Bhavani is a place known all over the country for two main reasons: Sangameswarar temple at the confluence point of Cauvery, Bhavani rivers and an invisible Amritha river; and the Geographical Indication for Jamakalam (carpet).
The ‘triveni sangamam’ where people from all over the country perform rites for the departed in the family and seek boons is woefully short of pilgrim amenities.
Bypass road
The need for a bypass road for the town is conspicuously felt at the time of festivities. A project initiated by the Highways Department for the bypass project involving acquisition of 22.5 hectares to lay a 30-metre wide road for 8.6 km from Jeeva Shed near Lakshmi Nagar to Hubli Mill at Thoppur-Mettur Road near Ooratchikottai is progressing at a slow pace.
The bypass road will obviate the need for heavy tonnage vehicles transporting fly ash from Mettur Thermal station to cement factories to enter Bhavani town.
Another grey area is the steady decline faced by the Bhavani Jamakalam (carpet) industry. The handicraft product - blanket woven with coloured coarse threads - was recognised as a Geographical Indication by the Central Government in 2005-06.
Over the years, the weavers have been switching over to other vocations, due to adverse conditions. The segment that forms a part of Tirupur parliamentary constituency also grapples with pollution problem.
It has not received the importance it deserves either from the DMK or the AIADMK governments.
In the last elections, P.G. Narayanan of AIADMK was voted to power. This time, the party has fielded a former MLA Karuppannan whose main rival is Kurinchi Sivakumar of DMK. Candidates of DMDK and PMK are the other formidable contestants.
Weavers have been switching over
to other vocations
due to adverse conditions
