Latest news with #Kongu
The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Kalingarayan Anicut in Erode to restored at ₹1.34 crore
The 742-year-old Kalingarayan Anicut, one of the oldest river-linking projects still in use, is all set to be revamped, as the State government will soon carry out restoration works estimated at ₹1.34 crore. The anicut was constructed across River Bhavani, just above its confluence with River Cauvery, at Mettunasuvampalayam in Bhavani. The Kalingarayan Canal, which originates from the right side of the anicut, runs for 91.10 km, irrigating 15,743 acres in the district before joining River Noyyal at Kodumudi. The construction of the anicut and canal was carried out between 1271 and 1283 by the Kongu chieftain Kalingarayan Gounder. It is the second and last anicut across the river below Bhavanisagar Dam. In recognition of its historical significance, the anicut system was declared a 'World Heritage Irrigation Structure' by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) in 2021. A memorial, including a statue of the chieftain, stands near the anicut and is visited by many. Though restoration works have been undertaken over the years, the lack of basic amenities for visitors, students, and farmers has long been a concern. In 2024–25, the Water Resources Department (WRD) decided to address these issues by providing facilities such as toilets, parking, and water supply. It also proposed the establishment of a museum to exhibit old photographs, 3D models, and materials highlighting the history of the heritage structure. Additionally, all components of the anicut are to be renovated, as per Government Order No. 50 issued by the WRD on November 12, 2024. As part of the project, the anicut structures will be revamped, a museum will be set up to educate the public about its history, a tourist park will be developed, and a three-dimensional schematic model will be installed. The project also includes the renovation of canal shutters and the provision for drinking water, toilet facilities, and vehicle parking space. The estimated cost of the work is ₹1.34 crore, and the WRD, Bhavani Basin Circle, has recently floated a tender for its execution. The last date for submission of e-tender is June 10, and the tenders will be opened on the same day. The selected contractor will be given a 12-month period to complete the project.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Erode Amman Mess's Coimbatore branch stays true to its Kongu roots
It is a sea of heads inside the recently-opened Erode Amman Mess near Hope College. Even as we enter, a small crowd has gathered at the entrance, waiting to be called inside if a free table comes up. Luckily for us, we have a table to swoop in on and quickly elbow our way past hungry diners. The restaurant, that serves a range of Kongu non-vegetarian staples, is packed through the day. Erode Amman Mess's roots can be traced back to a small thatch-roofed eatery in the 1980s in Erode. After 20 years of serving non-vegetarian Kongu fare in the small town, the restaurant branched into Chennai in March 2019. Today, they have seven branches in Tamil Nadu, apart from outlets in Singapore, Dubai, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. The Coimbatore branch is a homecoming of sorts for the brand that was started on Kongu soil. At Erode Amman Mess, they take their mutton and chicken sides seriously. In an ocean of spicy, non-vegetarian gravies that taste the same, each of their dishes holds their own. The chicken kaatu varuval, for instance, tastes of a fragrant masala of red chillies and coriander, while the chicken kandhari is a flavourful blend of tender meat tossed with green chillies. We also try the moru moru chicken, that as the name implies, is crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. The dish is sure to be a hit among the kids, given that the meat is also boneless. The deep-dried, golden discs make for an ideal starter. The mutton and chicken biryani, among their must-haves, arrive at the table with a flourish, to be demolished in minutes. Our vote is for the chicken variation; it is mild with a perfect balance of spices, while the mutton biryani has a little too much ghee that overpowers other flavours. While we are at biryani, we pair it with prawn fry, a dish of tawa-fried prawns that come enveloped in a fiery red gravy. When at Amman Mess, social media tells us not to miss their Japan chicken. The dish – that has nothing to do with Japan – consists of small chunks of chicken simmered in a buttery cashew and cream-based gravy. From what we can see, every table has a plate of Japan chicken, and we too give in to peer pressure. The dish is said to go with their crispy ghee parottas, and we order a couple of them as well. It arrives sizzling hot and we tear off a piece and have it with a dollop of the creamy chicken. The combination of the sweetish gravy and parotta is to die for, and we also understand why it is one of their most sought-after dishes. Mention must be made that it might not be everyone's cup of tea, for a non-vegetarian curry with a sweetish profile is not exactly what one would call a Kongu dish. In desserts, they recommend tender coconut pudding and palkova veechu parotta, which has a gooey stuffing of condensed milk. The dish is the perfect way to round off the Erode Amman Mess experience and represents what they stand for: something old, something new.
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Work begins to desilt Kalingarayan Canal's baby channel
The Water Resources Department (WRD) has begun work to desilt the baby channel of the Kalingarayan Canal to ensure the free flow of sewage. The 91.1-km-long Kalingarayan Canal, constructed by the Kongu chieftain Kalingarayan in the 13th century, irrigates 15,743 acres across the Erode, Modakkurichi, and Kodumudi taluks. A baby channel was constructed 11 years ago from Bhavani to Vairapalayam to address pollution caused by the dumping of household waste and the discharge of industrial effluents. The project aimed to treat sewage and discharge processed water into the Cauvery River. However, untreated sewage continues to flow directly into the Cauvery, as there is no effluent treatment plant in place. Currently, clogging in the baby channel, caused by weeds and plastic waste, is preventing the flow of water. Farmers and residents have been urging the WRD to undertake desilting of the channel. On Thursday, Minister for Housing, Prohibition, and Excise, S. Muthusamy, inaugurated desilting work along a 20-km stretch of the baby canal, at a total cost of ₹28.25 lakh. The work began from the Kalingarayan anicut in Bhavani up to the 12/3rd mile. An earthmover has been deployed to remove weeds and dumped waste. The Minister stated that the work will be completed within a month, after which the flow of water will no longer be disrupted. The WRD has already submitted a proposal to extend the baby channel by an additional six km, from Vairapalayam to Vendipalayam. The proposal has been approved by the State government. A senior WRD engineer said that the proposal also includes development works in the Kalingarayan Canal, with both projects estimated to cost ₹83.30 crore in total. A government order for the works is expected soon, after which construction will commence.
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Development works to be carried out in Erode's Kalingarayan canal and baby channels at ₹83 crore
The Water Resources Department is awaiting a government order to carry out development works in the Kalingarayan Channel and extend the baby channel by an additional six k.m. at ₹83.30 crore. The 91.1 km long Kalingarayan channel, constructed by the Kongu chieftain Kalingarayan in the 13th century, irrigates 15,743 acres across Erode, Modakkurichi, and Kodumudi taluks. A 7.5 km baby channel was constructed 11 years ago from Bhavani to Vairapalayam to address pollution issues caused by the dumping of household waste and discharge of industrial effluents. The project was aimed at treating sewage and discharging processed water into the Cauvery River. However, untreated sewage continued to flow directly into the Cauvery as there is no effluent treatment plant. Farmers and residents have long demanded extension of the baby channel to keep the main channel free from pollution. They have also called for stringent measures to prevent dumping of household and industrial waste into both channels. The Water Resources Department (WRD) submitted a proposal to the government to undertake development works in the main channel and extend the baby channel by six more kms, from Vairapalayam to Vendipalayam. A WRD official confirmed that the government recently accepted the proposal and an order is expected shortly. 'Once the order is issued, the tendering process will begin, with work expected to commence by the end of June,' the official said. Once the project is completed, pollution in the Kalingarayan Channel will be fully prevented. The district administration is in the process of establishing a Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), which is considered the only permanent solution to the pollution problem, the official added.
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Discover Erode-style delights at Satti Kari in Chennai
This newly-launched restaurant on the ECR is hard to miss, with its bold red and yellow signboard with a rooster. Specialising in Erode-style Kongu cuisine, the focus here is on flavourful country chicken dishes. The farm-style ambience is pleasant, with a thatched hut setting in an open-air dining space, complemented by a limited air-conditioned section. After scanning through the menu, we settle down for their non-vegetarian meals (₹250) for lunch. Gayathri Kannan, co-founder of the establishment had travelled across the Erode region, where she dined at a wide range of eateries, from roadside stalls to well-established restaurants, immersing herself in local flavours. The chef eagerly recommends we try their Kongu-style biryani. The non-vegetarian ela sappad has rice, meen kulambu (fish curry), nattu kozhi kulambu (country chicken gravy), karuvadu thokku (dry fish gravy), pacha puli rasam (raw tamarind rasam), chammanthi and thalicha moru (garnished butter milk). Over here, the specialty nattu kozhi dishes can be ordered in quantities of your choice. Nattukozhi kaattu varuval is available in 250 grams, 500 grams or even one kilogram portions. In addition to this, the menu offers an array of regional special dishes such as nattukozhi Nallampatti varuval, nattukozhi pachamilaga varuval and nattukozhi milagu varuval. We decided to try 250 grams each of kaattu varuval, pacha milagai varuval and Nallampatti varuval. Kongu cuisine stands out because of their use of indigenous ingredients such as fennel, pepper, coconut, groundnuts and turmeric. Each chicken dish we tasted had a distinctive personality, and our favourite was pachamolaga nattu kozhi, bursting with the vibrant heat of green chilli, which was balanced by fennel and coconut, and nattu kozhi kaattu varuval, that had very few spices, yet delivered a bold flavour, which can be attributed to a generous addition of red chilli and chinna vengayam (shallots) — a signature of Kongu-style cooking The mutton biryani (₹350) was mild and aromatic with tender, flavourful chunks of lamb meat. We tried the Kerala-style prawn thokku and were floored by the aroma and perfectly cooked succulent prawns. Gayathri shares that they use only chinna vengayam in all their preparations, source their country chicken from a trusted farm in Chengalpet and use only cold pressed ground nut, gingelly and coconut oils for dishes. The defining feature of Erode is the emphasis on slow-cooking where meat is gently sauteed on low heat and species are added gradually. , The oil is used sparingly than other regional cuisines of Tamil Nadu. 'We use only traditional clay pots, and every dish is prepared over a wood-fired stove,' Gayathri says. 'It's the only way to bring out the true, authentic flavour.' This 90-seater restaurant also offers pazhayasoru(soaked, fermented rice), with either vegetarian (₹150) or non-vegetarian (₹175) accompaniments. For dinner, there are combo options featuring such as steamed bread, idiyappam, parotta and idli with country chicken gravy, mutton stew, fish gravy or verkadalai (groundnut) kulambu at pocket-friendly rates. The dinner menu also includes indulgent favourites such as the kari dosa, kaara poondu dosa, halwa parotta and kothu parotta (chicken or prawn). Dont miss their kulambu kalakki, a true treat for the taste buds. After the meal, we opt for a serving of elaneer (tender coconut) payasam, the regionaldessert that highlights the abundant coconut groves of the Kongu belt. Satti Kari is located at Akkarai, ECR. For reservations, call 7200107750. Meal for two costs ₹1,350.
