Mari Kanive in Hiriyur taluk of Chitradurga district, also known as Vani Vilas Sagar dam, has such picturesque spots that song sequences of films are shot here. Nestled amidst green hillocks is a vast water body that looks straight out of a picture postcard. Over this water body is the oldest and biggest man made reservoir in Asia. This dam is higher than Krishna Rajendra Sagar(KRS) of Mysore. As you walk along the dam embankment, the view is breathtaking with miles and miles of water. The sunset view over the valley is stunning.
Driving on the National Highway 4, you will reach Hiriyur which is 160 kms from Bangalore. No clear sign boards are available on the highway, so once you reach Hiryur, slow down and ask the locals for directions. It is very easy to find as there are several direction and information boards all along the way and the gigantic structure comes into view from a few miles away.
Named after Srivanivilasa Sannidhana, mother of Krishna Rajendra Wodeyar IV, King of Mysore, the Vani Vilas Sagar is known to be the oldest reservoir in Karnataka. According to the Mysore Gazetteer, the dam was constructed over the river Vedavathi between 1906-07 by a team of engineers led by SIR M Visweswaraiah and Tara Chand Dalal. The local people call the dam Mari Kanive as the valley (Kanive) is situated near the Marikamba temple, the local deity.
While the landscape is magnificent, the real attraction is the dam with its exquisite piece of architecture. An engineering marvel of its times, the dam is a major source of drinking water for the villages of Hiriyur and Chitradurga, apart from irrigating vast tracts of cultivable land.
History:
The district of Chitradurga which lies in the Deccan Plateau comprises of vast stretches of dry land. With scanty rainfall and no other major source of water, the region depends on River Vedavathi.
Taking birth in the eastern slopes of the Ghats, two rivers Veda and Avathi, flow eastward to meet at a place called Pura to become Vedavathi which further down becomes the Hagari River before joining the Tungabhadra.
According to the Mysore Gazetter, the dam was initiated by the regent queen who was a widow of Maharaja Chamaraaja Wodeyar.
The queen, who is known for her exemplary social work, was touched by the plight of people in this area. It is also said that for the construction of this dam, the royal family of Mysore had to pledge royal jewellery due to shortage of money.
Surrounded by hillocks on the northern and southern sides of the river, this place was found to be most suitable to create a reservoir by building a dam across it. Measuring 162 ft in height and 1300 ft in length, this reservoir is an architectural masterpiece built with two pavilion halls.
This dam is the only construction that has been done in such a way that you can freely walk on it from one end of the water body to the other end.
On the other end of the dam is a hill which you can climb easily as it has a built-in pathway. From top of the hill you get a spectacular view of the blue placid waters.
At the southern end, over a steep gradient is the Inspection bungalow of the Irrigation Department with a few rooms where you can take rest if you have the prior permission of the department.
The region is considered as paradise for bird watchers. You can spot many varieties of Egyptian Vultures, Laughing doves, Bulbuls, Barbets, Shrikes and Sunbirds.
For those who are looking for adventure, you could climb the umbrella-shaped hill called Chhatri Gudda on the northern side of the dam. There is another hillock called Ranganathaswamy betta (hill) which is considered as a trekker’s paradise.
Below the dam is the ancient temple of Kanive Maramma or Marikambe. The temple itself is a simple old structure.
Not much is known about the person who has built it.