The Cooum can be classified into two parts; the polluted and the unpolluted sections. The former covers Paruthipattu Anaikat to the river’s mouth in Bay of Bengal, regions where the river is still a source of drinking water irrigation. And, the latter covers the origin of the river (now in Thiruvallur district) to the Paruthipattu Anaikat.
Legend Has It
The Cooum shares its origins with a myth surrounding Lord Shiva. It is believed that when the Lord set out on a mission to destroy the three asuras; Tarakaksha, Kamalakshaand and Vidyunmali, he forgot to pray to his son, Lord Ganesha prior to the quest (it is believed that if you don’t worship Lord Ganesha before you begin something, you will face hurdles). Hence, when he was in pursuit, his chariot’s bearing broke and he lost balance. To regain it, he placed the bow on the ground and water emerged from the Viruttaksheera Nathi, a river that ran underneath the ground, to be called the Cooum.
Centuries ago, taking a dip in the Cooum was considered sacred, and enabled one to reach salvation.
Among Many Firsts
The Cooum takes pride in hosting many firsts in India and Asia; the first car and bus manufactured in India from the Simpson Motors plant, located on the banks of the Cooum, the first airplane to be flown in Asia, the first SEZ (Special Economic Zone), the first Ranji Trophy Match (held between Madras and Mysore at the Chepauk Stadium in1934), the first engineering college to be setup outside Europe (Guindy Engineering College), the first theatre in South India (The Electric Theatre), and more.