The Vellar River is a river in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It originates in the Kalrayan Hills, and flows generally eastward through Salem, Perambalur, and Cuddalore districts, before flowing into the Bay of Bengal near Parangipettai. The river has a total length of , and its drainage basin covers an area of in Cuddalore, Perambalur, Salem, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Namakkal, Tiruchirappalli, and Dharmapuri districts.
History
The river was historically important for trade in the Coromandel Coast. Several factories and ports were set up by Europeans at Parangipettai, at the mouth of the river. Settlements were established by the Portuguese, Swedish, and English.
Course
The Vellar River originates at the confluence of the Anaimaduvu and Kallar rivers, which join each other at (Namagiripettai)Ramanathapuram village in Vazhapadi taluk, Salem district. The Anaimaduvu River originates at the Anaimaduvu reservoir to the north of the confluence, and flows past Belur, while the Kallar River originates to the northeast of the confluence. From its source, the Vellar flows to the southeast within Salem district. It is joined by the Periyar River from the west and on its right bank, at Vaithigoundanpudur village.
The Vellar continues southeast, passing south of Ethapur, northeast of Pethanaickenpalayam, and southwest of Kalpagnur. At Narasingapuram and at Kattukkottai, the Vellar is joined from the southwest and on its right bank by the Chitraru River and Manjini River, respectively. After this confluence, the Vellar flows east through Attur taluk, passing to the south of Attur, until it leaves Salem district near Aragalur.
As it flows out of Salem district, it turns southeast, and defines part of the border between Kallakurichi and Salem districts. It also defines the entirety of Perambular district's northern border, which is with Kallakurichi and Cuddalore districts. South of Velluvadi, the Ellar River joins the Vellar on its right bank and from the west. East of V.Kalathur, the Vellar is again joined on its right bank and from its west by the Swetha River, its second largest tributary. The section of the river before this confluence is sometimes referred to as the Upper Vellar or Vashista Nadhi River, while the section between the confluence and the Vellar's mouth is called the Lower Vellar. After this point the river again flows east, passing to the north of Labbaikudikadu and Ogalur.
The river leaves Perambular district southeast of Tittakudi. Between this location and a meander southeast of Pennadam, the river receives two rivers on its right bank and from the southwest, and defines the border between Cuddalore and Ariyalur districts. It is joined first by the Chinnar River, and then by the Anaivari or Kattodai River. Northeast of Srimushnam the Vellar River is joined by its largest and only left-bank tributary, the Manimuktha River. From here, the river flows east through Cuddalore district. It passes by several towns, including Sethiathoppu and Bhuvanagiri. It flows between Killai and Parangipettai, and into the Bay of Bengal, in Chidambaram taluk, Cuddalore district, where it forms a small bar-built estuary.
Basin
The drainage basin of the Vellar River is one of the 17 major river basins of Tamil Nadu, and covers of land in 8 districts. The basin is bordered by the Kaveri River basin to the south and west, the Ponnaiyar River basin to the north, and the Paravanar River basin and the Bay of Bengal to the east. The basin had a population of 3,963,645 in 2011, resulting in a population density of .
The basin is usually divided into seven sub-basins, which correspond to the drainage area of a major tributary within the river system. The seven sub-basins are of the Lower Vellar, Manimuktha, Gomukhi, Upper Vellar, Swetha, Chinnar, and Anaivari rivers. The largest of these sub-basins is that of the Upper Vellar, while the smallest is of the Anaivari. There are 5 major bodies of water, those being the Anamaiduvu, Kariakovil, Gomukhi, and Manimuktha reservoirs, along with Wellington Lake.
Land use and geology
The majority of land in the basin, about 68%, is used for agriculture. The most commonly grown crops are rice and sugarcane. About 16% of the land is forested, with large areas of reserve forests in the northwest and southwest of the basin. The remaining area is mostly cleared but uncultivated land, part of built-up settlements, or part of a reservoir or lake. Generally, the basin is more flat, cultivated, and level in the east, while it tends to be more hilly and forested to the west and inland.