Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, one of the seven wonders of the country has been an epitome of development of the country. It is world’s largest masony dam and is as old as an entire generation. The foundations tone of the dam was laid back in 1955 and it was built till 1967. Nagarjuna Sagar dam happens to be one of the first representatives of ‘green revolution’ in the country. But strangely enough, the conceptualization of the dam was done during the British era. The British Engineers sketched out this dam in 1903 with aid from Nizams of Hyderabad. The idea was to use excess water of River Krishna. They worked on several locations for the dam including Hyderabad, Seddeswaram and Pulichintala. Raja Of Muktyala played a crucial role in identification of the site, designing and construction of the dam.
Nagarjuna Sagar dam was formally inaugurated by the then Prime Ministre Jawahar lal Nehru in December 1955. The dam was finally across River Krishna in Nagarjuna Sagar in Nalgonda District. The reservoir capacity of Nagarjuna Sagar dam is 11,472 million cubic metres. This 490 feet tall dam is 1.6 kilometers long. The dam comprises of 26 gates which are all 45 feet tall and 42 feet wide.
The dam plays a crucial role for irrigation in Andhra Pradesh. The dam provides irrigation water to the districts of Nalgonda, Khammam, Prakasam, Guntur and Krishna. That’s not all. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is a multi purpose dam which is not only used for irrigation but also for hydro-electric projects in India. That’s the reason why Jawahra Lal Nehru while inaugurating the sam said that Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is a symbol of country’s prosperity and speaks for the modern temples in India.
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is not just a place of national importance but also religious value. It is a place where Buddhists come to pray as the relics of Buddhist civilization which date to 3rd century AD have been found here during excavations. These relics have been carefully preserved in an island museum situated in the midst of Nagarjunasagar lake. This museum has been constructed in the form of a Buddhist Vihara, which houses a wonderful collection of pieces that signify Buddhist art and culture. It houses some popular relics too, which include an earring and a small tooth which are believed to be of Buddha. The museum also has a monolithic statue of Buddha, which is partly ruined, but happens to be one of the major attractions of the place.
The scenic beauty and religious importance of the place makes it one of the most popular tourist destinations across the nation. People visiting Hyderabad do not miss out on Nagarjuna Sagar dam as their trip would be incomplete without a trip to the place. The place is well connected by road. You can take a bus or hire a taxi to reach Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. Did we mention ‘do not’ forget you camera behind or you may regret all your life!
