The Cauvery River (also spelled Kaveri) is one of the major rivers of peninsular India, flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and into Puducherry before draining into the Bay of Bengal. Its waters support millions—irrigating farms, sustaining fisheries, enabling hydropower, and nourishing biodiversity. Traditionally, the river is revered and woven into local mythologies, temple rituals, and cultural identity.

However, the Cauvery is also the site of prolonged conflict. Disputes over water sharing between upstream (Karnataka) and downstream (Tamil Nadu) states have persisted for over a century, often resulting in legal battles, tribunal decisions, and even political unrest. Monsoon variability, climate change, and reduced forest cover have made flows unpredictable. Over-extraction for agriculture, sand mining, damming, pollution from industrial and domestic sources, and encroachments on riverbanks are worsening ecological stress.

Efforts toward sustainable management include tribunal rulings, water-sharing agreements, inter-state cooperation, rainwater harvesting, afforestation, and more effective environmental regulation. Scientists and activists emphasize maintaining minimum ecological flows, restoring riverine ecosystems, reducing pollution, and involving local communities in decision-making.

In short: the Cauvery is more than just water. It’s a culture, economy, and ecosystem under pressure. Whether it continues as a life-line depends on balancing human demands with ecological integrity.