Those who have traveled through the Chola country would have noticed a peculiar feature in its natural landscape. During the floods that swell the rivers which make Chola Nadu a land of abundant rice, the water level in the rivers rises far above the level of the surrounding land on either side. It is precisely because of this that the floodwaters can be channeled through canals into the paddy fields.

In such a situation, is it not a most difficult task to keep the floodwaters within the riverbeds? Strong embankments must be built on both sides of the rivers. Otherwise, instead of the water flowing along the river, it would spill out in all directions like rainwater, turning Chola Nadu into a waterlogged marsh, rendering it utterly useless.

Bearing this in mind, from ancient times, the Chola kings paid great attention to the construction of embankments along the Kaveri and its tributaries. Readers may know the story that Karikala Valavan, after defeating the people of Eelam in war, brought them as captives and set them to work on building the embankments of the Kaveri.

To ensure that water flowed at a good height in the tributaries of the Kaveri, the Chola kings built the Grand Anicut (Kallanai) a katha’s distance east of Srirangam. Because of that dam, the water level rose further, and plenty of water could be diverted into the branch rivers.

Thus, through a combination of natural features and unceasing human effort, Chola Nadu became, even in ancient days, a land unrivaled in its water resources. Yet, just as nature bestowed these special blessings on the fertile Chola land, at times it also brought grave dangers.

To the east of the Chola country, along the coast, cyclonic storms and hurricanes frequently arise in the sea. Sometimes these winds sweep northwards along the shore, entering the deltas of the Krishna and Godavari or the land of Kalinga, bringing torrential rains and causing great destruction. At other times, they enter directly into Chola Nadu itself, rushing westward. Between Kodikkarai and the mouth of the Kollidam, it is in this region that such cyclones most often penetrate inland. This is an event that has occurred many times throughout history. Sometimes, those cyclonic winds, taking on a terrifying and dreadful form, cause the very sea to swell and rise, destroying the villages along the shore!

The tale that the sea consumed Kaveripattinam, known as Poompuhar, is not a mere legend; it is a true event that can be proven by historical evidence. When there is an excessive flood in the rivers, sometimes the banks break. Since the land around the rivers is lower than the water level of the rivers themselves, when a breach occurs, the surrounding area becomes a vast sheet of water. The villages near the rivers are submerged. In such times, the temples in the vicinity have served as a refuge for people to save their lives.

History tells us that Aditya Chola, son of Vijayalaya Chola, constructed one