Tungabhadra dam or TB dam
Location: 5 km from Hospet town, Karnataka
Dam Timings: 10 am to 8.30 pm
Distance: 350 km from Bangalore
Journey Time: 7.5 – 8 hrs by bus and 8.5 hrs by train
How to reach there: Hospet is the launch pad and one has to reach there by bus or train. There are many bus including Karnataka state government run KSRTC or private.
Where to stay: Hospet
Luxury: Milligi Hotel, Hotel Mayura Vijayanagar,
Budget to Average: Hotel Pai Residency, Hotel Shivananda, Hotel Shanbaug, KSTDC cottages, Hotel Priyadarshani
Where to eat: Hospet: Trishul Restaurant, Iceland (Veg), Temptations Restaurant (Hotel Malligi), Hotel Priyadarshani (veg), Hotel Shanbaug (includes bar and restaurant).
Tungabhadra dam is the largest dam in the Indian state of Karnataka. The dam is built on river Tungabhadra and the water is shared between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It is a multi-purpose dam and is a big tourist attraction located in between hills and greenery. There is a Japanese garden on the lines of Brindavan garden at the foot of the dam. One can watch the dam in full grandeur in the month of August as all the 33 gates are opened to release water. At night the dam is illuminated adding to its spectacular look. Earlier one was able to walk all through the length of the dam but these days due to security reasons it is not allows except specific areas. It also features a musical fountain and the illumination at night looks awesome. For specific details about the dam, click here.
The river Tungabhadra is formed after two rivers named Tunga and Bhadra merged together. Later it flows east into Andhra Pradesh and joins river Krishna. The bank of Tungabhadra is very scenic and unique. It is full of granite stones and boulders, giving it a unique look. Walking on its bank will give you a different feeling and has good photographic opportunity.
The best time to visit Tungabhadra dam is in the evening. Leave your hotel room atleast 2 hours before sunset. You will have to walk little bit from the parking area. During January the sunset takes place in between 6 – 6.30 pm. The embankment is done in between two hills. One can walk on the bank of the reservoir which is fitted with grills for safety. Nearby is a tea and snacks shop. You can have chilli fry while sitting on the nearby cement benches and the enjoy the surrounding view. There is a watch tower on the top of a hill and you will have hike little bit to reach there through tar road.
Then we moved to the park area. You will need to get down the steps and cross a bride over a canal to reach the Japanese park. Entry fee for adult is Rs 10 and Rs 5 for children. The park is best enjoyed after illumination. It also has a dancing fountain with illumination like Brindavan garden of Mysore. There are two shows – 7.10 to 7.30 pm and 8 to 8.20 pm. I found that they played 4 songs one in English (Kolaveri di) and Hindi (Character Dheela) each and two in Kannada.
Buses are available from KSRTC bus stand or Private bus stand in Hospet. Auto fare from Hospet to TB dam is Rs 40 and in shared Auto per person fare is Rs 10 but they intake a lot persons.
To view the full set of pictures visit, Travelingbeats Photo Gallery.
Around Hospet:
1. Hampi: It is a UNESCO heritage site. This site treasures the ruins of the erstwhile Vijayanagar empire.