Nagarjunasagar Dam

Nagarjunasagar Dam

Famous for the tallest masonry dam in the world, Nagarjunasagar is a popular tourist destination in Andhra Pradesh. Standing at a height of 124 m, its sheer size and magnitude leaves you breathless and astounded. The dam actually separates the districts of Guntur and Nalgonda! An idol of Buddhist monk, Lord Nagarjuna after whom the dam was named, looks down from a tower near to the dam. The Dam has a beautiful landscape and looks strikingly beautiful making it a hot spot for picnickers all the year round. Built across the Krishna River, it boasts of one of the largest networks of canal systems. The lake that the dam straddles is the third largest manmade lake in the world. The beautiful Nagarjuna Konda Island floats on this lake. The project was instrumental in transforming a barren land into the lush green landscape it now is and has played a leading role in helping the state of Andhra Pradesh emerge as' the Rice Bowl of India'. Among the areas submerged during the construction of this project were three historical sites- Dhanyakataka, capital of the Satavahanas; Sriparvata, Vijayapuri, capital of the Ikshvakus and a Buddist civilization that thrived here in the third and fourth centuries B.C. The historical remnants of a Buddhist settlement have been restored and are exhibited on the right bank of the reservoir. One can see beautiful stupas, viharas, monasteries and a sacrificial altar in the Buddhist abbey. 4 kms away from the dam is the Viewpoint, which affords the viewer a spectacular and panoramic vision of the amazing landscape. The other attractions around the Dam include the Ethipothala waterfalls, the densely forested Srisailam Wildlife Reserve and an exquisite museum, located near the dam that is reachable by boat.