Special issue with the Sunday Magazine
From the publishers of THE HINDU

RIVERS: JULY 01, 2001

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The rhythm of splashing oars

Deepti Omchery Bhalla

The writer is a Mohiniattam danseuse.

Kerala, a 550 km long strip of land between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea in the South West corner of India, is divided into three geographical regions, the high lands, mid-lands and low lands. All these areas are known for intensive cultivation - rubber, coffee, tea and other plantations in the high lands and coconut, arecanut, rice, tapioca, sugarcane and vegetables in the mid-lands and low lands. Availability of water at the right time through plenty of rains and irrigation from rivers and backwaters is what makes Kerala evergreen and agriculturally rich. Forty four rivers with their tributaries and feeders run across like the arteries and veins of the land. Backwaters which include lakes and ocean inlets are reservoirs of water stretching along the coast being fed by the rivers. Vembanad lake, the biggest backwaters with about 200 sq. km area, for example, receives water drained from six large rivers. Of the 199 m.c. rain water that falls in Kerala, 60 per cent flows down through the rivers to the sea.

Kamal Sahai

As it happens all over the world, the regions on the banks of the rivers have witnessed great material and cultural progress from ancient times. The folklore of Kerala is rich with devotional tributes to rivers. A popular invocatory folk song which echoes the devotional communion between man and nature prays for the "well-being of the hills, the rivers, the ponds, the cattle, the soil and the land." (Kunnu polika, Puzha polika, Kulam polika, Kali polika...) Man recognised that his life was a harmonious symphony of the forest, the river, the animals, the soil and the land.

The magnificent indigenous culture, developed and flourished along the banks of some of the largest rivers of Kerala, presents certain common features and astonishing similarity. Bharatapuzha, Periyar and Pamba, the longest rivers of the erstwhile Malabar, Cochin and Travancore States respectively, would illustrate the point.

The 250 km long Bharatapuzha which is also known as Nila, Perar, Ponnanipuzha, is the longest river of Kerala. Originated from Annamalai (Tamil Nadu), Bharatapuzha flows through Chittoor, Palghat, Ottapalam and Ponnani and joins the Arabian Sea. Culture and agriculture flourished alike on the banks of the Nila which has given birth to Thunchath Ezhuthachan and Kunchan Nambiar whose contributions to the Malayalam language and literature were unique, great astronomers like Thalakulath Bhattattiri and saints like Pakkanar, Naranath, Bhranthan, and Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri. It was on the banks of Bharatapuzha that the great festival of Mamankam was celebrated once in 12 years of the "emperors" of Kerala.

Mahakavi Vallathol has written many a poem eulogising the historical greatness and scenic grandeur of Bharatapuzha (Nila). The romantic beauty of Vallathol poetry assumes its colourful excellence when he describes "Thirunavaya where resides Lord Krishna, which witnessed the Mamankam festival of Kerala Kings."

Among the other poets inspired by Nila were Mahakavi G. Sankara Kurup, Vyloppilli, P. Kunhi Raman Nair, Olappamanna and Edasseri, "Thirunava", one of the Nila Poems of G. Sankara Kurup begins "Before you step on this sacred soil, say the respectful pranams. The river flows slowly here, deeply immersed in her thoughts of past glory, the prosperity it had brought and the heroic deeds it had witnessed on the bank."

200 km long Periyar originates from the Western Ghats and flows down to the Arabian Sea enriching large areas of the former Cochin State both culturally and agriculturally. It was in Kalady on the banks of the Periyar that Acharya Sankara was born; the river had witnessed many exciting episodes in the life of Sankara.

Mahakavi Uloor S. Parameswara Iyer has in a long poem described the mythological glory, historical significance and scenic splendour of Periyar and the places on both sides of the river. Paying homage to the invaluable gifts that the sacred river has offered to humanity, the poet says:

"On your right we see a
heavenly place
which would arrest the
eyes of anyone
the sacred place blessed
by the lord
The hermitage which has unravelled
the secrets of life
The serene pond where
the lotus of eternal bliss
blossoms
Kalady, the birth place of
Sankara"

The largest river of the Tranvancore region is the 170 km long Pamba. It was in the valley of this river that Lord Rama while searching for Sita met Sabari, an ardent devotee and blessed her. Ezhuthachan describes Pamba in "Adhytma Ramayana" as the most exciting garden displaying the rare beauty of plants and flowers (Pushpa latha Parilsevita Padapa satphala Sevitham). One of the greatest centres of pilgrimage in India, Sabarimalai, the abode of Dharma Sasta, is situated in the upper regions.

The unique snake boats, the long and slender bodied race boats of Kerala, which attract tourists from all over the world are the products of the traditional water games which flourished in the Pamba region. The rituals and religious observances on the banks of the Pamba are the themes of many folk songs sung by the pilgrims going to Sabarimalai.

The rhythm of the splashing oars has given birth to a popular metre in Malayalam poetry in which songs known as Vanchipattu are composed which give thrill and excitement to the oarsmen as well as the enthusiastic onlookers. In that metre was composed a long immortal poem called "Kuchela Vrittam" by poet Rama Purathu Warrier to entertain the Maharaja of Tranvancore who travelled from Vaikom to Thiruvananthapuram in a boat 250 years ago.