Pothundi dam is an irrigation project located at a distance of 42 km from Palakkad at the foot of Nelliyampathy hills. It provides irrigation to an area of 5,470 hectares (13,500 acres) in the Palakkad district and drinking water supply to the Nemmara, Aylur, and Melarcode Panchayat. Constructed in the 19th century, it is considered one of the oldest dams in India.

It was constructed in the 19th century and is the second dam in Asia which does not use cement mixture for construction. Pothundi Dam does not have a concrete core at its base which is mainly found in other dams. Instead of concrete mixture the core is, built using a mixture of jaggery and quick lime.

The dam is built across the kaivayi of the Ayilurpuzha (Bharathappuzha sub tributary). The Meenchadypuzha and Padipuzha flows into this reservoir. The reservoir has an ayacut with 10930 hectares in the Chittur and Alathur taluks of Palakkad.

The beautiful views of Nelliyampathy Mountains can be seen from Pothundi dam site. The reservoir is located about 8 km from Nemmara and 42 km from Palakkad city; Nelliampathy hills is approximately 17 km away. The dam site was the main location for the Malayalam film Vinodayathra.

The Pothundi dam site provides a picturesque to the visitors with a back drop of the hill ranges of Nelliyampathy on one side and acres of green rice fields on the other side.

свернуть