The boatmen here generally use a cocktail of three languages -- Tamil, Kannada and Telegu -- while communicating among themselves. Arjun says that the language has no name. "What is in a name, let us call it the language of brotherhood," he is quick to add.
The dispute regarding the land has been going on since the 1970s. Hogenakkal, an extremely popular tourist destination, attracts at least 1,500 visitors per day. This translates into a daily revenue of Rs 12 lakh per day for the Tamil Nadu government.
Not surprisingly, Tamil Nadu is fighting tooth and nail against conceding this prize tourist destination to Karnataka.
Karnataka claims that Tamil Nadu has been dodging a joint survey about the issue. The Karnataka government claims that a survey conducted by the Deputy Commissioner of Mysore in 1974-75 had concluded that the disputed area belongs to Karnataka.
Tamil Nadu allegedly never responded to the survey and continues to hold on to Hogenakal.
Image: The Cauvery river near the Karntaka-Tamil Nadu border
Also read: A walk for water
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