Parthiban Say's Cooum Kanavu will be realized by 2030

Chennai Awards function held by Chennai 2000 Plus Trust at Vani Mahal, T. Nagar, Chennai, on September 30, 2015). Please find pic attached with the following as caption:(left to right)

Chennai 2000 Plus Trust member R Chitra, actor Parthiban, Pottramai President La Ganesan, Sri Krishna Sweets MD Thiru M Murali, Amudhasurabhi Editor Thiru Tiruppur Krishnan, Pudhugai Thenral Editor Thiru M Dharmarajan, Trust President R Rangaraj, Discourse exponent Thiru  Varshaji. 

Parthiban says his Cooum ‘Kanavu’ would be realised by 2030

‘By the year 2030, you can enjoy boat rides on the ancient historic Cooum river, I promise you’, said Tamil film actor and film-maker R Parthiban, while receiving the Chennai Award for his contribution to cleaning the Cooum river. He said he had high hopes his Kanavu (dream) would be realised, and he was confident that the scheme would achieve its objectives. 

Chennai 2000 Plus Trust had presented him the award for taking steps with the Chennai Corporation, seeking to remove the silt and solid waste and convert into compost to serve as manure for poor farmers on the outskirts of the city. Other awardees were Sri Krishna Sweets Managing director, Thiru M Murali (for his contribution to Chennai culture and literature by supporting lectures and music programmes every day in Chennai), Amudhasurabhi Editor Thiru Tiruppur Krishnan, Pudhugai Thenral Editor  Thiru Mu Dharmarajan.

Parthiban said he was sure that the Clean Cooum river project would be successful and that the stink would be a thing of the past, and added that one would find a row of Sri Krishna Sweets shops near the Cooum and people would happily eat the sweets while enjoying the boat rides on the river.

Noting that boats once plied on the river and that it used to be a clean and effective waterway, Parthiban said he was also in touch with the authorities of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre like Thiru Daniel Chellappa and the Corporation regarding the proposal. 

Parthiban congratulated the Trust for taking up programmes to create awareness about the antiquity of Chennai and its rich culture, fine arts and literature which went back thousands of years. 

Thiru Murali said the effort of Thiru Parthiban was laudable. He added that the efforts of the Chennai 2000 Plus Trust to spread awareness about Chennai’s ancient culture would have his full support. 

Thiru La Ganesan, President, Pottramarai Kalai Ilakkiya Arangam, pointed out that it was said that in the past some would take a bath in the Cooum river and then perform 'shraatham' for the departed. Today, if one had to take a bath in the river, shraatham would have to be performed for him, he added.

Trust President Thiru R Rangaraj, said the Cooum river was truly ancient going back to at least1,500 years ago and enjoyed a huge chunk of history as the battle between the Cholas and the Rashtrakutas was fought on the banks of the river at Thakkolam in 949 A.D in which Chola Parantaka I’s son, Rajaditya, died, felled reportedly by a poisoned arrow. It was much later that Chola kings Raja Raja I and Rajendra I had to fight hard to regain and develop Chola glory. Tamil saint Thirugnanasambandar, said to belong to 7^th century AD, had composed 10 Devaram verses on the banks of the Cooum river at the Sivan temple in Thiruvirkolam near Arakkonam , he added.  He said the Chennai Awards were presented on Chennai Day, the very day (September 30) when Madras was re-named as Chennai by an order published in the Tamil Nadu government Gazaette.

A discourse exponent, Varshaji, readout the 10 Thirugnanasambar verses, traced their background and sang the songs as composed by the saint. 

Trust member R Chitra welcomed the gathering said the Trust would conduct over 50 programmes in educational  institutions in the Chennai region to spread awareness about the antiquity of Chennai which was over 2,000 years old.