Kallanai Dam constructed by Chola King Karikal Valaven

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Kal means stone and Anai means bund-ancient dam built on Kaveri river. It is at Triruchirapally in Tamil Nadu state. It is at 24 KM from Tiruchirapally.

My recent visit to Sri Rangam, I got an opportunity to visit the Kallanai.

Kallanai was built to divert the water of Kaveri across the Kollidam the fertile delta region for irrigation. It was built by the around the 2nd Century AD. The dam constructed by Chola King Karikal Valaven is an excellent study model for modern engineers including Sir Arthur Cotton. This is considered one of the oldest water-diversion or water-regulator structures in the world, which is still in use.

Rajendra Chola (1014-1044). He was victorious upto the banks of River Ganga. Gangaikonda Cholapuram is the name of the place, 61 kms. from Tiruchirapalli, where he built a temple for Brihadees’vara to commemorate his victories. Gangaikonda Cholapuram means, ‘the city of the Chola who took the Ganga’. After his victorious campaign, he did not ask for tribute of land or gold or riches; he asked for and brought back, water from the river 'Ganga' in a golden pot, and sanctified the reservoir or the temple tank called 'Ponneri or Cholaganga'. Thus he was given the title of 'Gangaikondan'(the one who brought the Ganga).

This is the oldest stone water-diversion or water-regulator structure in the world. The L shaped structure, 329 m. long and 60 m. wide. Further, studies states that similar water management structures have been found in Southern Africa and it is surmised that these were built by the descendants of the people who constructed the Kallanai.






This is Chola King Karikal Valaven

This picture is of the Kallanai dam taken during our visit.



Chola King Karikal Valaven




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