Erode Satsang

22 November 2017

Visited Erode after a hiatus to lead a satsang in an artistic setting as seen in the backdrop! The city, once a quiet agri-textile hub and the largest source of turmeric, has today emerged a major producer of hand-loom and knitwear. 

Was curious to learn how it came to be called Erode. Here are two versions!  In the first version, the name is traced to ‘Iru- Odai ‘meaning two streams. The second version to the phrase "Eera Odu" meaning wet skull. Perhaps in reference to the popular legend revolving around Daksha, his daughter Dakshayini and her consort Shiva. When on one occasion, she saw her husband being belittled by her own father, she went into a deep state of trance and self immolated. When Shiva came to know about her end, he went into a rage. In the apocalypse that followed, the skulls were strewn over river Cauvery, one of the four rivers flowing in the area; the others being Amravati, Noyyal and Bhavani.