Tributes were paid to Kongu chieftain Kalingarayan who constructed the Kalingarayan Canal in the 13th Century, which continues to irrigate 15,743 acres in the district.
Construction of the canal at the anicut at Kalingarayan Palayam in Bhavani began in 1271 and was completed on January 19, 1283. The canal connects River Bhavani with River Noyal at Kodumudi and supplies water for irrigation 10 months in a year.
A memorial was constructed for the chieftain at Kalingarayan anicut at ₹ 1.65 crore and was opened in 2018. The State government announced that the fifth day of the Tamil month of ‘Thai’ will be celebrated as ‘Kalingarayan Day’. This year, the day fell on January 18.
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On Monday, School Education Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan and Minister for Environment K.C. Karuppannan garlanded the statue of Kalingarayan at the memorial in the presence of Collector C. Kathiravan, Superintendent of Police P. Thangadurai, MLAs K.V. Ramalingam (Erode West), K.S. Thennarasu (Erode East), V.P. Sivasubramani (Modakurichi), S. Eswaran (Bhavani Sagar), and other officials and party functionaries. Mr. Sengottaiyan said that Kalingarayan had planned to extend the canal till Karur, but it could not be done. “He planned to link the rivers Bhavani, Noyal and Amaravathi,” the Minister said. Similarly, president of BJP State Farmers’ Wing G.K. Nagaraj and Erode South District BJP district president S.A. Sivasubramaniam garlanded the statues at Vellode and at the anicut.