Mari Kanive is a dam

Dam

A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...

 near Hiriyur

Hiriyur

Hiriyur is a town and taluk capital located near Chitradurga in the Indian state of Karnataka.Hiriyur is renowned for having the oldest dam in Karnataka, built on the Vedavati river, and named Mari Kanive. The Water on the dam looks exactly the preindipendce India Map. Hiryur is situated along...

 Taluk, Chitradurga

Chitradurga

Chitradurga is a town in the southern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is also the headquarters of Chitradurga district. Chitradurga was also known by the names Chitradurg, Chitrakaladurga, Chittaldurg. Chittaldrug was the name officially used by the British Govt.-Geography:Chitradurga is...

 District

District

Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...

, in the India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n state of Karnataka

Karnataka

Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

. It is the oldest dam in the state.

The dam was built by the Mysore Maharajas pre-independence across the river Vedavathi. The dam is an exquisite piece of architecture, an engineering marvel for that time, and provides water to lots of surrounding cities, towns and villages, which are largely dry lands of the Deccan area of Central Karnataka

Karnataka

Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

.

Significance

This dam is the source of domestic water for Hiriyur

Hiriyur

Hiriyur is a town and taluk capital located near Chitradurga in the Indian state of Karnataka.Hiriyur is renowned for having the oldest dam in Karnataka, built on the Vedavati river, and named Mari Kanive. The Water on the dam looks exactly the preindipendce India Map. Hiryur is situated along...

 and Chitradurga

Chitradurga

Chitradurga is a town in the southern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is also the headquarters of Chitradurga district. Chitradurga was also known by the names Chitradurg, Chitrakaladurga, Chittaldurg. Chittaldrug was the name officially used by the British Govt.-Geography:Chitradurga is...

. It irrigates more than 100 km² of land in Hiriyur

Hiriyur

Hiriyur is a town and taluk capital located near Chitradurga in the Indian state of Karnataka.Hiriyur is renowned for having the oldest dam in Karnataka, built on the Vedavati river, and named Mari Kanive. The Water on the dam looks exactly the preindipendce India Map. Hiryur is situated along...

 and Challakere

Challakere

-Geography:Challakere is located at . It has an average elevation of 585 metres .-Demographics: India census, Challakere had a population of 49,065. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Challakere has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of...

 taluks through right and left bank canals. This place is 160 km from Bangalore

Bangalore

Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

 on the NH-4 highway and 40 km from Chitradurga

Chitradurga

Chitradurga is a town in the southern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is also the headquarters of Chitradurga district. Chitradurga was also known by the names Chitradurg, Chitrakaladurga, Chittaldurg. Chittaldrug was the name officially used by the British Govt.-Geography:Chitradurga is...

.
For the construction of this dam royals of mysore had to pledge royal jewellery due to shortage of money,that is why it was named as "vanivilasa sagara".vanivilasa was the name of youngest daughter of the then maharaja of mysore.mari kanive is the oldest and biggest man made reservoir in asia.This dam is higher than KRS dam of Mysore.

History

The dam was constructed by a team led by an Engineer called 'Tara Chand Dalal' at the order of his Highness the Maharaja

Maharaja

Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...

 of Mysore Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV.

Tourism

The dam has been a tourist attraction for many years, but has been apparently neglected as a prime tourist destination

Tourist destination

A tourist destination is a city, town, or other area that is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions and possibly some "tourist traps."...

. Recently, though, the development work undertaken by the forest department to restore the nearby forest cover, and the 'panchavati' gardens - a garden of medicinal plants with the old Indian cultural theme has improved the tourist figures, making it a popular weekend picnic spot. The 'panchavati' garden has medicinal plants lined up representing cultural themes - the 'Rashis', 'Sapta swaras', 'Nava grahas' and many more. The tourists who visit Chitradurga

Chitradurga

Chitradurga is a town in the southern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is also the headquarters of Chitradurga district. Chitradurga was also known by the names Chitradurg, Chitrakaladurga, Chittaldurg. Chittaldrug was the name officially used by the British Govt.-Geography:Chitradurga is...

 and Hosdurga often visit Mari kanive on the way. The historic maarikaamba temple here also attracts many tourists. The place is around 20 km drive from Hiriyur

Hiriyur

Hiriyur is a town and taluk capital located near Chitradurga in the Indian state of Karnataka.Hiriyur is renowned for having the oldest dam in Karnataka, built on the Vedavati river, and named Mari Kanive. The Water on the dam looks exactly the preindipendce India Map. Hiryur is situated along...

 on a deviation from NH4 (Bangalore

Bangalore

Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

 - Mumbai

Mumbai

Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

National Highway).