Kammaai - the Pandya irrigation system
‘Kammaai’ is the colloquial term used in Pandya territory / Southern Tamilnadu to refer the lakes meant primarily for irrigation purpose.
In Thondai mandalam i.e. Northern part of Tamilnadu,
lakes are referred as ‘Eri’. Southern Kammaais are lesser in size than the eris
of Thondai region.
Kammai systems in Paandya territory are manmade and
centuries old. They are built at vantage locations using the topographical features
to the advantage and in tune with the meteorology of a region. Almost
no Kammai is standalone but ingeniously interconnected with nearby kammais,
channels and river systems.
Each Kammai has the indispensable features such as a
catchment area, water influx courses, well defined banks, shutters, efflux courses
and overflow/ spillover check dam.
Paddy fields irrigated by the kammai are the purpose
and the integral part of the system. Kammai, along with its catchment area, Aayacut
/connected farm lands; connected community of people collectively formed a
locality/ village or ‘oor’. Thus kammaai
or any other irrigation system is the pivot system of a number of ancient localities.
Ayyanaar is the deity who protects the kammais of
Paandya territory. So Ayyanaar temple is another integral feature of all
ancient kammais of Paandyaa country.
Nearly 300 kammais form part of Vaigai river system.
The kammais in the Northern side of Vaigai collect water from the hill ranges,
such as Palani Hills, Sirumalai range and Alagar malai. The kammais here are made by bunds and hold water against gravity. The South eastern slope of the Northern bank side regions towards Vaigai river is ingeniously used so that the rain waters cascade down from one kammai to another in a series and ultimately the excess drains into the Vaigai River whereas, the kammais in the southern
side draw from the Vaigai river showing another ingenious arrangement in tune with the topographic feature of the southern bank side. the river water is drawn to as far as possible depending upon the slope and connected gravity of the region.
A number of kammai systems in the present Madurai city limits
had been filled up and disappeared beneath the District court, Municipal
Corporation office, PF office, AIR facility, Income Tax Office, Public Transport depot, Bus stands, etc…….
When the ancient and rich paddy fields were turned into
residential colonies, the kammaais were trapped into such colonies and have
become almost redundant or rather unwanted irritants!!
Hence they are converted for other ‘useful’ purposes…
Kodikulam kammaai was recently rescued by the alert people
of the locality from being converted into Madurai branch of Anna University…..
Expanding urban centers always eye on the real-estate
potential of water bodies….
However, the alarming fall in ground water levels has
raised the concern for the water recharging sources…..
I have visited few kammais in the Northern bank of Vaigai with one friend and neighbor who showed interest in kammais….
S. Alangulam - [ Sambandhar Alangulam] : This kammai is a smaller one. It probably sources its water from nearby Aanayur kammaai. The nearby and now extinct Kosakulam might also drained into this kammaai. S. Alangulam is connected with Sellur kammai, one of the biggest in the region. This kammaai has been trapped into the residential colonies and has lost its relevance.
However the suffix, 'kulam' refers a smaller and well constructed water body meant for bathing purpose.
The prefix 'Sambandhar', curiously refers one of the four Prime Gurus of Tamil Saivism. The classical Tamil work, 'Periyapuraanam' describes in detail the visit of Sambandhar to Madurai in 7th Century. The visit changed the course of Tamil history. The visit resulted in defeat of Samanaa occupation of Madurai and Pandya country was restored back to its original socio-cultural moorings from the harsh ascetic ways of Samana influence. S. Alangulam might have been connected in some way to the journey of Sambandhar as the next locality is Sellur which was the prime gate way to the ancient Madurai from the North.
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| closely encircled by residential buildings.... |
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| debris dumped into the useless kammaai.. |
Aanaiyur Kammaai: Though the residential concretes eaten into a major part of the ayacut fields of this kammaai, there are still a segment of the farm fields left out by the advancing 'development' which offer a peep into the vibrant past era locality system of the Madurai region.........
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| The Sirumalai range in the back drop...... |
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| A strong bund course.... |
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| approaching concrete civilisation........ |
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| Scenic beauty of the Aanaiyur kammai...... |
There is no bund on the opposite - Northern side as it is the catchment area. The topography of the Northern side landscape to River Vaigai is sloping towards the course of the river. As gravity acting on the hydraulic dynamics in the region between the Palani malai - Sirumalai - Alagarmalai - Karanthamalai - Piranmalai ranges and river Vaigai i.e. the northern landscapes to the River, any kammai system needs only a semi circular bund structure to hold water on the sloping sides. There are scores of ancient kammais using this topographic feature in this region in an ingenious way to harvest the precious fresh water. 2000 years old Sangham literature mentions this feature as half moon structure.
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| Banyan canopy on the banks....... |
The southern side to the kammai is the Ayakut area - i.e. the irrigated farm lands
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| The still existing paddy fields....... |
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| A refreshing splash into the adjacent well..... |
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| gathering clouds reflecting on the wet lands..... |
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| Under the banyan shade and soothing winds........ |
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| Karuppasaamy temple on the banks..... |
Tamil tradition never shied away.......... from anything which is integral part of life. There was no hypocritical taboo or any 'forbidden apple'........After all apples are supposed to keep oneself healthy......!
'Sringaaraa' is one of the 'nawa rasaas' i.e. nine aesthetic flavours of Indian art tradition.
Erotic art is an acknowledged dimension of Sringaaraa and in Tamil literary tradition, 'Agam' division of literature deals with kaama/romance.
A 'sudhai' shilpa art work...i.e. sculpture made of lime, brick and plaster of paris and now with cement....atop the temple on the kammaai bank......
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| A beautiful expression of erotic art.... |
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| May this fields of centuries remain for the coming centuries......... |
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| Sluice shutter........ |
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| Sluice system |
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| The source of water is considered sacred. Traces of prayers offered...... |
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| May our Karuppasaamy protect this kammaai system for ever........ |
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| Ayyanaar ... the protective deity of the kammaai.... |
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