Chennai, June 16 (IANS) With the timely release of water from the Mettur dam on its traditional date of June 12, followed by its arrival at the Grand Anicut for delta irrigation, farmers across Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery Delta region have welcomed the life-giving flow of the river with joy and reverence.

Known as the ‘Mother Cauvery’, the river is not only the lifeline of Tamil Nadu’s rice bowl but also holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for the people of the region.

The release has ignited hopes of a prosperous agricultural season, with farmers optimistic about achieving the kuruvai cultivation target for this year.

Officials from the Tamil Nadu Agriculture Department told IANS that a target of 5.28 lakh acres has been set for the 2025 kuruvai crop. This includes 1.95 lakh acres in Thanjavur, 1.75 lakh acres in Tiruvarur, 97,500 acres in Mayiladuthurai, and 61,000 acres in Nagapattinam.

The contrast with the previous year could not be starker. In 2024, delayed water release from Mettur on July 28, due to poor reservoir levels, meant that kuruvai cultivation could only be achieved in 3.45 lakh acres, falling significantly short of the 5.25 lakh acres recorded in 2023.

The return to the customary June 12 release this year has therefore brought renewed optimism and emotional relief to the farming community. “This year feels different. Water has been released on time, the groundwater level is healthy in several districts, and the monsoon is predicted to be on time. Everything points to a successful kuruvai season,” said Parthasarathy, a farmer from Tiruvaiyaru. “We even perform rituals and pujas before the water enters our fields. This is not just about agriculture — it is a sacred tradition.”

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin opened the sluices of the Mettur dam on June 12. The water reached the Upper Anicut in Tiruchy on June 14 and was subsequently released to the Grand Anicut, from where it flows into the irrigation channels of the delta region.

On Sunday (June 15), the Chief Minister once again released water at the Grand Anicut, formally marking the start of the kuruvai season.

The Cauvery river, which originates in Karnataka and flows through Tamil Nadu before joining the Bay of Bengal at Poompuhar — historically known as Kaveripoompattinam — passes through some of Tamil Nadu’s most fertile and culturally rich districts. These include Thanjavur, often referred to as the Granary of Tamil Nadu, and Tiruvaiyaru, famed for its musical and spiritual heritage.

The river’s importance to Tamil Nadu is underscored by the fact that 55.5 per cent of the Cauvery basin area lies in the state, compared to 41.2 per cent in Karnataka and 3.3 per cent in Kerala. Over 90 per cent of the water in the Cauvery basin is utilised for agriculture, making its timely flow vital to the livelihood of lakhs of farmers.

Ayilai Siva Sooriyan, Tiruchy district president of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, described the arrival of the Cauvery waters as a divine event. “The Cauvery does not just irrigate our lands. She is a goddess to us. Most major religious festivals in our region are linked to her presence. On the first day of water release, we perform ‘aarti’, sprinkle paddy seeds, and offer flowers. It is a day of festivity and reverence,” he said.

In some border villages, it is customary for locals to prostrate before the river as it begins to flow into their fields, marking the start of the agricultural cycle with prayers and rituals. Farmer Murugan echoed this sentiment, recalling past successes: “Whenever water is released on the traditional date of June 12, we’ve had a bumper harvest. This year, too, everything seems aligned for another prosperous season.”

Encouraged by the availability of groundwater and anticipating a timely monsoon, several farmers had already commenced early kuruvai cultivation as early as April. With canal desilting work by the government supplemented by local efforts, water is expected to reach even the tail-end fields this year.

As Tamil Nadu welcomes the Mother Cauvery, the kuruvai season begins not just with seeds sown in the soil, but with hope deeply planted in the hearts of its farmers.

–IANS

aal/dpb