The Krishna Raja Sagara Dam

The Krishna Raja Sagara Dam (KRS Dam) was built across river Kaveri, the life giving river for the Mysore and Mandya districts.It was built in 1924 by Sir M.Vishveswariah, using 'surkhi', a mixture of limestone and brick powder instead of cement. Apart from being the main source of water for irrigation in the most fertile Mysore and Mandya, the reservoir is the main source of drinking water for all of Mysore city and almost the whole of Bangalore city, the capital of the state of
Karnataka.The Krishna Raja Sagar Dam of Mysore is approximately 8600 feet long and 130 feet high with a reservoir spread around an area of 130 sq.kms.It is constructed at the confluence of three rivers Kaveri, Hemavati and Lakshmanatirtha.

The dam is well connected to Mysore and Bangalore. The dam was amongst the first in world to use automatic sluice gates and represents the marvel of civil engineering of per-independent India. The Vringavan Garden is a terrace garden which elevates the beauty of the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam. Well planned by the Diwans of Mysore, the Vrindavan Gardens is a botanical park with a number of plants, and lively fountains.

The dam has bought prosperity and fortune to the people of the area. Tourists flock there to witness the twirling musical fountains and the dazzling colors in the bosom of tranquil surroundings. The dam serves as a model to several other dams in India. So the beauty of technicality mingled with nature is fabulously displayed in the form of Krishna Raja Sagar Dam and its adjoining Brindavan Gardens. About 2 kms from KRS dam is a tiny beautiful island created by the backwaters of the dam, an ideal picnic spot, not to be missed out.

K.R. Sagar dam is well connected to Mysore by road and rail (Arasikere line) There are many tourist buses going directly to Bangalore. This dam has not only served as a model to several dams in India, but is also a testimony to prove the superiority of surkhi (a mixture of brick powder and lime) over cement, in dam construction. The best season to visit KRS is June-July when the monsoon brings in plenty of water which gushes through the sluice gates which open automatically after the maximum head of 124 Feet is reached. The beauty of KRS can be enjoyed all year long except during the summer months, when there might be little water in the lake.

Krishna Raja Sagara Dam Timings: 6.30 A.M. to 9.00 P.M.