Talakaveri is a sacred geographical and religious concept, recognized as the traditional source of the River Kaveri (Cauvery) and a major Hindu pilgrimage site. It is located at an elevation of 1,276 meters on the Brahmagiri hills near Bhagamandala in the Kodagu district (Coorg) of Karnataka.
The origin is rooted in Hindu mythology, specifically the legend where Sage Agastya held the river in his kamandalu (water pot), which Lord Ganesha, disguised as a crow, tipped over to allow the river to flow freely. Historical references to the site as a pilgrimage destination appear in 9th-century texts. The mechanism of the source is a small spring that feeds a tank called a kundike or Brahma Kundike, which is considered the river's point of origin before the water flows underground to emerge later.
The site is intrinsically connected to the Kaveri River, which is revered as one of India's seven sacred rivers and is embodied as Goddess Kaveriamma (Kaveri Matha). It is the most revered shrine of the Kodava people, who worship Kaveriamma as their Kuladevi (Clan Goddess). The key annual event is the Tula Sankramana festival, held in mid-October, when the water is believed to visibly bubble up in the kundike, symbolizing the river's divine rebirth. The temple complex, which includes shrines to Goddess Kaveriamma and Lord Agasthyeshwara, underwent extensive renovation, most recently in 2007.