Mullaperiyar Dam

Mullaperiyar Dam is at Idukki district of Kerala state. It is located at an elevation of 881 m (2,890 ft) above sea level in the Elam Hills of the Western Ghats in Thekkady, Idukki District. Built between 1887 and 1895, it is a project to divert water to the Madras Presidency area (present-day Tamil Nadu). The Mullaperiyar 125 years old.

The Periyar originates from Chokkampetti on Sivagiri Hill on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border and flows for 48 km. The controversial and historic dam is located across the river.

History of Mullaperiyar Dam

The Mullaperiyar Dam, which was started in 1886 by an agreement between the Maharaja of Travancore and the Madras Residency, is 125 years old. The Mullaperiyar Dam, completed under the leadership of a British engineer named John Penny Quick, is a marvel of construction. It is made by crushing and stacking granite and using surki-mixture on top of it. The British government withdrew from the project after it was washed away twice during the construction phase, but Penny Quick was not disappointed. He completed the mission with the proceeds from the sale of his property in England. The Mullaperiyar Dam is the oldest and tallest geological dam in the world today.

Purpose of Mullaperiyar Dam

The Periyar Tiger Reserve covers the area inclusive of and around an artifical lake, created as a result of the construction of the Mullaperiyar Dam. The river and the dam are so called because the dam is located after the confluence of the Mullayar and Periyar rivers. The dam is a solution to the problem of cultivating 68556 hectares of land in Tamil Nadu and fresh water scarcity in 5 districts. The dam’s purpose was to divert the waters of the west-flowing River Periyar eastward to the arid rain shadow regions of the Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu. The construction of the dam paved the way for the creation of the artificial lake at the centre of the Reserve. The dam was constructed to divert the flow of the river towards the east as the west-flowing River Periyar created floods in the Travancore region. The construction was carried out by the British Corps of Royal Engineers under the leadership of Pennycuick. Once built, the dam prevented the floods and provided water to the city of Madurai. It also helped to transform some barren land in Tamil Nadu to fertile regions. The water from the reservoir reaches Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu though tunnels that cut across the Western Ghats.

Construction of Mullaperiyar Dam

The dam was built of Surki and mortar by blasting and stacking granite in six cubits. In the project area of the dam, construction materials were delivered by road, water and rail. The temporary dam was twice submerged in rainwater There were also attacks from wild animals. About 5,000 people worked there at various times for the construction of the dam. A total of 5704 feet long limestone water tunnel was constructed from the dam reservoir to the Vaigana River in Tamil Nadu.

The catchment area of the dam is 5398 sq km in and around the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and Thekkady Lake were formed in connection with this dam. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is tourist place in Thekkady is around Mullaperiyar Dam.

Tourist Attraction of Mullaperiyar

Mullaperiyar region is is a very popular tourist attraction. In Thekkady the Periyar tiger Reserve and Wildlife sanctuary is the best forest sanctuaries of Kerala, India. A The lush greenery, rippling waterfalls and the scenes of wild animals, birds and reptiles etc. attract every one. The sanctuary is spread over the whole Idukki District. The tigers are the main animals found here and is also a part of the Project Tiger.

How to reach Mullaperiyar

Distance to Mullaperiyar from Kochi 150km
Distance to Mullaperiyar from Trivandrum 200km
Distance to Mullaperiyar from Idukki Dam 75 km
Mullaperiyar Dam Address: Mullaperiyar Dam, Thekkady, Kerala, India.
Mullaperiyar Dam Timing: 24-hrs
Best time to visit Mullaperiyar Dam(preferred time): 10:00 am – 06:00 pm
Time required to visit Mullaperiyar Dam: 02:00 Hrs

Facts about Mullaperiyar

Mullaperiyar Dam is a 125 year old dam located at the confluence of the Mullaiyar and Periyar rivers in Idukki district of Kerala.
The Mullaperiyar Dam is 66 m high and 365.85 m long.
Mullaperiyar works to meet the drinking water and irrigation needs of the five southern districts of Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu has the right to operate under a 999-year lease agreement made during the British rule
The water of the Periyar, which flows to the west, is diverted to the arid rain-shaded areas of Tamil Nadu to the east.
The Mullaperiyar Dam is made of limestone and “surkhi” (burnt brick dust) concrete.
Mullaperiyar is a gravity dam – Gravity dams support the water reservoir by their weight and gravitational force and maintain stability.
The main dam has a maximum height of 6 m (176 ft) and a maximum length of 365.7 m (1,200 ft).
The Mullaperiyar has a main dam, a spillway on the left and a support dam (or “baby dam”) on the right.
Its reservoir can hold 443,230,000 m3 (359,332 acres ft) of water, of which 299,130,000 m3 (242,509 acres ft) is active (live) storage.
Thekkady Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is a popular tourist destination located around the Mullaperiyar Dam.