham & Asrutha Theertham.

All these ghats lie between AruganKulam (Pazhaya Gramam) and Ananthakrishnapuram.

Rama Theertham and Jatayu Theertham are believed to be the spots where Sri Rama granted Moksha status to Jatayu in his last days. Adi Amavasya is an important day when most people converge here for performing religious rites for their forefathers.
Sources: (i) Samkshepa Tambraparani Mahatmiyam (ii) Sthala Puranam of Lakshminarayana Perumal.

Although a number of explanations have been given for the nomenclature of the river, the one reason appealing to this writer is as follows:

During the receding of the floods in 1945, there were small pools of water near the Elephant Rocks lying in the middle of the river. These rocks were blasted by various classes for construction work. As these pools started drying up, this writer had wondered the various layers of sand, each one with a different colour Ochre Red, Grey, Brown, Blue and black. With the inquisitiveness of youth, the writer collected some samples but had lost them subsequently.

In an analysis of these sands they were found to be pure copper which assumed different hues in changing temperatures. One can conclude that the meaning of the Sanskrit word Tambraparani meaning “Carrier of copper” is very appropriate.

The waters of this river helped agriculture in and around Naranammalpuram being fed from Suthamalli canal.

Back to the 1940s: to the eastern side of elephant rocks, there were two shrines buried in the sands, with their terraces alone being visible. Whenever there was a drought, priests used to dig pools in front of the shrines and perform Varuna Japam for hours, all the time standing in knee-deep water. Believe it or not at the end of the third day, rains lashes out the area, bringing floods in its train.

Beginning of the 60’s increasing population around our village demanded sand for constructing houses. Like everywhere else in Tamilnadu Naranammalpuram also witnessed large scale mining of sand, resulting in both the shrines stand to their full size in the midst of water. With all sands disappearing, the river bed is full of sharp rock floor and it is difficult to cross on foot without shedding blood.

Meanwhile as cement factory and township were established in Thalaiyuthu water was drawn for them through pipelines. Initially a pumping station was erected on the southern side for taking water to the town of Palayamkottai. On the other hand water for drinking was made available to the villages around Naranammalpuram only in the new millennium through the efforts of Mr. P H Pandian, Member of Parliament. A high level water tank was built to the south of Venkatesa Perumal Temple and running water was made available to the individual houses.

With sand mining having lowered the level of the river bed, collection of water at the Suthamalli Dam end has also gone down. The flow into the canal has become limited, thus hampering agricultural operations downstream of the canal. It is not uncommon that lands are not cultivated in some years. Another contributing factor is the forcible issue of water for drinking purposes for the Municipalities of Tuticorin and Arumuganeri and the factory townships there. The need to quench the thirst has diminished the production of grain.

In the collection of poems, T V Makarabhushanam wrote:

“from the city of golden paddy fields
Where the showers nod in assonance
While you amble along
Encircled by the soft flowing river
Whose waters remain an elixir
To all folks that cluster on the banks
But of late polluted with rubbish and excrement
Adding to the murky scene that saps life!

The word elixir is amply substantiated by the great chef Arusuvai Natarajan who attributes the taste of Thirunelveli halwa to the water from Tambraparani.