The South Pennar River (also known as ''Dakshina Pinakini'' in Kannada and ''Thenpennai or Ponnaiyar'' or ''Pennaiyar'' in Tamil) is a river in India.

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

, Hosur,

Tiruvannamalai Tiruvannamalai (Tamil: ''Tiruvaṇṇāmalai'' IPA: , otherwise spelt ''Thiruvannamalai''; ''Trinomali'' or ''Trinomalee'' on British records) is a city, a spiritual, cultural, economic hub and also the administrative headquarters of Tiruvann ...

, and

Cuddalore Cuddalore, also spelt as Kadalur (), is the city and headquarters of the Cuddalore District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Situated south of Chennai, Cuddalore was an important port during the British Raj. While the early history of Cudd ...

are the important cities on the banks of South Pennar river. This is the second longest river in Tamil Nadu, with a length of 497km, after the

Kaveri The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery, the anglicized name) is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu dis ...

Chandapura Chandapura is a Town Municipality Council (TMC) in the Bengaluru urban district of Karnataka state in India. Chandapura is 6 km from Electronics City on NH 44 (widely known as Hosur Road). It has a Saturday market for fresh fruits and ve ...

Anekal Anekal is a major town and taluk of Bengaluru Urban district. It is a major town in the suburbs of Bengaluru city. Approximately 36 km from Bengaluru Centre and around 15 km from Hosur and Electronic City. Express lines run from Si ...

, Hosur, Bagalur and

Chengam Chengam or ''Chengamma'' as on British records, is an important market town and a taluk headquarter in the Foot hills of Eastern ghats in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu, India. Chengam is the gateway to the Chengam pass in the Eastern gha ...

are the major industrial settlements on its banks. The river is severely polluted by industrial waste as it flows through major industrial areas in the eastern suburbs of

, Industrial parks of Hosur and Chengam. The river originates in the Nandi Hills in the

Chikkaballapura district Chikkaballapura district is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. On 23 August 2007, it was carved out of the pre-existing Kolar district which was the fourth largest district (before bifurcation) of Karnataka by moving the talukas of G ...

of Karnataka and flows through Tamil Nadu before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. It has a

catchment area In human geography, a catchment area is the area from which a location, such as a city, service or institution, attracts a population that uses its services and economic opportunities. Catchment areas may be defined based on from where people are ...

of located in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states. Small dams of Kelavarapalli and Krishnagiri Dams are built across this river near Hosur and Krishnagiri. The largest dam on this river, Sathanur Dam with 7.3 Tmcft Gross Capacity is built near Tiruvannamalai.

Moongilthuraipattu Moongilthuraipattu is a village panchayat in Sankarapuram taluk of kallakurichi district in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is on the banks of Thenpennai (South Pennar River) river. It is located on State Highway SH-6 which connects Tiruvannamalai ...

Sugar Factory is also situated on the bank of river. The river is dry for the most part of the year. Water flows during the monsoon season when it is fed by the south-west monsoon in catchment area and the northeast monsoon in Tamil Nadu. However this water flow raises the water table throughout the river basin and feeds numerous reservoirs/tanks. The old river Dakshina Pinakini does not exist anymore. Substantial part of

's sewage enters this river via

Bellandur Bellandur is a suburb in south-east Bangalore, Karnataka, India. It is bounded by HSR Layout to the west, Devarabisanahalli to the east, Sarjapur Road to the south, and the Bellandur Lake to the north. The Bellandur Lake is the largest lake in B ...

and

Varthur Lake Varathur (originally known as) was once famous for a fort built here by the ancient rulers which was strengthened and expanded by his excellency Kempegowda. It is also believed that Kempegowda set up a weapons armory here. Even today there exists ...

s and other channels. The sand build of the river is quite impressive, suggesting that it may have been a perennial river with much larger water flow in the past. Mention of the river is found in Sangam and medieval (

Tevaram The ''Thevaram'' ( ta, தேவாரம், ), also spelled ''Tevaram'', denotes the first seven volumes of the twelve-volume collection ''Tirumurai'', a Śaiva narrative of epic and puranic heroes, as well as a hagiographic account of early ...

Bhakti ''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...

cult era) literature, where it is depicted as rich with lush vegetation on its banks. There are Famous temples on its banks like

Penneswaraar Temple Penneswaraar Temple, also known as Penneswaramadam Shiva Temple, is a Shiva temple in the Krishnagiri district in India. It was built by Kulothunga Chola III in the year 1188 C.E. (9th Century C.E.) after defeating the Hoysala Dynasyty of present ...

, Shree Venkateshwara Swamy temple, Dakshina Tirupati, Veerateshwarar Temple and

Kabilar Kundru Kabilar Kundru (or Kabilar rock) is a hill rock in the middle of the Ponnaiyar River near Tirukoilur in Viluppuram district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for Tamil poet Kapilar did Vadakirrutal (fast unto death) here, after his friend Vēl Pār ...

. It irrigates

Chikkaballapur district Chikkaballapura district is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. On 23 August 2007, it was carved out of the pre-existing Kolar district which was the fourth largest district (before bifurcation) of Karnataka by moving the talukas of G ...

Bengaluru Rural district Bangalore Rural district, is one of the 31 districts in Karnataka, India. It was formed in 1986, when Bangalore District was divided into Bangalore Rural and Bangalore Urban. Presently in Bangalore Rural district, there are 1 division, 4 ta ...

Bengaluru Urban district Bangalore Urban district is the most densely populated district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is surrounded by the Bangalore Rural district on the east and north, the Ramanagara district on the west and the Krishnagiri district of Tamil ...

, Kolar district

Krishnagiri district Krishnagiri district is one of the 38 districts (a district in the north western part) of the state of Tamil Nadu, in India. This district is carved out from Dharmapuri District by 2004. The municipal town of Krishnagiri is the district hea ...

, Dharmapuri district,

, Viluppuram district and

Cuddalore district Cuddalore District is one of the 38 districts in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. History Since ancient times, the old town has been a seaport. Through the centuries, Cuddalore has been subject to a number of foreign powers including the Net ...

. It splits into a delta on which

town is located. This river is now looted for its rich availability of sand. As the water flow will be only in monsoon seasons, the river is dry in remaining parts of the year.

References

Rivers of Tamil Nadu Rivers of Karnataka Rivers of India {{India-river-stub

See also

References