Cauvery Shankaramana, one of the three festivals celebrated by the Kodava tribes of
Kodagu District, is observed in mid October. This festival is associated with the
Cauvery River, which exerts considerable influence in a Kodava’s life.
During this festival, people wear new clothes, perform puja to Goddess Cauvery. This puja is called the Kani Puja. After the puja, an elderly married woman draws water from the well and starts cooking. The menu of the day is
dosa, vegetable curry (usually pumpkin curry) and
payasam.
All the Kodavas worship Cauvery River as the mother. In Bhagamandala, the confluence of the Cauvery and its tributaries, the Kannika and Sujyothi, people take bath to cleanse the sins. It is also believed that the atma (soul) of the deceased will attain moksha (liberation) by performing puja at this sangam.
