This First Century dam in India is one of the oldest in the world and is still standing strong

If you admire modern age engineering marvels, a look at history will leave you spellbound. Our great rulers always had a vision for future and it shows in the structures they built us, which are still useful for the mankind.

One of the structures is Kallanai Dam, or the Grand Anicut, which will amuse you.

The dam was built in first century by the then Chola King Karikalan. It is one of the oldest water-diversion or water regulating structures in the world, which is still standing tall and in amazing condition.

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The dam is important for irrigation in the Cauvery delta. Kallanai Dam is not only a tourist attraction, but this dam across the Cauvery River in Tamil Nadu is also a lesson for historians and engineering experts.

The main function of this dam was to keep the water supply in the Cauvery and its branches and pass on the surplus into Coleroon through the Ullar River.

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You can reach Kallanai dam from Tiruchirappalli, which is just 19 kilometres away. The nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli airport.

Here are the other fascinating details about the Kallanai Dam