| Kalingarayan Anicut | |
| Name Official: | Kalingarayan Dam |
| Location Map: | India Tamil Nadu |
| Coordinates: | 11.4422°N 77.6765°W |
| Country: | India |
| Status: | O |
| Dam Type: | Embankment and Barrage |
| Dam Length: | 902.5m (2,961feet) |
Kalingarayan Anicut is a barrage on the Bhavani river in Erode district, Tamil Nadu. It is located before Kooduthurai where Bhavani meets with Kaveri in Bhavani, Erode.[1]
The dam was constructed by Kongu chieftain Kalingarayan Gounder.[2] It is one of the ancient River linking projects in Tamil Nadu and was undertaken to establish a link between Bhavani and Noyyal rivers. The project including construction of the dam and canal started in 1271 and was completed in 1283.[3]
This irrigation project involved the construction of a barrage to divert the water to Kalingarayan Canal. The dam and the canal irrigates approximately of agricultural land.[4] In 2016, Government of Tamil Nadu undertook development works to strengthen the dam's embankments by concrete plugging.[5]
In 2017, Government of Tamil Nadu planned to convert the dam into a tourist attraction.[6] [7] In 2017, a children's park along with a memorial hall and statue of Kalingarayan was inaugurated by then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Palaniswami.[8]