Talacauveri – The Land of Glory and Amalthas

Talacauveri – The Land of Glory and Amalthas .


Tala Cauvery as the name itself says the head of the Cauvery River – the starting point of the holy river of the south India. Cauvery River starts from the foot hills of more than seven mountains adored by the green coverage or suits of the nature and the sky blue umbrella cover-up of the kissing sky touching the acme of the mountain chains.


A visit to Tala Cauvery brings complete solace to the mind and body forever and its fragrance and kaleidoscopic panorama will remain in minds as a better medicine for body and mental pain and deseases.Tala Cauvery is about 40 kilometers away from Madikeri and about 30 kilometers away from Panathur, the border town of the Kerala state. Nearby town is in its foot called Bhagamandala, real holly pilgrimage of the devotees and journey for tourists start from Bhagamandala.Bhagamandala is surrounded by greenish paddy farms in two sides and are seems to be protected by the nature with sky touching mountains with fog. In Bhagamandala we can see one of the most beautiful Shiva Temple, with traditional construction of Gopuras and central sanctorum. As a person lands there he will be automatically invited by the nature to its petals.Bhagamandala is termed as the Triveni Sangama .In the center of the city ,we can see three rivers joining together and moving to east as a single river called Cauvery.


On their meeting banks there are many Asoka trees and Gudis of Naga Devadhas.Naga Devadhas play pivotal role in the day today life of the Kannadiga communities. Whence we move to the Triveni Sangama Stala from the road, the long stretching sand bed can be seen on both sides. This is the Prithir Bali Mandapas –rites conducted by the Hindus as their beloved ones leave the Earth. Hindus believe that Bali Dharpana in the Triveni Sangama will enable the gone souls to get Mokhsha or relevance from the worldly bondage. From Bhagamandala an ordinary devotee will be satisfied with solace.


Actual trip to Tala Cauvery starts from Bhagamandala .It is about 8 kilometers away. As we move to Tala Cauvery from Bhagamandala, it seems that we are completely piloted by the magnificent beauty and fragrance of the nature.Our journey starts from the foot of a hill and road goes zigzag around the hill like a bangle spin. On the both sides of the roads coffee and orange saplings give their aroma and divergent flowers smile at us .As we move further we enter to the dense but clear forest, and we are solicited by flute songs of divergent birds and occasionally wild cows and oxen may be watching our movements. Small steams and fishers can be seen on the road sides, may be giving holy waters to the thirsty devotees.
As the half way is passed we would be turning to one of the extreme side of the hill and road passes cutting a huge rock for about 100 meters. This made up road on the rock is covered by iron fence to avoid accidents. From this point, we can see mesmerizing beauty of the land to the west for about 25 kilometers with farms and orange fields fenced by the mountain chains smiling with blue sky. This cool blue kaleidoscopic view exists in minds as an inborn mechanism.

When we approach the final destination that is the Cauvery MathaTemple, a sudden change occurs to the entire body mechanism with happiness, politeness, amalgamation with nature and equality with others. The tall square shaped gateways invites us to the temple premises and marble floorings lead us to the Theertha Stala and abode of the Cauvery Matha.The Square shaped Theertha stala –kula-ponds –is filled with cool water with affordable depth. On the banks of the Theertha stala priests sit chanting mantras in red silk dress. He gives prasadha to the devotees and chants mantras hearing our prayers. The small Gudi where goddess Cauvery Matha is sits, Anuukaya is the main offering to the goddess.After the holy bath in the Theertha stala devotees circumnavigate the sanctum sanctorum. During the Makara sankranthi day it is said that holy waters come to the holy pond from Kasi.

The main temple dharsan is followed by the visit to the Sri Shiva Swami temple .Climbing marble steps to Shiva temple and silence with the rhythm of nature seem to be the real offering for attaining Moksha.After Shiva darahan ,ways are to the hill tops. There are more than 500 steps to reach the zenith of the main hill. The steps are covered by Iron bars on two sides’ .A simple slippage may be dangerous. As we climbs up steps looking both sides and the bottom bring exact love of the nature. On reaching the hill tops we can see many chains of mountain ranges on all sides with cool blue coverage on the top and greenish dress on the body of the hills. As you stand on the hill tops you may be kissed by the cloud with saliva and breeze may bring soft songs for your ears. Looking down we can see the temple background as a small abode. In the foot hills of the seven mountains we can see a pond with green waters just two kilometers away. Moving nearby the pond is a difficult task as we need to walk on the hill tops with balance; small slippage may take us to the bottom of the hills. On reaching the pond we will be astonished. All sides hill walls and the pond is filled with green water irrespective of the seasons. Some times we can see wild cows’ oxen, deer and other wild animals roaming there after quenching their thirst. As the nature is silent, the wild animals are also being silent. From the pond there is a long square way to outside to smoothen the flow of the pond water to the forest. From here the Cauvery River starts. This place is the holy land which gives complete solace to all kinds of hearts.

Aneesh Nadh EM.