The Lakshmana Tirtha (Lakshmantīrtha River) is a river of

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. It rises in

Kodagu Kodagu district () (also known by its former name Coorg) is an administrative List of districts of Karnataka, district in the Karnataka state of India. Before 1956, it was an administratively separate Coorg State at which point it was merged ...

district and flows eastward. It joins the

Kaveri The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery) is a Rivers of India, major river flowing across Southern India. It is the third largest river in the region after Godavari River, Godavari and Krishna River, Krishna. The catchment area of the Kaveri basin i ...

in the Krishna Raja Sagara lake. The river originates at the height of 1450 meters in the Brahmagiri range of Kodagu district. Unlike

, Lakshmana Tirtha flows in a relatively flat-terrain region of South Kodagu. An increase in the water level during

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...

, results in flooding of adjacent paddy fields. The river meanders throughout its course and enters Mysore district through Nagarahole National Park.

Hunsur Hunsur is a city in Mysore district in the States and territories of India, Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of the Hunsur Taluk administrative division. Geography Hunsur is located at . It is located at an elevation of ab ...

is located on the banks of this river and is the source of drinking water for the people of Hunsur. The river finally meets Kaveri at Krishna Raja Sagara reservoir at an elevation of 750 meters above MSL, after traversing a length of about 148.82 kilometers.

Threats

* The river generally runs dry a few months after the monsoons due to groundwater depletion, constant exposure to direct sunlight, and the lack of shade from the coffee estates, a privilege that Kaveri enjoys during its course in Kodagu. * Pollution of its tributaries is a major concern. Waste is dumped into steams of Kuranthoad flowing near Ponnampet and

Gonikoppal Gonikoppal, also called Gonikoppa is a census town in the Kodagu district of the Indian state of Karnataka. Demographics According to 2011 census, Gonikoppal had a population of 8,306. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Goni ...

. Coffee wastewater from de-pulping coffee cherries is also a serious threat to the river. * Untreated waste from

, is led directly into this river. * Illegal sand mining has been a major headache for the district administration.

Notes

Rivers of Karnataka Tributaries of the Kaveri River Geography of Mandya district Geography of Kodagu district {{India-river-stub