Tula Sankranti

Tula Sankranti is one of the twelve sankrantis of a Hindu Panchang or calendar. Tula Sankranti falls on October 17 (Tuesday). Tula Sankranti is also known as Garbhana or Garvana Sankranti. It is celebrated as an auspicious occasion on the first day of the Kartika month in the Hindu Solar panchang. It also coincides with Mahastami.

All over India, Tula Sankranti is celebrated with significance attached to social, cultural, and religious aspects. It is especially considered very auspicious in the states of Odisha (Orissa) and Karnataka. In Karanataka, the Coorg or the Kodagu district celebrates Tula Sankramana with much bang and bustle and reverence being paid to Goddess Cauvery originating at Tala Cauvery. 

Skanda Purana of ancient Indian literature has many stories relating to origin of river Cauvery. One of the stories is about a girl called Lopamudra or Vishnumaya, the daughter of Lord Brahma, who later became the adopted daughter of Kavera Muni. Kavera Muni renamed her as Kaveri. 

Agastya Muni fell in love with her and married her. One day, Agastya Muni was so involved in theological or religious discussions that he forgot to attend to his wife Kaveri. Due to his negligence, Kaveri fell into Agastya Muni’s bathing tank and overflowed as river Cauvery to benefit the land and the people of Kodagu which was her original wish before marriage. 

Kaveri meets three other rivers throughout its course from Tala Kavery until it finally merges into Bay of Bengal. During the month of Tula, people take holy dips at Bhagamandala, Karnataka and Mayavaram, Tamilnadu.