The river Kaveri, sometimes spelt as Cauvery, is one of the holiest rivers in India. The river originates in Brahmagiri Hill in the Western Ghats of south Karnataka. 

Kaveri splits into many tributaries before falling into the Bay of Bengal from the south of Cuddalore. Before merging with the bay, it forms a fertile delta called the ‘garden of southern India’. From the origin to the end, the total length of this river is around 800 kilometres. The states that Kaveri covers include Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. It drains a total area of 81,155 square kilometres. This accounts for 2.7 per cent of the total area in India. 

Important Features 

Important features of the river include: 

• The source of the river, Talakaveri, is at an elevation of 1,341 metres above sea level. 
• The length and breadth of Kaveri are 560 km and 245 km.
• Its tributaries, Harangi, Shimsha, and the Arkavati, join from the left side.
• Its major tributaries, Lakshmantirtha, Kabbani, Suvarnavati, Bhavani, Noyil, and the Amaravati, join the river from the right side. 
• The river is –

1. Surrounded by the Western Ghats in the west.
2. Guarded by the Eastern Ghats in the east and south.
3. Separated from the Krishna and Pennar basin in the north by ridges.

• This river is used to generate hydroelectric power and help with irrigation.
• The most fertile area of the river is its delta. 
• Soils predominantly found here are black, red, alluvial, laterites, forest, and mixed soil. 
• This river basin can be divided into three major parts – the Western Ghats, the Plateau of Mysore, and the Delta.
• The Shivasamudram falls supply hydroelectricity to Mysore, Bangalore, and Kolar districts. 

Tributaries of Kaveri 

There are two types of tributaries for this river – right-bank tributaries and left-bank tributaries. The predominant tributaries that join from the left side are Harangi, Shimsha, and the Arkavati. The other predominant tributaries include Lakshmantirtha, Kabbani, Suvarnavati, Bhavani, Noyil, and the Amaravati that join Kaveri from the right side.

Other tributaries include:

• Hemavati: It is considered a significant tributary of Kaveri. Hemavati originates in the Western Ghats, at an elevation of 1,219 metres in the district of Chikmagalur in Karnataka. Hemavati passes through the Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, and Mysore districts of Karnataka before joining Kaveri. The length of the river is 245 km.
• Shimsha: Shimsha starts in the Devarayanadurga hills at 914 metres in the Tumkur district, Karnataka. Maddur is a major town that lies on the banks of Shimsha. Markonahalli dam has been constructed across this river, and it also holds the Shimsha Hydroelectric Project.
• Arkavathi: The length of this tributary is 161 km, and originates at Nandi Hills in the Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka. This river falls in the Chikkanayakanahalli lake near Kanivenarayanapura. The beautiful Chunchi waterfall at Sangama is a famous tourist attraction in Karnataka. 
• Lakshmana Tirtha: This tributary starts from Iruppu Falls on the Brahmagiri range. It flows east and joins the Kaveri at the Krishna Raja Sagara Lake.
• Kabini: Kabini starts from Pakramthalam Hills in Wayanad district of Kerala. The Kabini backwaters are rich in wildlife, especially in summer. The Kabini forms Kuruva island, about 2 km from the Panamaram river. 
• Amaravathi: The river is also called Pournami and extends for about 175 km from the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu below the Manjampatti valley. The valley is between Annamalai hills and Palni hills at the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park. This river helps sustain the agriculture in Erode district. 

Distributaries of Kaveri 

The popular distributaries of Kaveri include: 

• Kollidam: This river, also known as the Coleroon river, is located in the southeast part of India. The Kollidam river is a northern distributary of Kaveri. This river flows through a delta in Thanjavur. Kollidam river divides at the island of Srirangam and streams in the east and flows directly into the Bay of Bengal. The famous town of Chidambaram is on the banks of Kollidam.
• Vennar: Vennar, or the Vennaaru river, is a Kaveri distributary in the Krishna delta. This river journeys through Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam, districts in TamilNadu. The river starts from the Grand Anicut at the east end of Srirangam island. It diverges from Kaveri and flows east. 
• Arasalar: The Arasalar river passes through Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. It is a distributary of the river, which divides into five different rivers when it reaches the district of Thanjavur in Trichy. The Arasalar river starts its journey from Thiruvaiyur in Thanjavur, where it separates from Kaveri. It empties into the Bay of Bengal at Karaikal. This town was a famous port town in the 19th century. This was where yachts and Makkalam ships harboured, loaded and unloaded goods. Arasalar has a high amount of contamination of nitrate and chromium due to industrial waste. 

Conclusion

The Kaveri river is a peninsular river in India. It is considered to be one of the holiest sacred rivers of India. The origin of this river is Brahmagiri hill in the Western Ghats of south Karnataka. Kaveri flows through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. There are two types of tributaries for this river – right-bank tributaries and left-bank tributaries.