Namaste members,

Just days ago I had posted another thread that touches on the topic of water problem in Tamil Nadu, India and how the Karnataka Govt. is hesitant in supplying Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Today at Dinamalar.com, I found this interesting story of how a man from Karnataka in puranic times cut out a canal and a lake in Tamil Nadu for irrigation purposes that is still in use today!

From: http://www.dinamalar.com/supplementa...d=16409&ncat=2

"Long time ago, a king ruling Kerala, India was suffering from some great disease. To get rid of it, he donated a murthi/statue fully studded with precious gemstones to a Brahmin boy belonging to Karnataka district. The boy/youth accepted it. But upon his acceptance, the statue came to life and told him that he had to give a portion of the merit he had acquired from his daily relentless recitation of the Gayathri Mahamantra and if he failed to do that, he will beget the disease that bothered the king. The Kannada youth was afraid and he gave a portion of his merit to the statue as asked. But after this, the youth felt very sad... he had afterall, fearing a disease, given a portion of his Gayathri recitation merit against dharma to a statue!

So to redeem himself of any incorrect doing, he sought to counsel Sage Agastya who was penancing at that time. Sage Agastya gave him lot of trials upon knowing a common man was about to see him, but the youth passed all of the tests. Finally the youth met with Sage Agastya and asked him what was the solution and said that he was ready to donate all the precious gemstones he had received from the king to the benefit of other people. To this Agastya replied that donating water is the best of all donations. Agastya then assumed the form of a cow. He informed the youth to catch hold of his tail and follow him wherever he went, marking the place. The youth did as told. Wherever the cow went, he marked the place and cut out canals at those places along the path. Finally the cow disappeared in one spot and at that spot, the youth cut out a lake.

This canal and the accompanying lake is one of Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu's longest irrigational canals which remains green to this day! It is known as 'Kannadan Canal' as it was dug by a Kannada youth.

In order that a 3-yr long drought does not recur back affecting the water supply at the canal and the lake, the youth ground Black Pepper and smeared it on Ganesha and did Abhishekam on Ganesha. Wherever the Abhisheka water fell down, the rain poured out in torrents, relieving of the water scarcity!

This Ganesha is known as Pepper Ganesha and still worshiped at a place called 'Seranmaadevi'!

Today, Karnataka Govt, is refusing to give water to Tamil Nadu. However, in puranic times, there existed a Kannada youth whose selfless deeds procure the most important irrigational waters to Tamil Nadu! Let us all, dear youth of India, beget the same selflessness and patriotism of this Kannada youth!"