| Mahe River (Mayyazhipuzha) | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | India |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Western Ghats |
| Mouth | |
• location | Arabian Sea |
| Length | 54 km (34 mi) |
| Basin size | 394 km2 (152 sq mi)[1] |
TheMahe River (/ˈmɑːheɪ/) nativelyMayyazhipuzha (Malayalam:[mɐjːɐɻipːuɻɐ]) is ariver inSouth India. It flows through thestate ofKerala and the coastal exclave ofMahe inPuducherry.
The Mahe River originates in the slopes of theWestern Ghats part of theWayanad district. Initially, the river flows through the hilly eastern towns of theKozhikode district likeVilangad,Vanimal, Jathiyeri andNadapuram. Then, the river enters into theMalabar plains where it flows through several towns, includingParakkadavu,Kadavathur,Peringathur,Eramala,Kunnukara,Kariyad andPeringandoor.[2] The river then flows through the northern boundary of the Union Territory ofMahe and empties into theArabian Sea.
There is very little influence on the economy of the region traversed by the river. The river has been used for inland navigation and transportation of articles from interior villages to Mahe and back in the past. The government of Puducherry has planned to build a fishingharbour at the estuary of the river. However, owing to technical reasons, the harbour (which is under construction) is on the beach adjacent to the estuary. To enhance tourist potential of Mahe, a riverside walkway (originating from the Water Sports Complex at Manjakkal, Mahe, on the banks of the river stretching out to the breakwater of the [Fishing Harbour]) is also being built by the government of Puducherry.[3]
During theBritish Raj, the Mahe River was nicknamed the English Channel because it separated British-ruled Thalassery from French-ruled Mahe.
The river is mentioned inM. Mukundan's 1974 magnum opus novelMayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil (Malayalam for "On the banks of the Mahe River").
