Rich tributes were paid to Kongu chieftain Kalingarayan by farmers and villagers in the district as the day marks the completion of construction of Kalingarayan Canal and discharge of water into the canal 740 years ago.
The fifth day in the Tamil month of Thai is celebrated as Kalingarayan Day as the construction of the 91.10-km canal that helps in irrigating 15,743 acre in the district was completed in 1283. It took 12 years to construct the canal connecting River Bhavani at Bhavani with River Noyal at Kodumudi. The State government had constructed a memorial for the chieftain at Kalingarayan anicut in Kalingarayan Palayam in Bhavani and the day is celebrated as a government function.
Ministerfor Information and Publicity M.P.Swaminathan and Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare N. Kayalvizhi in the presence of Collector H. Krishnanunni, A. Ganeshamurthi, MP, MLAs A.G. Venkatachalam (Anthiyur), E.R. Eswaran (Tiruchengode) and Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation chairman Kurinji N. Sivakumar garlanded the statue of Kalingarayan at Mettunasuvampalayam in Bhavani.
Mr. Swaminathan told the media that the chieftain had made inter-linking of rivers possible 740 years ago. “He executed the project when there was no scientific advancement, telecommunication or transportation facility,” he said.
Likewise, former AIADMK Ministers K.A. Sengottaiyan and K.C. Karuppannan, former MLAs and MPs, along with functionaries garlanded the statue at Kalingarayan Palayam. In Kalingarayan ayacut areas in Kodumudi block, farmers and villagers performed special puja for the canal and left mulapari pot that contains nine different types of grains, in the canal. Modakkurichi MLA C. Saraswathi took part in the puja held at various villages.
