Kankumbi, birthplace of Malaprabha

journey of a river - Malaprabha was kind of incomplete, because Malaprabha's birthplace Kanakumbi was never visited. I had passed through Kankumbi several times while traveling between Belgaum and Goa, I did not get an opportunity to stop there. Well, river Malaprabha has called me there..

Feb 28, 2014

After a tiring ride from Nandgadh to Anandgadh and back, my hosts Kemani Patil, Tukaram and Sidddu invited me to attend a function, it was a pooja at a small temple in the midst of paddy fields, followed by a prasad. The pooja was over by the time we reached and bhajan had started. The bhajan would go on until all people of the town had gathered and then lunch would be served. The sweet melodies of bhajan distracted me from my hungry tummy. Finally it was time, rows of hay was  spread on the ground, we sat on the hay and leaf plates were distributed. Lunch was anna, sambar, palya... spicy but very tasty, I relished the meal. I thanked my hosts and left Nandgadh.

To reach Kankumbi, we had two routes. Nandgadh-Khanapur-Jamboti-Kankumbi was a short route but road wasn't in good condition. Nandgadh-Khanapur-Belgaum-Jamboti-Kankumbi was longer but good roads. We chose to take the good road. We reached Kankumbi by 4-30 pm.

Malaprabha's birthplace is about 2 kms from Kankumbi village. The road was narrow hilly road passing through a jungle. A kilometer after the village the scene changed drastically, I felt we had entered a mine. The massive open pit we were looking at was Kalasa Banduri project. The place looks terrible, very sad to seen the place dug up. Anyway, we reached Mauli temple believed to be the starting point of Malaprabha. The temple is typical Konkan style.

Most Konkan temples have a shelter like this one. Next to the shelter in the foreground is a stepped well.

This well water is said to be the starting point of Malaprabha.

The place is dusty, thanks to the ongoing work in the neighborhood.

That's the Kalasa Banduri trench - a project that is supposed to join Mahadeyi and Malaprabha.

A short video of Mauli temple-

Since there was not one board stating this as birth place of Malaprabha I inquired with one of the temple staff. The elderly person said the correct Ugamasthala is Sri Rameshwar temple about half kilometer away.. he pointed at the temple and asked me to check out the well there. Water from the well at flows down to Mauli temple, collects in the well here and flows again.

This is Ramlingeshwar temple.. looks like a church :)

Check out the pillar, its made of laterite blocks.

Besides the temple is another temple and a well. Inside the small temple is silver hand (see inset).

This well is supposed to be the correct Malaprabha Ugamasthala. From here water flows down to Sri Mauli temple, collects in the well there and then flows down into the valley..

Video of Rameshwar temple-

The 400+ kilometer journey of Malaprabha from Belgaum district ends by merging into river Krishna at Kudala Sangama in Bagalkot district.

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