Baana Theertham Revisited : 649

BAANA THEERTHAM REVISITED 

The recent post by my good friend ESB on WhatsApp about the reopening of Baana Theertam makes me Pen this Blog .

 My association with Baana Theertham has  been long . Me ,  being,  at first ,  a resident of Madura Coats Colony at VK Puram and then at Agasthiarpatty after retirement has gone on to make this possible.  

Being a part of an extended family,  I have had friends and relatives visiting us often . It became almost mandatory to visit the Papanasam Temple , Agasthiar Falls , Sorimuthu Ayyanar Kovil , Karayaar Dam and the Bana Theertam almost regularly .

The Boat Ride from Karayaar to the foot of the Bana Theertam falls , an almost 40 minute ride was a much looked after event .

Due to Environmental issues and Forest Conservation the Boat Ride was Stopped for almost 15 to 20 years now . Better sense  seems to have prevailed now and conducted tours by the Forest Department  has opened up the exquisite locale to the common man .

Around 1991 the Film Roja which had the song CHINNA CHINNA AASAI picturised at this exquisite location covering the WATERFALLS and the PILLAYAAR made this place even  more popular. 

I have made quite a few visits to this place and two among these visits stand out for mention .

My uncle and family from Wadala , Mumbai visited us at the Madura Coats Colony on the Eve of the Aadi Ammavasai . It was considered highly auspicious to visit Baana Theertham and take a holy bath at the Falls and a dip on the river on that day . The family of a famous Industrial House provided Lunch on that day to everyone assembled on that auspicious  day.

The point to note here is that , it was not via the Karayaar , Upper dam to Bana Theertam by boat ride but by the more circuitous Road Route via Kallidaikurichy and Singampatty . The mud road was laid out only for this occasion and was not used much after the event . The extremely rough terrain and bumpy road made the ride an adventure of sorts . The Maruti Gypsy at our command made the trip with not much of a hitch save for the jolts all along the route .

The second visit to Baana Theertham which I recall in detail is when my Cousin from ISRO Bangalore was on a visit to our place . This time around it was via the Boat Ride from Upper Dam to Baana Theertham. 

Being immediately after the Monsoons,  the dam was almost at it's full capacity and at 143 feet depth . An additional feature this time around  was the news that a lot many Crocodiles had now made the Waters their home now .

We hired an exclusive Boat for the 8 of us and set out on our Boat Ride . Sure enough we could see the Crocodiles putting out their snouts from time to time to breathe. 

As luck would only have it , bang in the middle of the waterbody , our Motorboat had a breakdown and we were stranded in the middle of nowhere with 120 feet of water below us and Crocodiles all around .

It took sometime for another boat to come to our rescue . Even then making the leap from one boat to the other with deep waters below and Crocodiles protruding snouts with their sharp teeth as big as our fingers shinning in the glistening sun was not a very welcome sight . This was more so because I was the only one who could swim a bit but I did not fancy my chances , not with many Crocodiles for company , swimming was never going to be a safe option. .

We did however make the switch with the ladies screaming and Shrieking. 

After a bath at the Falls , the PILLAIYAAR did bless us and our 

CHINNA CHINNA AASAI 

of a safe journey back home was safely met .

PS : Thanks ESB for the inputs . I have made use of the video that you shared .