Kushalnagar: The purpose of Cauvery Aarti is to show humility and gratitude to God’s divine form. Cauvery Aarti is a devotional offering to the River Goddess. This offering is made to the Goddess, also affectionately referred to as Mother. Last night, the 100th  Aarti was performed to the River and hundreds of devotees took part in the ceremony. 

The Cauvery Aarti project was launched by Akhila Bharat Sanyasi Sangh and Cauvery Nadi Swachhatha Andolana taking a cue from ‘Namaami Gange’ project that was launched in North India to increase the devotion on the River and at the same time keeping the River clean. 

Though the River Cauvery appears clean downstream, it is polluted by hundreds of service stations and industries all along its way from Talacauvery to Siddapura and Kushalnagar till it reaches the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam in Mandya. These industries and service stations illegally let out gallons of oil-mixed water into the river on a daily basis. 

Though the Kodagu Administration and the Police conduct multiple raids on these illegal units from time to time, the menace has not stopped.  

To create awareness about the holiness of Cauvery River and make people understand not to pollute the lifeline, the Akhila Bharat Sanyasi Sangh and Cauvery Nadi Swachhatha Andolana launched a padayatra in 2011 from Talacauvery, its birthplace to Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu where it joins the Bay of Bengal. The activists walked on the river banks telling people not to pollute the River and at the same time asking them to pray for continued and abundant water supply.

During night, the activists performed Aarti to the river at places, gathering a crowd. Taking a cue from this, in 2011, Cauvery Nadi Swachhatha Andolana Karnataka State Coordinator M.N. Chandramohan started the Aarti  to River Cauvery every Full Moon Day (Hunnime) in Kushalnagar near Ayyappa Swamy Temple under the guidance of Sri Ganesh Swaroopananda Swamiji of Srirangapatna and Sri Ramananda Swamiji from Tamil Nadu.

Yesterday, the 100th Aarti  was held and a stage programme was organised on the occasion. After the event, a colourful  Aarti was performed and the river waters reflected the Aarti lights, bringing cheer among the participants. The event was marked by  Aarti performance with 12 different types of lamp stands including Sun, Moon, Naga, Peacock, Lion and Om.

In the programme, Sri Shivasugyanatheertha Mahaswamiji of Aremadanalli Mutt addressed the gathering and said that River Cauvery is crucial for crores of people all along its banks from Talacauvery to Poompuhar as it is the only source of life. “We can survive only if the River survives. It all depends on how we save the river and what efforts are made to prevent pollution,” he said. 

M.N. Chandramohan said that Cauvery Nadi Swachhatha Andolana has submitted many memorandums to the State and the Centre to bring in an exclusive law to prevent Cauvery from being polluted. Also, a Police Force must be constituted to patrol the end-to-end river banks, he added.   

Later a special Bhajan was organised by Kushalnagar Bhajana Mandali. Raju and team performed a street play on saving River Cauvery. Krishna Murty Bhat who has done all the 100  Aarti was felicitated. 

MLC Sunil Subramani, Sri Sadashiva Swamiji of Kirikodli Mutt, Kodlipet, President of Ganesh Temple Vasanth Kumar, President of Cauvery Nadi Swachhatha Andolana (Kodagu) Reena Prakash, Kushalnagar Gowda Samaja President Korana Sujay Kumar, Chief Officer of Kushalnagar Panchayat D.R. Somashekar and others were present.