Grand Anicut
Encyclopedia
The Grand Anicut, also known as the Kallanai (kall -stone, anai-bund), is an ancient dam
built on the Kaveri River
in the state of Tamil Nadu
in southern India
.It was built by the Chola king Karikalan
around the 2nd Century AD and is considered one of the oldest water-diversion or water-regulator structures in the world, which is still in use.
The Kaveri River forms the boundary between the Erode
and Salem districts. The Bhavani River
joins the Kaveri at the town of Bhavani
, where the Sangameswarar Temple
, an important pilgrimage spot in Tamil Nadu
, was built at the confluence of the two rivers. Sweeping past the historic rock of Tiruchirapalli
, it breaks into two channels at the island of Srirangam
, which enclose between them the delta of Thanjavur (Tanjore), the garden of Tamil Nadu. The northern channel is called the Kollidam (Kolidam); the other preserves the name of Kaveri
, and empties into the Bay of Bengal
at Poompuhar, a few hundred miles south of Chennai
(Madras). On the seaward face of its delta are the seaports of Nagapattinam
and Karaikal
. Irrigation works have been constructed in the delta for over 2,000 years.
The Kallanai is a massive dam of unhewn stone, 329 m (1,079.4 ft) long and 20 m (65.6 ft) wide, across the main stream of the Kaveri. The purpose of the dam was to divert the waters of the Kaveri across the fertile delta
region for irrigation via canals. The dam is still in excellent repair, and supplied a model to later engineers, including the Sir Arthur Cotton
's 19th-century dam across the Kollidam, the major tributary of the Kaveri. The area irrigated by the ancient irrigation network is about 69000 acre (27,923.3 ha). By the early 20th century, the irrigated area had been increased to about one million acres.
Recently the Delta farmers of Tamil Nadu demanded the Tamil Nadu government honour the great Chola king Karikala Cholan
, who built the Kallanai.
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
built on the Kaveri River
Kaveri River
The Kaveri , also spelled Cauvery in English, is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is traditionally placed at Talakaveri, Kodagu in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the...
in the state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.It was built by the Chola king Karikalan
Karikalan
Karikalan can refer to two names:*Karikala Chola, an ancient South Indian emperor*Karikalan , upcoming Tamil film...
around the 2nd Century AD and is considered one of the oldest water-diversion or water-regulator structures in the world, which is still in use.
Erode District
Erode District is a western district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India, with Erode as its headquarters. Until the year 1996, Erode district was called as Periyar District....
and Salem districts. The Bhavani River
Bhavani River
The Bhavani is the second largest river in Tamil Nadu, South India and a major tributary of the Kaveri River, the longest river in Tamil Nadu.-Description:...
joins the Kaveri at the town of Bhavani
Bhavani, Tamil Nadu
Bhavani is a special grade Municipal area in Erode Urban Agglomeration, Tamil Nadu, India. It is being the Twin City of Erode, lies immediately next to the Erode City Municipal Corporation, like Palayamkottai - Tirunelveli and Srirangam - Tiruchirapalli.It is a peninsular island area situated at...
, where the Sangameswarar Temple
Sangameswarar Temple
Sangameswarar alayam known as Kooduthurai by locals, the temple of Lord Shiva in Bhavani, Erode, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple was built at the confluence of Kaveri river, Bhavani river and ‘agaya gangai’, an invisible underground water source....
, an important pilgrimage spot in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, was built at the confluence of the two rivers. Sweeping past the historic rock of Tiruchirapalli
Tiruchirapalli
Tiruchirappalli ) , also called Tiruchi or Trichy , is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli District. It is the fourth largest municipal corporation in Tamil Nadu and also the fourth largest urban agglomeration in the state...
, it breaks into two channels at the island of Srirangam
Srirangam
Srirangam , Old name is Vellithirumutha gramam and Tamil name is Thiruvarangam , is an island and a part of the city of Tiruchirapalli , in South India....
, which enclose between them the delta of Thanjavur (Tanjore), the garden of Tamil Nadu. The northern channel is called the Kollidam (Kolidam); the other preserves the name of Kaveri
Kaveri River
The Kaveri , also spelled Cauvery in English, is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is traditionally placed at Talakaveri, Kodagu in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the...
, and empties into the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
at Poompuhar, a few hundred miles south of Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
(Madras). On the seaward face of its delta are the seaports of Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. It is a prominent seaport on the east coast of India and an important centre of trade and commerce.The town of Nagapattinam dates back to the Sangam period...
and Karaikal
Karaikal
Karaikal is a major port city of east coast of India and a municipality in Karaikal district in the Union Territory of Pondicherry, India. Several explanations are offered for the word 'Karaikal'. The imperial Gazetteer gives it the meaning 'fish pass'. According to Julien vinson the town is said...
. Irrigation works have been constructed in the delta for over 2,000 years.
The Kallanai is a massive dam of unhewn stone, 329 m (1,079.4 ft) long and 20 m (65.6 ft) wide, across the main stream of the Kaveri. The purpose of the dam was to divert the waters of the Kaveri across the fertile delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
region for irrigation via canals. The dam is still in excellent repair, and supplied a model to later engineers, including the Sir Arthur Cotton
Arthur Cotton
General Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton KCSI was a British general and irrigation engineer.Cotton devoted his life to the construction of irrigation and navigation canals throughout the British Empire in India, however, his dream was only partially realized, but he is still honored in parts of rural...
's 19th-century dam across the Kollidam, the major tributary of the Kaveri. The area irrigated by the ancient irrigation network is about 69000 acre (27,923.3 ha). By the early 20th century, the irrigated area had been increased to about one million acres.
Recently the Delta farmers of Tamil Nadu demanded the Tamil Nadu government honour the great Chola king Karikala Cholan
Karikalan
Karikalan can refer to two names:*Karikala Chola, an ancient South Indian emperor*Karikalan , upcoming Tamil film...
, who built the Kallanai.
