Kalingarayan Canal that runs for 91.10 km irrigating 15,743 acres in the district has entered 737th year on Saturday.
King Lingayan, also known as Kalingarayan, completed the construction of the canal on January 19, 1283 connecting River Bhavani with River Noyal at Kodumudi.
It is said that Kalingarayan had disallowed his descendants from using the canal water for irrigation.
In 2007, on the occasion of 725 years of completion of the canal, a statue was unveiled at his native place, Vellode. A memorial for the chieftain was also constructed at Kalingarayan anicut at Kalingarayan Palayam in Bhavani by the State government.
On Saturday, members of various political parties, including Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi general secretary E.R. Eswaran, Erode South District BJP president Sivasubramaniyan and farmers garlanded the statue and paid tributes.
Also, people in 15 villages that benefit from the canal also celebrated the occasion here on Saturday.
