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{{Short description|River in south India}}
{{Short description|River in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{redirect|Vaigai|the 2009 film|Vaigai (film)}}
{{redirect|Vaigai|the 2009 film|Vaigai (film)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox river
{{Infobox river
| name               = Vaigai River
| name               = Vaigai River
| name_native        =
| native_name        =  
| name_native_lang  =  
| name_other         =  
| name_other         =  
| name_etymology     =  
| name_etymology     =  
| image               = A sunrise over Vaigai River in Madurai Tamil Nadu India.jpg
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image_size         =  
| image             =  
| image_caption       = Vaigai River in [[Madurai]]
| image_size         =  
| map                 = SVG Map River Vaigai EN.svg
| image_caption     =  
| map_size           =  
| map               = SVG Map River Vaigai EN.svg
| map_caption         = Map of Vaigai river
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| pushpin_map         =  
| map_caption       = Map of Vaigai river
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| pushpin_map_size   =  
| subdivision_type1   = Country
| pushpin_map_caption=  
| subdivision_name1   = India
<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type2   = Districts
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name2   = [[Theni District|Theni]]<br>[[Dindigul District|Dindigul]]<br>[[Madurai District|Madurai]]<br>[[Sivagangai District|Sivagangai]]<br>[[Ramanathapuram District|Ramanathapuram]]
| subdivision_name1 = India
| length             = {{cvt|295|km}}
| subdivision_type2 =  
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| depth_max           =  
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| discharge1_location = Peranai<ref>{{cite web|title=Gauging Station – Data Summary| publisher=ORNL|url=http://daac.ornl.gov/rivdis/STATIONS/TEXT/INDIA/839/SUMMARY.HTML|access-date=1 October 2013}}</ref>
| subdivision_name5  =
| discharge1_avg      = {{convert|28.8|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
| source1             = [[Varusanadu]] hills
| length             = {{convert|258|km|mi|abbr=on}}  
| source1_location   = [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| width_min         =  
| mouth               =  
| width_avg         =  
| mouth_location     = [[Palk Bay]]
| width_max         =  
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| depth_min         =  
| mouth_elevation     = {{cvt|0|m}}
| depth_avg         =  
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| discharge1_location=
| basin_size         =  
| discharge1_min    =
| tributaries_left   =  
| discharge1_avg    = {{convert|36|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_right   =  
| discharge1_max    =
| custom_label       =  
| discharge2_location= Peranai<ref>{{cite web | title = Gauging Station – Data Summary | publisher = ORNL |url = http://daac.ornl.gov/rivdis/STATIONS/TEXT/INDIA/839/SUMMARY.HTML | access-date = 1 October 2013}}</ref>
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| discharge2_avg    = {{convert|28.8|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge2_max    =
<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1           = [[Varusanadu]] Hills
| source1_location   = [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| source1_coordinates=
| source1_elevation  =
| mouth             =  
| mouth_location     = [[Palk Bay]], India
| mouth_coordinates =  
| mouth_elevation   = {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}
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}}
{{Vaigai River}}
{{Vaigai River}}
The '''Vaigai''' is a river in the [[Tamil Nadu]] state of southern India; it passes through the towns of [[Theni]], [[Dindigul]] and [[Madurai]].<ref>[http://www.madurai.com/ Madurai, Temple Town of South India. Cultural capital of Tamilnadu<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It originates in [[Varusanadu]] Hills, the Periyar Plateau of the [[Western Ghats]] range, and flows northeast through the [[Cumbum, Tamil Nadu|Kambam Valley]], which lies between the [[Palani Hills]] to the north and the Varushanad Hills to the south. The [[Vattaparai Falls]] are located on this river. As it rounds the eastern corner of the Varushanad Hills, the river turns southeast, running through the region of [[Pandya Nadu]]. Madurai, the largest city in the Pandya Nadu region and its ancient capital, lies on the Vaigai. The river empties into the [[Palk Bay]] near [[Uchipuli]], close to [[Pamban Bridge]] in [[Ramanathapuram]] District.
'''Vaigai''' is a semi-perennial river in the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. It flows through the districts of [[Theni District|Theni]], [[Dindigul District|Dindigul]], [[Madurai District|Madurai]], [[Sivagangai District|Sivagangai]], and [[Ramanathapuram District|Ramanathapuram]] in the southern part of the state. The city of [[Madurai]] is situated on the banks of the river. The river is {{cvt|295|km}} long, with its [[drainage basin]] spread across {{cvt|7009|km2}}.


The Vaigai is {{convert|258|km|mi}} long, with a [[drainage basin]] {{convert|7031|km2|sqmi}} large.<ref name="Garg1999">{{cite book|last=Garg|first=Santosh Kumar|title=International and interstate river water disputes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nrcqGF3agsEC&pg=PA10|access-date=16 May 2011|year=1999|publisher=Laxmi Publications|isbn=978-81-7008-068-8|page=10}}</ref>
Vaigai originates in [[Varusanadu]] Hills of the [[Western Ghats]], and flows north through the [[Cumbum Valley]], between the [[Palani Hills]] to the north and the Varusanadu Hills to the south. It rounds the eastern corner of the Varushanad Hills, and turns southeast, running through southern Tamil Nadu. The river empties into the [[Palk Bay]] near [[Alagankulam]] in the Ramanathapuram district. During the 20th century, the river basin was extensively developed for irrigation, flood control, and the generation of [[Hydroelectricity|hydroelectric power]].


==Vaigai Mention==
==Etymology==
There are two etymologies for the name 'Vaigai'. The first is derived from a combination of two [[Tamil language]] words, 'vai' meaning Earth and 'yai' meaning sky, a reference to the mythology associated with the origin of the river.<ref name=M>{{cite book|title=15 Vaishnava Temples of Tamil Nadu|last=M.|first=Rajagopalan|pages=119–128|publisher=Govindaswamy Printers|location=Chennai, India|year=1993}}</ref><ref name=hindu1>{{cite web|title=Symbol of togetherness|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/09/06/stories/2004090601960400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041127161333/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/09/06/stories/2004090601960400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 November 2004|first=Sundararajan|last=S.|date=6 September 2004|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=29 October 2015}}</ref> As per ''Koodal Purana'', which details the origin of the Vaigai river flowing through [[Madurai]], [[Vishnu]] took the form of [[Trivikrama]], with one of his feet rising to the [[Brahmaloka]], the abode of [[Brahma]], in the skies. Brahma washed the raised foot and the water flowed into a rivulet. As the river came from the sky and fell onto Earth, it was called as 'Vaiyai', which later became 'Vaigai'.<ref name="Speak">{{cite book|author1=V.N. Muthukumar|author2=Elizabeth Rani Segran|title=The River Speaks: The Vaiyai Poems from the Paripatal|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=DnwruNVgFUkC |year=2012|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|isbn=978-8-18475-694-4|pages=3–11}}</ref> The river is mentioned as such in various [[Sangam literature|Sangam literary]] works (circa 300 BCE to 300 CE),<ref>{{cite book|first=Upinder|last=Singh|title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC&pg=PA27 |year=2008|publisher=[[Pearson Education]]|isbn=978-8-13171-120-0|pages=27–28}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Nadarajah|first=Devapoopathy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IZ7b6msS3kgC&q=info:Q1h0NSIwwIEJ:scholar.google.com/&pg=PR9|title=Love in Sanskrit and Tamil Literature: A Study of Characters and Nature, 200 B.C.-A.D. 500|year=1994|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|isbn=978-8-12081-215-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Ramaswamy|first=Vijaya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ALUvDwAAQBAJ&q=info:YtwrhAmuSNIJ:scholar.google.com/&pg=PR9|title=Historical Dictionary of the Tamils|date=25 August 2017|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|isbn=978-1-53810-686-0}}</ref> such as the ''[[Paripatal]]''.<ref name="Speak"/> A large number of banana trees sprang up in the place and it came to be known as ''Kadhalivana'', a forest of banana trees.<ref name=M/><ref name=hindu1/> The second etymology is derived from the words 'vai' meaning keep, and 'kai' meaning hand, literally meaning 'the river that brings water when one touches it'.<ref name=M/><ref name=hindu1/>


[[Sangam literature]] (circa 300 B.C.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}) has paid many tributes to Vaigai, extolling it as 'the river that brings water when one touches it', viz the etymology Vai (place your) + gai (hands) = place one's hands.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} The following story is told about the birth of the river Vaigai etc. Meenakshi, the daughter of a Pandyan king, was an incarnation of [[Parvati]]. From a very young age, she made up her mind to marry Lord [[Shiva]] and none else. Her family was initially against this but eventually consented to her wish and arranged the wedding. Sundareswara (Siva), being an ascetic, came to the wedding without any family or relatives accompanying him. Disappointed at this, the Pandyan king angrily showed Siva the huge amount of food prepared for the bridegroom's relatives. Siva pointed to a friend he had brought with him saying 'He will consume all the food that you've made'. This friend was a Rakshasa named Kundodhara. After Kundodhara finished all the food that was prepared, He became very thirsty and started asking for water. All the wells and canals in Madurai were not sufficient to quench his thirst. Then, Siva asked Kundodhara to put his hand out and opened a small part of his hair lock and Ganga began to flow into his hand. After quenching his thirst, The rest of the waters began flowing in Madurai as the Vaigai river. Vaigai means 'put your hand out' in Tamil.
The river is mentioned in [[Sanskrit]] as 'Kritamala'. Satyavrata, a [[Pandya]] king, was a staunch devotee of Vishnu. Vishnu emerged from the 'Kritimala' river as a fish ([[Matsya]] avatar, one of the [[avatar]]s of Vishnu) to teach the [[Vedas]] to the ruler. The Pandyas later adopted the fish as the ensign of their kingdom.<ref name=M/><ref name=hindu1/> In the Sanskrit texts, the river is also mentioned as ''Vegavatī''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vekavati, Vēkavati: 2 definitions |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vekavati |work=Wisdom library |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>


It was formerly called Kritamala, a sacred river where Vishnu appeared as [[Matsya]] before [[Vaivasvata Manu|Satyavrata Manu]] who had spent his time offering penance there.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/471042225|title=The Agni-Purāṇa|date=1998–2007|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|others=Natesa, ... Gangadharan|isbn=81-208-0359-0|edition=Reprint|location=Delhi|oclc=471042225}}</ref> The deity presiding over this temple visited [[Lakshmi]]-[[Narayana]] at their wedding.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/274273850|title=Skandamahāpurāṇam of Shrimanmaharshi Krishnadwaipayan Vedvyasa.|date=2003|publisher=Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office|others=David E. Pingree Collection|isbn=81-7080-097-8|location=Varanasi|oclc=274273850}}</ref>
== Course ==
The Vaigai is a {{cvt|295|km}} long semi-perennial river.<ref name="Hydro">{{cite report|url=https://nwm.gov.in/sites/default/files/Vaigai_Basin-17.07.17.pdf|title=Vaigai Basin|work=National Water Mission|date=17 July 2017|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>{{rp|page=4}} The river originates in the eastern slopes of the [[Varusanadu]] Hills in the [[Western Ghats]]. It flows northwards for some distance, before it turns eastwards, and then flows roughly southeast till it reaches the [[Bay of Bengal]] at [[Palk Bay]] near [[Alagankulam]].<ref name="Hydro"/>{{rp|page=3}} The river is at its peak volume during the monsoons, and often ends up dry in the summer.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sivarajah |first=Padmini |date=11 December 2020 |title=How Madurai's thirst quencher turned dry |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/how-madurais-thirst-quencher-turned-dry/articleshow/79673800.cms |access-date=3 October 2024 |work=[[The Times of India]] |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>


[[File:A sunrise over Vaigai River in Madurai Tamil Nadu India.jpg|thumb|left|Vaigai River in Madurai, Tamil Nadu]]
=== Tributaries ===
The tributaries of the Vaigai include Suriliyar, Theniar, Varattar, Nagalar, [[Sankaraparani River|Varahanadhi]], [[Manjalar River|Manjalar]], Marudhanadhi, Sirumaliar, Sathaiyar, and [[Uppar River|Uppar]].<ref name="Hydro"/>{{rp|page=3}}
<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |date=18 August 2023 |title=Vaigai River |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Vaigai-River |access-date=1 June 2023 |encyclopedia=[[Britannica]]}}</ref> Suriliyar and Theniar join the river initially before it turns eastwards. Most of the tributaries including Varattar, Nagalar, Varahanadhi, Manjalar, Marudhanadhi, Sirumaliar, and Sathaiyar originate in the [[Palani Hills|Palani]] and [[Sirumalai]] Hills and join the river along its course. Uppar originates in the Alagar hills and joins the Vaigai near [[Manamadurai]].<ref name="Hydro"/>{{rp|page=3}}
== Riparian zone ==
The river has a {{cvt|7009|km2}} [[drainage basin]] spread across the districts of [[Theni District|Theni]], [[Dindigul District|Dindigul]], [[Madurai District|Madurai]], [[Sivagangai District|Sivagangai]], and [[Ramanathapuram District|Ramanathapuram]]<ref name="Hydro"/>{{rp|page=1}}<ref name="Garg1999">{{cite book|last=Garg|first=Santosh Kumar|title=International and interstate river water disputes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nrcqGF3agsEC&pg=PA10|access-date=16 May 2011|year=1999|publisher=Laxmi Publications|isbn=978-81-7008-068-8|page=10}}</ref> The basin stretches from the [[Western Ghats]] in the west to the [[Bay of Bengal]] in the east, and is bound by the [[Periyar River|Periyar]] basin in the west, [[Kaveri]] and Pambar-Kottakaraiyar basins to the north, and [[Gundar River|Gundar]] basin in the south. It is about {{cvt|289–295|km}} long east-to-west and {{cvt|15–55|km}} wide north-to-south.<ref name="Hydro"/>{{rp|page=2}}


==Tributaries==
The topography of the Vaigai watershed can be divided into three distinct regions: a western mountainous terrain with valley complexes, a central upland plateau, and an eastern flat coastal plains.<ref name="Hydro"/>{{rp|page=5}} The upper basin in the west lies in the Western Ghats, with elevations reaching up to about {{cvt|2600|m}} in the highest hills. Fertile valleys such as the [[Cumbum Valley]] lie between the hills and form important agricultural lowlands in this region. The middle basin around Madurai is relatively flatter, while the lower basin near Ramanathapuram consists of low-lying coastal plains. Major urban centers in the watershed include the city of [[Madurai]] on the river’s banks, as well as towns like [[Theni]], [[Dindigul]], and [[Ramanathapuram]].<ref name="Hydro"/>{{rp|page=2}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.madurai.com/ |title=Madurai, Temple Town of South India. Cultural capital of Tamilnadu |access-date=8 October 2007 |archive-date=22 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222025125/http://www.madurai.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The main tributaries of the river Vaigai are, the river Suruliyaru, the river Mullaiyaaru, the river [[Varaha River|Varaganadi]], the [[Manjalar River|river Manjalaru]], [[Kottagudi River|river kottagudi]] and river Kridhumaal, Upparu river. [[Vaigai Dam]] is the major dam in this river which is present in [[Theni district]]


Vaigai gets major feed from the [[Periyar River|Periyar Dam]] in Kumili, [[Kerala]]. Water from the Periyar River in Kerala is diverted into the Vaigai River in [[Tamil Nadu]] via a tunnel through the [[Western Ghats]]. In summers, the Vaigai river ends up dry very often. The water never reaches [[Madurai]], let alone flowing into places past Madurai.{{fact|date=July 2020}}
=== Soil and land use ===
The soils in the Vaigai basin consists of [[red soil]] in the Cumbum valley and nearby the Vaigai dam. Mixed red and sandy soil is found in select rocky areas. [[Chernozem|Black soil]] occurs areas around [[Andipatti]], and [[lateritic soil]] is found in the slopes of the Palani Hills and north west of Manamadurai. The lower section of the basin predominantly consists of [[alluvial soil]].<ref name="Hydro"/>{{rp|page=8}}


==Dams==
The land within the Vaigai River watershed is utilized for a mix of agriculture, forests, settlements, and other uses. Broadly, the basin's land consists of as one-third agricultural land, one-third forests, and one-third scrub/wasteland, with a small fraction under water bodies or urban areas. Agricultural lands cover {{cvt|2359|km2}} of land area, and includes irrigated wet croplands concentrated in valley areas and near tanks, and dry croplands in the plains. About 30% of the watershed is forested, mainly in the western hilly region, and include medium to dense natural forests, and [[Tree plantation|forest plantations]].. A significant portion of the remaining land is classified as [[scrubland]] with sparse vegetation. There are many small water bodies in the Vaigai basin including man-made tanks and [[reservoir]]s, providing irrigation storage and groundwater recharge. The urban and built-up land occupies about 1–2% of the land area in the basin.<ref name="Hydro"/>{{rp|page=7}}
[[File:Vaigai River Illumination.jpg|thumb|Vaigai River Illumination]]
The Vaigai Dam is built across the river in [[Periyakulam taluk]], in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu. It provides water for irrigation for the [[Madurai district]] and the [[Dindigul district]] as well as drinking water to Madurai and Andipatti.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007071551970300.htm&date=2007/07/15/&prd=th&
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125211359/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007071551970300.htm&date=2007/07/15/&prd=th&
|url-status=usurped
|archive-date=25 November 2020
|title= Water released from Vaigai dam for irrigation
|work=The Hindu
|access-date=9 August 2007}}</ref> Near the dam, the Government of Tamil Nadu has constructed an Agricultural Research Station for researching the growing of a variety of crops, including rice, [[sorghum]], [[blackgram]], [[cowpea]] and cotton.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.tnau.ac.in/vaigai.html
|title= Welcome to Agricultural Research Station, Vaigai Dam
|publisher=Tamil Nadu Government
|access-date=9 August 2007}}</ref>


The [[Periyar Dam]] was built in 1895 by John Pennycuick, who implemented a plan proposed over a century earlier by [[Pradani Muthirulappa Pillai]] of Ramnad. The dam was built by the British Army Engineering corps for the [[Travancore kingdom]]. The first dam was washed away by floods, and a second masonry dam was constructed in 1895.{{fact|date=July 2020}}
=== Dams ===
[[File:Vaigai Dam.jpg|thumb|[[Vaigai Dam]]]]


"Greater than the mother bearing child/Greater than the child that is born/Every breath is Periyar/Every word is Periyar/In every place, in all the world/As far as Periyar water flows/Your name will stand-Pennycuick-your name/Though written on water, will always stand".{{fact|date=July 2020}}
The [[Vaigai Dam]] is built across the river in [[Periyakulam taluk]], in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{cite web|date=18 April 2022 |title=Vaigai takes the edge off water woes in Madurai |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2022/Apr/18/vaigai-takes-the-edge-off-water-woes-in-madurai-2443445.html |access-date=3 October 2024 |work=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref> It provides water for irrigation for the six basin districts and the [[Virudhunagar district]] through irrigation canals. It is also the source of drinking water for Madurai.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007071551970300.htm&date=2007/07/15/&prd=th&|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125211359/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007071551970300.htm&date=2007/07/15/&prd=th&|url-status=usurped|archive-date=25 November 2020|title= Water released from Vaigai dam for irrigation|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=9 August 2007}}</ref> An agricultural research station, run by the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]], is located near the dam.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tnau.ac.in/vaigai.html|title=Agricultural Research Station, Vaigai Dam|work=[[Government of Tamil Nadu]]|access-date=9 August 2007}}</ref>


That is how Anthony Muthu Pillai (1863–1929) had paid tributes in Tamil to John Pennycuick, the engineer who had taken up the "audacious and unprecedented feat of...engineering" for transferring some water from the Periyar river in Travancore State to the Vaigai basin in Madras Presidency.{{fact|date=July 2020}}
The [[Mullaperiyar Dam]], located in [[Periyar district]] in Kerala, was built in 1895 under the supervision of [[John Pennycuick (British engineer)|John Pennycuick]], based on a plan proposed over a century earlier by [[Pradani Muthirulappa Pillai]] of [[Ramnad estate|Ramnad]]. An earlier dam was washed away by floods, post which the masonry dam was constructed in 1895.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kandaswamy |first=Deepa |date=28 August 2016 |title=John Pennycuick: The man who built the Mullaiperiyar dam |url=https://www.livemint.com/Sundayapp/3PeedgK5bx4Z9uPKEE0KPL/John-Pennycuick-The-man-who-built-the-Mullaiperiyar-dam.html |access-date=6 October 2024 |work=Live Mint}}</ref> The dam is located on the [[Periyar River]], and the water from the dam is diverted through Viravanar and Suriliyar to the Vaigai river during the monsoons.<ref name="Hydro"/>{{rp|page=3}}
 
==See also==
*[[Kaveri–Vaigai Link Canal]]


==References==
==References==
{{commons category|Vaigai}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


== Further reading ==
* {{cite journal|last1=Ramkumar |first1=Mu. |last2=Nagarajan |first2=R. |last3=Juni |first3=K. J. |last4=Manobalaji |first4=A. |last5=Balasubramani |first5=K. |last6=Roy |first6=Priyadarsi D. |last7=Kumaraswamy |first7=K. |last8=Fathima |first8=A. L. |last9=Pramod |first9=Athira |last10=Sharveen |first10=R. |last11=Rahman |first11=S. Abdul |last12=Siddiqui |first12=N. A. |last13=Menier |first13=D. |last14=Sharma |first14=Rajveer |title=Tectono-climatic and depositional environmental controls on the Neolithic habitation sites, Vaigai River Basin, Southern India|journal=Geological Journal|date=8 January 2024|volume=59 |issue=4 |pages=1199–1218 |doi=10.1002/gj.4919 |bibcode=2024GeolJ..59.1199R }}
== External links ==
{{commons category|Vaigai River}}
{{Hydrography of Tamil Nadu}}
{{Hydrography of Tamil Nadu}}


Line 115: Line 93:


[[Category:Rivers of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Rivers of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Rivers of India]]
[[Category:Geography of Madurai]]
[[Category:Geography of Madurai]]

Latest revision as of 21:09, 22 February 2026


"Vaigai" redirects here. For the 2009 film, see Vaigai (film).

Vaigai River
Vaigai River in Madurai
Map of Vaigai river
Location
CountryIndia
DistrictsTheni
Dindigul
Madurai
Sivagangai
Ramanathapuram
Physical characteristics
SourceVarusanadu hills
 • locationTamil Nadu, India
Mouth 
 • location
Palk Bay
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length295 km (183 mi)
Discharge 
 • locationPeranai[1]
 • average28.8 m3/s (1,020 cu ft/s)

Template:Vaigai River Vaigai is a semi-perennial river in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It flows through the districts of Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivagangai, and Ramanathapuram in the southern part of the state. The city of Madurai is situated on the banks of the river. The river is 295 km (183 mi) long, with its drainage basin spread across 7,009 km2 (2,706 sq mi).

Vaigai originates in Varusanadu Hills of the Western Ghats, and flows north through the Cumbum Valley, between the Palani Hills to the north and the Varusanadu Hills to the south. It rounds the eastern corner of the Varushanad Hills, and turns southeast, running through southern Tamil Nadu. The river empties into the Palk Bay near Alagankulam in the Ramanathapuram district. During the 20th century, the river basin was extensively developed for irrigation, flood control, and the generation of hydroelectric power.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

There are two etymologies for the name 'Vaigai'. The first is derived from a combination of two Tamil language words, 'vai' meaning Earth and 'yai' meaning sky, a reference to the mythology associated with the origin of the river.[2][3] As per Koodal Purana, which details the origin of the Vaigai river flowing through Madurai, Vishnu took the form of Trivikrama, with one of his feet rising to the Brahmaloka, the abode of Brahma, in the skies. Brahma washed the raised foot and the water flowed into a rivulet. As the river came from the sky and fell onto Earth, it was called as 'Vaiyai', which later became 'Vaigai'.[4] The river is mentioned as such in various Sangam literary works (circa 300 BCE to 300 CE),[5][6][7] such as the Paripatal.[4] A large number of banana trees sprang up in the place and it came to be known as Kadhalivana, a forest of banana trees.[2][3] The second etymology is derived from the words 'vai' meaning keep, and 'kai' meaning hand, literally meaning 'the river that brings water when one touches it'.[2][3]

The river is mentioned in Sanskrit as 'Kritamala'. Satyavrata, a Pandya king, was a staunch devotee of Vishnu. Vishnu emerged from the 'Kritimala' river as a fish (Matsya avatar, one of the avatars of Vishnu) to teach the Vedas to the ruler. The Pandyas later adopted the fish as the ensign of their kingdom.[2][3] In the Sanskrit texts, the river is also mentioned as Vegavatī.[8]

Course[edit | edit source]

The Vaigai is a 295 km (183 mi) long semi-perennial river.[9](p4) The river originates in the eastern slopes of the Varusanadu Hills in the Western Ghats. It flows northwards for some distance, before it turns eastwards, and then flows roughly southeast till it reaches the Bay of Bengal at Palk Bay near Alagankulam.[9](p3) The river is at its peak volume during the monsoons, and often ends up dry in the summer.[10]

Tributaries[edit | edit source]

The tributaries of the Vaigai include Suriliyar, Theniar, Varattar, Nagalar, Varahanadhi, Manjalar, Marudhanadhi, Sirumaliar, Sathaiyar, and Uppar.[9](p3) [11] Suriliyar and Theniar join the river initially before it turns eastwards. Most of the tributaries including Varattar, Nagalar, Varahanadhi, Manjalar, Marudhanadhi, Sirumaliar, and Sathaiyar originate in the Palani and Sirumalai Hills and join the river along its course. Uppar originates in the Alagar hills and joins the Vaigai near Manamadurai.[9](p3)

Riparian zone[edit | edit source]

The river has a 7,009 km2 (2,706 sq mi) drainage basin spread across the districts of Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivagangai, and Ramanathapuram[9](p1)[12] The basin stretches from the Western Ghats in the west to the Bay of Bengal in the east, and is bound by the Periyar basin in the west, Kaveri and Pambar-Kottakaraiyar basins to the north, and Gundar basin in the south. It is about 289–295 km (180–183 mi) long east-to-west and 15–55 km (9.3–34.2 mi) wide north-to-south.[9](p2)

The topography of the Vaigai watershed can be divided into three distinct regions: a western mountainous terrain with valley complexes, a central upland plateau, and an eastern flat coastal plains.[9](p5) The upper basin in the west lies in the Western Ghats, with elevations reaching up to about 2,600 m (8,500 ft) in the highest hills. Fertile valleys such as the Cumbum Valley lie between the hills and form important agricultural lowlands in this region. The middle basin around Madurai is relatively flatter, while the lower basin near Ramanathapuram consists of low-lying coastal plains. Major urban centers in the watershed include the city of Madurai on the river’s banks, as well as towns like Theni, Dindigul, and Ramanathapuram.[9](p2)[13]

Soil and land use[edit | edit source]

The soils in the Vaigai basin consists of red soil in the Cumbum valley and nearby the Vaigai dam. Mixed red and sandy soil is found in select rocky areas. Black soil occurs areas around Andipatti, and lateritic soil is found in the slopes of the Palani Hills and north west of Manamadurai. The lower section of the basin predominantly consists of alluvial soil.[9](p8)

The land within the Vaigai River watershed is utilized for a mix of agriculture, forests, settlements, and other uses. Broadly, the basin's land consists of as one-third agricultural land, one-third forests, and one-third scrub/wasteland, with a small fraction under water bodies or urban areas. Agricultural lands cover 2,359 km2 (911 sq mi) of land area, and includes irrigated wet croplands concentrated in valley areas and near tanks, and dry croplands in the plains. About 30% of the watershed is forested, mainly in the western hilly region, and include medium to dense natural forests, and forest plantations.. A significant portion of the remaining land is classified as scrubland with sparse vegetation. There are many small water bodies in the Vaigai basin including man-made tanks and reservoirs, providing irrigation storage and groundwater recharge. The urban and built-up land occupies about 1–2% of the land area in the basin.[9](p7)

Dams[edit | edit source]

Vaigai Dam

The Vaigai Dam is built across the river in Periyakulam taluk, in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu.[14] It provides water for irrigation for the six basin districts and the Virudhunagar district through irrigation canals. It is also the source of drinking water for Madurai.[15] An agricultural research station, run by the Government of Tamil Nadu, is located near the dam.[16]

The Mullaperiyar Dam, located in Periyar district in Kerala, was built in 1895 under the supervision of John Pennycuick, based on a plan proposed over a century earlier by Pradani Muthirulappa Pillai of Ramnad. An earlier dam was washed away by floods, post which the masonry dam was constructed in 1895.[17] The dam is located on the Periyar River, and the water from the dam is diverted through Viravanar and Suriliyar to the Vaigai river during the monsoons.[9](p3)

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Gauging Station – Data Summary". ORNL. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 M., Rajagopalan (1993). 15 Vaishnava Temples of Tamil Nadu. Chennai, India: Govindaswamy Printers. pp. 119–128.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 S., Sundararajan (6 September 2004). "Symbol of togetherness". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 November 2004. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 V.N. Muthukumar; Elizabeth Rani Segran (2012). The River Speaks: The Vaiyai Poems from the Paripatal. Penguin Books. pp. 3–11. ISBN 978-8-18475-694-4.
  5. ↑ Singh, Upinder (2008). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. Pearson Education. pp. 27–28. ISBN 978-8-13171-120-0.
  6. ↑ Nadarajah, Devapoopathy (1994). Love in Sanskrit and Tamil Literature: A Study of Characters and Nature, 200 B.C.-A.D. 500. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-8-12081-215-4.
  7. ↑ Ramaswamy, Vijaya (25 August 2017). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-53810-686-0.
  8. ↑ "Vekavati, Vēkavati: 2 definitions". Wisdom library. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  9. ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 Vaigai Basin (PDF). National Water Mission (Report). 17 July 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  10. ↑ Sivarajah, Padmini (11 December 2020). "How Madurai's thirst quencher turned dry". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  11. ↑ "Vaigai River". Britannica. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  12. ↑ Garg, Santosh Kumar (1999). International and interstate river water disputes. Laxmi Publications. p. 10. ISBN 978-81-7008-068-8. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  13. ↑ "Madurai, Temple Town of South India. Cultural capital of Tamilnadu". Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2007.
  14. ↑ "Vaigai takes the edge off water woes in Madurai". The New Indian Express. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  15. ↑ "Water released from Vaigai dam for irrigation". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  16. ↑ "Agricultural Research Station, Vaigai Dam". Government of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  17. ↑ Kandaswamy, Deepa (28 August 2016). "John Pennycuick: The man who built the Mullaiperiyar dam". Live Mint. Retrieved 6 October 2024.

Further reading[edit | edit source]

  • Ramkumar, Mu.; Nagarajan, R.; Juni, K. J.; Manobalaji, A.; Balasubramani, K.; Roy, Priyadarsi D.; Kumaraswamy, K.; Fathima, A. L.; Pramod, Athira; Sharveen, R.; Rahman, S. Abdul; Siddiqui, N. A.; Menier, D.; Sharma, Rajveer (8 January 2024). "Tectono-climatic and depositional environmental controls on the Neolithic habitation sites, Vaigai River Basin, Southern India". Geological Journal. 59 (4): 1199–1218. Bibcode:2024GeolJ..59.1199R. doi:10.1002/gj.4919.

External links[edit | edit source]

9°21′N 79°00′E / 9.350°N 79.000°E / 9.350; 79.000

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