Several millenniums ago, ancient Tamils understood the importance of water harvesting and had excellent conservation techniques in place.
For example, the Veeranam lake that provides drinking water to Chennai, was built by the Cholas during the 11th Century. Originally named as “Veera Narayanan Yeri” after Rajaraja Chola’s title of “Veera Narayanan”, the lake provides succour to parched throats in Chennai even today.
Similar facilities were created in several places by Rajaraja like the “Cholagan-gam”, (now Ponneri) lake in Gangai Konda Cholapuram. Much earlier, about 1,800 years ago, Karikala Chola built the famed “Kallanai” to dam Cauvery, which is still going strong.
As early as the 3rd Century AD, Kancheepuram district was hailed as ‘Yeriyur Nadu’, (lake country) for its extensive network of lakes and ponds. Rain water was harvested by storage facilities like Yeri, Vaavi, Kulam and Kuttam. In the Sangam age Purananuru lyric “Adupor Sezhiya.....Thalladorey,” Kudapulaviyanar asks the Pandiya king to acquire sky-high reputation by setting up lakes. Kooram copper plates say that a canal (Perumbidugu Kal) was dug up to bring water to ‘Parameswara Thadagam’, a lake that was being newly built to provide water to Parameswara Mangalam, a neighbourhood given as grant to Brahmins circa 699 AD during the times of Parameswara Varma I.
Former epigraphist S Ramachandran says the ancient “Kudi Maramatthu” system of cleaning up clogged water channels, desilting lakes, canals and reservoirs could perhaps have only a few parallels elsewhere in history.
Kudi Maramatthu means repair and restoration work taken up by the people voluntarily. Such clean up work happened every year.
Tamils took “offences against water” seriously. Take the lyric, “Neer Pizhai Puridal......Nedumudi Mannan Kadum Sinam Kolvan,” of Pandiya times quoted by Namakkal Kavignar V Ramalingam Pillai in his “Thayar Kodutha Danam”.
It explains how a wrong against water or water bodies were considered a serious crime against the society, which would invite the wrath of the king.
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