Tamraparni River (Thamirabarani) in Tamil Nadu

• Origin: The river originates from the Agasthyamalai hills (Pothigai hills) in the Western Ghats, located in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
• Length: It is a relatively short river, flowing for about 128 kilometres.
• Mouth: It flows eastward through the Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts before emptying into the Gulf of Mannar (Bay of Bengal) near Punnaikayal.

Unlike most rivers in South India (like the Kaveri or Krishna) which are rain-fed and often dry up during extreme summers, the Tamraparni is a perennial river (water flows through it all year round).

Why? Because its origin in the Agasthyamalai hills receives rainfall from BOTH the South-West Monsoon (June to Sept) and the North-East Monsoon (Oct to Dec).

• The name 'Tamraparni' translates roughly to 'copper-leafed' (Tamra = copper, Parni = leaf). It is believed that the water has a slight reddish/copper tint due to traces of copper in the riverbed.
• Historically, the ancient city of Korkai, located near the river's mouth, was the capital of the early Pandya Kingdom and was world-famous for its pearl fishery.