15 Most Beautiful Dams in India

India is a dream come true for travellers. It has so much to offer, whether it be the highest mountain peaks, the astonishing waterfalls, the dense rainforests, the aesthetic beaches, or the mighty deserts. Amidst all of this lies the wonders created by man, the beautiful dams that are not only pleasurable but also extremely essential for our livelihood.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NinjaXMen (@ninja.xmen)

These dams provide us with electric supply, and water for agriculture, industries and households and can withstand any catastrophe that occurs through their strength. So let us look at some of the most beautiful dams in India: 

1. Mettur Dam, Tamil Nadu   

 The Mettur Dam, situated across the Kaveri River from where it enters the plains, is one of the biggest dams in India and the biggest in Tamil Nadu. It took 9 years to construct in 1934. The dam can reach a maximum height and width of 214 and 171 feet, respectively. The Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagara Dams in Karnataka and the dam’s catchment region provide water for the structure. The Tamil Nadu Public Works Department looks after Ellis Park, a park located at the base of the dam. It is regarded as Tamil Nadu's life-giving resource because it supplies irrigation and drinking water facilities for more than 12 districts.

2. Sapua Dam, Odisha

This concrete barrage's architectural framework is framed in the form of a snake. Even the name it is currently holding, "Sapua," literally means "snake." The beauty of this structure is a joy to behold, it floods with tourists during the picnic season.

The dam was initially constructed by the Water Resource Department of Odisha across a local nallah called "Sapua" beneath the Mahanadi basin as a medium irrigation project. This and the reservoir's renaming as the "Sapua Dam" were related reciprocally. In 2006, the dam was finished.

Once a forbidding environment, this region is now a visitor favourite for camping, sightseeing, and picnics. It also has an advantage because of the nearby lush saal forest.

3. Bhakra Dam, Himachal Pradesh

The dam draws visitors from all over India and has been dubbed the "New Temple of Resurgent India" by Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first prime minister. Punjab's Nangal town is 15 km away from the Bhakra Dam, and Bilaspur is 106 km away.

The 226-meter-high dam is situated at a gorge close to the Bhakra village, which is now underwater, in the Himachal Pradesh district of Bilaspur. [1] The dam is 9.1 m wide and 518.25 m long, measured from the road above it. Its "Gobind Sagar" reservoir can hold up to 9.34 billion cubic metres of water.

4. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, Telengana

The Nagarjuna Sagar Dam was the first of many big infrastructure initiatives known as "modern temples" started for India's Green Revolution. It is also among India's earliest irrigation and hydroelectric projects with multiple uses.

5. Tehri Dam, Uttarakhand

Tehri Dam is the tallest dam in India and ranks as the 12th tallest dam in the world with a height of 260.5 m (855 ft). It is India's largest hydroelectric power project, with a total planned installed capacity of 2400 MW.

6. Malampuzha Dam, Kerela

It is Kerala's largest reservoir, and a network of two canal systems provides access to it. Its construction started in 1949 and was completed in roughly six years. The rock garden, ropeway, and amusement park are just a few of the neighbouring attractions near the dam, where guests frequently go boating.

7. Salal Dam, Jammu & Kashmir

The Salal Power Project, which is 23 kilometres from Distt. H.Q. Reasi which is surrounded by mountains is another point of interest for tourists. The Salal Hydroelectric Project was built on the Chenab River in the Reasi area. The project has a 690 MW capacity. The states that will benefit are Rajasthan, J&K, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and U.P. The tourists appear excited to see the Project.

8. Hirakud Dam, Odisha

The longest earthen dam in the world, which spans the mighty Mahanadi and drains an area more than twice the size of Sri Lanka, is just 15 kilometres north of Sambalpur. With a surface area of 746 sq km and a shoreline of 640 km, the reservoir creates the largest artificial lake in Asia from horizon to horizon. A wonderful sensation of serene tranquillity and the beauty of nature can be had after driving on the dyke for twenty-one kilometres. From the top of the rotating minaret known as Gandhi Minar, one can take in the view of the impressive Hirakud dam and the magnificent expanse of water.

9. Popatkhed Dam, Maharashtra

Popatkhed Dam is an earth-fill structure on the Dather River in the Indian state of Maharashtra, close to the town of Akot.

10. Krishnaraja Sagar Dam, Karnataka

The dam was built by Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV Maharaj of Mysore during the famine despite the dire financial situation in the State. The dam was given his name in his honour. Brindavan Gardens, an ornamental garden, is connected to the dam.

11. Srisailam Dam, Telengana

The Srisailam Dam, the second-largest operational hydroelectric station in India, is built across the Krishna River between the Nagarkurnool district of Telangana and the Nandyal district of Andhra Pradesh close to the Srisailam temple town.

12. Idukki Dam, Kerala

The Idukki Dam is a double curvature arch dam built across the Periyar River in the Idukki district, Kerala, India, between two granite hills called locally Kuravan and Kurathi. It is one of the tallest arch dams in Asia at 168.91 metres (554.2 feet)[1]. The Kerala State Electricity Board is built and owns it.

13. Teesta Low Dam, West Bengal

It is near the popular tourist destination of Darjeeling in the eastern part of India, in the state of West Bengal.

14. Kallanai Dam, Tamil Nadu

The Grand Anicut Dam, also known as Kallanai, is a historic structure. It is constructed (in running water) spanning the Kaveri River in Tamil Nadu, India, which runs from Tiruchirapalli District to Thanjavur District. The district of Thanjavur contains the dam.

15. Sardar Sarovar Dam, Gujarat

In the Gujarati town of Kevadia, on the Indian Narmada River, is where you'll find the Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD). One of the nation's biggest and most contentious interstate, multifunctional river valley infrastructure development projects. A 1,450MW power complex and supporting construction activity are also part of the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP).