Vani Vilasa Sagara 4.25

Vani Vilasa Sagara, popularly known as Mari Kanive is a dam near Hiriyur Taluk, Chitradurga District, in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the oldest dam in the state.The dam was built by the Mysore Maharajas pre-independence across the river Vedavathi. The dam is an exquisite piece of architecture, an engineering marvel for that time, and provides water to lots of surrounding cities, towns and villages, which are largely dry lands of the Deccan area of Central Karnataka.SignificanceThis dam is the source of domestic water for Hiriyur and Chitradurga. It irrigates more than 100 km² of land in Hiriyur and Challakere taluks through right and left bank canals. This place is 160 km from Bangalore on the NH-4 highway and 40 km from Chitradurga. The dam was initiated by the regent queen who was a widow of Maharaja Chamaraaja Wodeyar. She is known for her social works which were exemplary. For the construction of this dam royals of Mysore had to pledge royal jewellery due to shortage of money, that is why it was named as "Vani Vilasa Sagara". Vani Vilasa was the name of youngest daughter of the then Maharaja of Mysore. This dam is higher than KRS dam of Mysore.