Chola Gangam Lake: 1,000-Year-Old Rajendra Chola Landmark in Ruins in Tamil Nadu

Swift Summary

• Ponneri (or Chola Gangam),a 1,000-year-old tank built by Rajendra Chola near Gangaikonda Cholapuram,has fallen into disrepair and remains dry for most of the year.
• Initially spanning over 16 miles, it now stretches only 17 km due to abandoned canals that once carried water from the Kollidam River.
• The tank was historically an important water source for irrigation and drinking purposes in the region, supporting a palace and making surrounding lands fertile.
• Records indicate its advanced engineering systems included sediment traps and vortex flow mechanisms to enhance agricultural productivity through nutrient-rich silt distribution.
• Efforts have been made by activists like R. Komagan to restore its function as a reservoir; he has asked Tamil Nadu’s government to declare it a protected monument.
• Groundwater levels in nearby areas have dropped significantly due to the lake’s decline, challenging both ecological balance and water availability for residents.
• Restoration could recharge groundwater levels and help feed interconnected lakes that may serve Chennai sustainably year-round during periods of scarcity.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The decline of Ponneri exemplifies broader challenges regarding conservation of India’s ancient infrastructure and sustainable water management practices amidst shifting priorities over centuries. As noted in historical accounts like Hemingway’s Trichinopoly Gazetteer, this gigantic Chola-era project demonstrated exceptional planning in flood control, irrigation engineering, and community involvement via maintenance taxes (“eri-ayam”). Its current state highlights missed opportunities in integrating heritage preservation with modern-day socio-environmental needs.

Restoring such ancient systems offers dual benefits: cultural revitalization alongside practical utility for present demands like groundwater recharge or drought-proofing agriculture around Tamil Nadu’s Kollidam basin area-a notable issue given rising regional dependency on depleting aquifers (now at depths nearing 650 feet). With potential initiatives such as linking this tank back to river basins or repairing satellite lakes feeding cities like Chennai with sustainable overflow models already identified by experts-such focused policy/action could revive much-needed ecological resilience while celebrating enduring civilizational legacies left behind architects e.g.: Early South India’S dynasties thoroughout planning .

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