Kaveri Shankramana

This festival normally takes place in mid-October. It is associated with the river Kaveri, which flows through the district from its source at Talakaveri. At a predetermined time, when the sun enters Tula Rasi (Tula sankramana,) a fountain from a small tank fills the bigger holy tank at Talakaveri. People throng in thousands to take a dip in this holy water. The water is collected in bottles and reaches every house in Kodagu, and this is called Theertha – holy water. This water is preserved in all Kodava houses, and a spoonful of this water is fed to the dying, in the belief that they will attain moksha (emancipation) and gain entry to heaven.

On this day, married women wearing new silk saris perform puja to a vegetable, usually a cucumber or a coconut, wrapped in a piece of red silk cloth and decorated with flowers and jewels, mainly "Pathak" (Kodava Mangalasuthra), symbolizing the goddess Kaveri. This is called the Kanni Puje. Kanni means the goddess Parvati, who is incarnated as Kaveri. Three sets of betel leaves and areca nut are kept in front of the goddess, with bunches of glass bangles. All the members of the family pray to the goddess by throwing rice and prostrating before the image. The elder members of the family ceremonially bless the younger. Then an older married woman draws water from the well and starts cooking. The menu of the day is dosa and vegetable curry ( usually pumpkin curry (kumbala kari) ) and payasa. Non-vegetarian food is not cooked on that day. This is the only festival wherein non-vegetarian food is not prepared.