https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Kallanai_DamKallanai Dam - Revision history2026-07-31T16:17:14ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Kallanai_Dam&diff=464822&oldid=prevKevinArden at 15:33, 10 February 20262026-02-10T15:33:31Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Dam in Tamil Nadu, India}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox dam<br />
| name = Kallanai Dam<br />
| image = Grand Anicut, Kallanai (11876067114).jpg<br />
| construction_began = c.150 BC<br />
| location = Thanjavur<br />
district, Tamil Nadu, India<br />
| image_caption = Kallanai Dam with its floodgates open<br />
| purpose = [[Irrigation]]<br />
| status = Operational<br />
| builder = ''[[Karikala|Karikala cholan]]'' of [[Chola dynasty]]<br />
| dam_type = [[Barrage (dam)|Barrage]]<br />
| dam_crosses = [[Kaveri|River]]<br />
| dam_height_foundation = {{convert|5.4|m|ft}}<br />
| dam_length = {{convert|329|m|ft}}<br />
| dam_width_base = {{convert|20|m|ft}}<br />
| operator = [[Government of Tamil Nadu]]<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Kallanai''' (literally “stone dam”, also known as the '''Grand Anicut''') is an ancient [[dam]] built by [[Karikala]] of [[Chola dynasty]] in 150 CE. It was built (in running water) across the [[Kaveri]] river flowing from [[Tiruchirapalli District]] to [[Thanjavur district]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. The dam is located in Thanjavur district,<ref name="tngis.tnega.org">{{Cite web | title=TNGIS - Map Editor | url=https://tngis.tnega.org/generic_viewer/ | access-date=2025-11-15 | website=tngis.tnega.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Flowing waters for fertile fields|url=http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/kids/article2408778.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=29 August 2011|location=India}}</ref><ref name="kallanai_googlebook">{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Vijay P.|author2=Ram Narayan Yadava|title=Water Resources System Operation: Proceedings of the International Conference on Water and Environment|publisher=Allied Publishers|year=2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bge-0XX6ip8C&dq=kallanai&pg=PA508|isbn=81-7764-548-X|page=508}}</ref> 15&nbsp;km from [[Tiruchirapalli]] and 45&nbsp;km from [[Thanjavur]].<ref name="Saqaf" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/incredible-india-2000-year-old-functional-dam-india-today-175057-2013-08-26|title=Incredible India! A 2,000-year-old functional dam|date=August 26, 2013 |magazine=India Today|language=en|access-date=2019-02-15}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/Karikalan-cholan-memorial-inaugurated/articleshow/30300318.cms|title=Karikalan cholan memorial inaugurated - Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=13 February 2014 |access-date=2019-02-15}}</ref> It is the fourth oldest water-diversion or water-regulator structure in the world and the oldest in India that is still in use.<ref name="Hill2008">{{cite book|author=Christopher V. Hill|title=South Asia: An Environmental History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f9D4Ob1YcJgC&pg=PA33|year=2008|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-85109-925-2|pages=33–}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kallanai Dam {{!}}{{!}} Thanjavur Tourism |url=http://www.thanjavurtourism.com/kallanai-dam.html |website=www.thanjavurtourism.com |access-date=2 November 2018 |archive-date=9 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009222808/http://www.thanjavurtourism.com/kallanai-dam.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
The dam was originally built by King [[Karikalan]] of the Chola Dynasty in {{Circa|100 |150 CE}}. It is located on the river in [[Thanjavur district]],<ref name="tngis.tnega.org"/> exactly 14&nbsp;km from the city of [[Tiruchirappalli]] and 45&nbsp;km from the city of Thanjavur. The idea behind the construction of the dam was to divert the river to the [[Cauvery Delta|delta districts]] thereby boosting irrigation.<ref name="Saqaf">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/a-rock-solid-dam-that-has-survived-1800-years/article4494161.ece|title=A rock solid dam that has survived 2000 years|author=Syed Muthahar Saqaf|date=10 March 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=13 November 2013}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> This dam was re-modeled by the [[British Raj|British]] during the 19th century. In 1804, Captain Caldwell, a military engineer, was appointed by the British to make a study on the Kaveri river and promote irrigation for the delta region.{{Sfn|Skempton|2002|p=114}} He found that a large amount of water passed onto the Kollidam leaving behind a small volume for irrigation purposes.{{Sfn|Skempton|2002|p=114}} Caldwell initially proposed a solution by raising the dam and hence raised the dam stones to a height of {{convert|69|cm|in}}, thus increasing the capacity of the dam.<ref name=Saqaf /> Following this, Major Sim proposed the idea of [[Sluice|undersluices]] across the river with outlets leading to the [[Kollidam River]] (Coleroon) thus preventing formation of silt.<ref name=Saqaf /> The [[Lower Anaicut]] built by [[Sir Arthur Cotton]] in the 19th century across Coleroon, the major tributary of Cauvery is said to be a replicated structure of Kallanai.<ref name=Saqaf /><br />
<br />
==Geography==<br />
The [[Kaveri]] river splits into two at a point {{Convert|20|mi|km}} west of Kallanai. The two rivers form the [[Srirangam Island|island of Srirangam]] before joining at Kallanai. The northern channel is called the [[Kollidam River|Kollidam]] (Coleroon); the other retains the name Kaveri, and empties into the [[Bay of Bengal]] at [[Poompuhar]]. On the seaward face of its delta are the seaports of [[Nagapattinam]] and [[Karaikal]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://arno.unimaas.nl/show.cgi?fid=14861 |title=Dikes and Dams, Thick with Politics |author=Wiebe E. Bijker |date=19 September 2006 |publisher=Maastricht University |access-date=7 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425145013/http://arno.unimaas.nl/show.cgi?fid=14861 |archive-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
<br />
==Description==<br />
The purpose of the Kallanai was to divert the waters of the Kaveri across the fertile [[River delta|delta]] region for irrigation via canals and to its northern delta branch Kollidam/Coleroon. Downstream of the barrage, the river Kaveri splits into four streams known as Kollidam Aru, Kaveri, Vennaru and [[Grand Anicut Canal System|Puthu Aru]]. However, the flood waters can be allowed, by opening the barrage/anaicut gates, to pass through the other three delta branches also to join the sea.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Grand_Anicut_A00677 |title=Grand Anicut A00677 |publisher=WRIS, India |access-date=7 November 2016 |archive-date=10 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810070947/http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Grand_Anicut_A00677 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is constructed from unhewn stone spanning the Kaveri and is {{convert|329|m|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|20|m|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|5.4|m|abbr=on}} high.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iimtrichy.ac.in/home/students/places_to_visit |title=Places to visit |publisher=IIM-Trichy, India |access-date=7 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219124955/http://www.iimtrichy.ac.in/home/students/places_to_visit/ |archive-date=19 December 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The dam is still in excellent condition, and supplied a model to later engineers, including Sir [[Arthur Cotton]]'s 19th-century dam across the Kollidam, the major distributary of the Kaveri.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lawlibrary.unm.edu/nrj/48/3/03_agoramoorthy_indian.pdf |title=The Check-Dam Route to Mitigate India's Water Shortages |author1=Govindasamy Agoramoorthy |author2=Sunitha chaudhary |author3=Minna J. HSU |publisher=Law library&nbsp;— University of New Mexico |access-date=7 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720143611/http://lawlibrary.unm.edu/nrj/48/3/03_agoramoorthy_indian.pdf |archive-date=20 July 2013 }}</ref> The area irrigated by the ancient irrigation network is about {{convert|69000|acre|abbr=on|lk=out}}. By the early 20th century, the irrigated area had been increased to about one million acres (400,000 ha).<ref>{{cite news|title=Fit case for World Heritage status|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/10/stories/2007091058970400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914051504/http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/10/stories/2007091058970400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 September 2007|date=10 September 2007|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|location=Trichy, India}}</ref><br />
<br />
The delta farmers of Tamil Nadu have demanded the Tamil Nadu government to honor [[Karikala Chola]]n, who built this dam.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CM's word on Karikalan memorial cheers farmers in Cauvery Delta |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2013/jan/17/cms-word-on-karikalan-memorial-cheers-farmers-in-cauvery-delta-443732.html |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref><br />
<br />
==Gallery==<br />
<gallery><br />
File:Kallanai Name Inscription.jpg|Plaque bearing the dam's name<br />
File:Kallanai.jpg|Engineering wonder of Karikalan's period<br />
File:Fishing Kallanai.jpg|Fishing in the sluices, Kallanai dam, Thanjavur<br />
File:Kallanai 2.jpg|Another view, Kallanai dam<br />
File:Kallanai 3.jpg|Kallanai dam<br />
File:Water flowing out of grand anaicut.webm|Water being discharged from Kallanai in August 2018 witnessing beauty of kallanai in river Kauvery<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Tamil language]]<br />
* [[Tamil literature]]<br />
* [[Sangam period]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
==Bibliography==<br />
{{Commons category|Grand Anicut}}<br />
{{refbegin}}<br />
*{{cite book|last=Skempton|first=A. W.|title=A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland: 1500-1830|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jeOMfpYMOtYC|year=2002|publisher=Thomas Telford|isbn=978-0-7277-2939-2}}<br />
*{{cite book|author=Rita|title=Inventive Indians|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QKssaSLqBBsC|year=2011|publisher=Westland|isbn=978-93-80658-03-2}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}<br />
{{refend}}<br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
{{refbegin}}<br />
*{{cite book|last1=Rahman|first1=Abdur|author2=Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy, and Culture|title=History of Indian Science, Technology and Culture: Ad 1000-1800|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4bnaAAAAMAAJ|year=1999|publisher=Oxford University Press India|isbn=978-0-19-564652-8}}<br />
{{refend}}<br />
<br />
{{Kaveri River}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 1st century]]<br />
[[Category:Dams in Tamil Nadu]]<br />
[[Category:Dams on the Kaveri River]]<br />
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Tiruchirappalli]]<br />
[[Category:Multiple-arch dams]]<br />
[[Category:Chola architecture]]<br />
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Tiruchirappalli]]<br />
[[Category:Water Heritage Sites in India]]</div>KevinArden