In the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu is located a structure built way back in 150 CE and has stood the test of time over thousands of years. The Kallanai dam, built over the Kaveri River is the oldest operational dam in India and the fourth oldest operational water structure in the world.
The credit for building the ancient Kallanai dam goes to King Karikala Chola of the Chola dynasty who is considered among the greatest emperors who ruled over ancient Tamil Nadu. The idea behind the construction of the dam was to divert the river to the delta districts thereby boosting irrigation and also to prevent flooding.
Karikala Chola realised that the Kaveri was frequently flooded and threatened the people. So, he decided to build a huge dam across the river. The reason why the stone built on the Kaveri, which flows two lakh cubic feet of water per second, has stood majestically for 2100 years is because of the technical know-how of the ancient Tamils. Huge boulders were placed in the river to build the dam. Because of water erosion, the rocks went into the soil. Then, layers upon layers of rock were placed on the foundation. A kind of clay mixture that was not soluble in water was turned into a sticky mixture so that the rocks were conjoined to each other.
The dam underwent a renovation by the British in the 19th century. In 1804, the British assigned Captain Caldwell, a military engineer, to investigate the Kaveri River and improve irrigation in the delta area. He discovered that much of the water was diverted to the Kollidam, leaving insufficient water for irrigation. To solve this, Caldwell suggested elevating the dam, and he raised the dam stones by 69 centimetres (27 inches), thereby increasing the dam’s capacity. The Lower Anaicut built by Sir Arthur Cotton in 1824 across Coleroon, the major tributary of Kaveri is said to be a replicated structure of the Kallanai Dam.
The most astonishing fact is that this 2100-year-old stone still successfully holds back the Cauvery floodwaters. Explorers and tourists from around the world are always amazed to learn that the stone has endured for 2100 years.
Explore in-depth coverage of Lok Sabha Election 2024 Schedule, Voter Turnout, Upcoming Phase And Much More At News18 Website
Comments
0 comment