Hirakud Dam, Hydroelectric dam in Sambalpur, India
Hirakud is a hydroelectric facility on the Mahanadi River in Odisha, stretching 4800 meters in length and rising up to 61 meters in height. Two observation towers at either end offer visitors sweeping views over the artificial lake and surrounding hills.
Construction began in 1946 under British administration and finished in 1957 as the first major infrastructure project of independent India. The work required relocating more than 100,000 people from villages that later disappeared beneath the water.
The name comes from the Hirakud area along the Mahanadi River, where fishermen have cast their nets for generations and local communities hold annual festivals. On weekends, families from surrounding villages come to the viewpoints to watch the sunset over the reservoir.
The Bargarh, Sason and Sambalpur canal systems distribute water across wide parts of Odisha to irrigate fields and supply towns. The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon, when light falls softly across the water surface.
More than 200 old temples lie beneath the reservoir and partially resurface during dry summer months when the water level drops. Cattle Island in the reservoir is home to wild cattle descended from animals left behind during resettlement.
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