What to expect
Highlights
- The 1907 masonry dam in its gorge.
- The terraced theme gardens.
- The reservoir and hill views.
Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)
Karnataka’s oldest continuously operating dam, built by the Mysore Wodeyars across the Vedavathi (Hagari) river in 1907 and set in a gorge between hills, with terraced theme gardens, a rare Krishna Ficus tree and long reservoir views — on the Hiriyur–Hosadurga border. This dam guide is organized from Hiriyur in Chitradurga district, with practical planning for routes, timing, nearby stays, food, operators and direct local inventory. Use it to compare what to see, how long to spend, when to go and which verified stays, local guides, jeep or taxi operators, food stops, permits and safety-aware activity providers should be verified around Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam).
Practical guide
Plan Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)
Who's going?Tailor Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam) to your trip
Typedam
Nearest baseHiriyur
DistrictChitradurga
Best timeOctober to February
Time needed1 to 2 hours
EntryFree
Places to visit2→Vani Vilasa Sagara, the Mari Kanive dam, is Karnataka’s oldest continuously operating dam — built by the Mysore Wodeyars across the Vedavathi (Hagari) river in 1907.
Set in a gorge between hills, it has terraced theme gardens, a rare Krishna Ficus tree and long reservoir views, on the Hiriyur–Hosadurga border.
Getting there
How to visit
- About 20 km west of Hiriyur town; by road from Hiriyur or Hosadurga.
- A working dam — stay behind railings, do not swim and follow the site rules.
Distance by road
- Davanagere65 km
- Tumakuru130 km
- Ballari110 km
- Hospet120 km
- Bengaluru200 km
Road km to Chitradurga; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to February; after the monsoon when the reservoir is full.
Weather in Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)Seasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)
Sunrise6:13 am
Sunset6:34 pm
Golden hour best light5:34 pm–6:34 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:34 pm–6:59 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 278°
Moon tonight🌗 Last quarter · 49%
Sunset is in about 3 hours.
South-west monsoon. June to September brings heavy rain to Karnataka. Trails, falls and ghat roads can be slippery, swollen or closed at short notice, and forest departments sometimes suspend access. Check locally on the day before you travel.
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Visitor notes
- A dam site — keep back from the edges and the water, especially with children.
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Top experiences around Hiriyur
One more place around Hiriyur worth a day of its own.
templeTeru Malleshwara Temple, Hiriyur
25.8 km · 32 min drive
A Dravidian Vijayanagara-era Shiva temple on the bank of the Vedavathi at Hiriyur, known for its ornate wooden temple car (teru) and its annual car festival — the heritage anchor of the town.
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Add a nearby businessBefore you go
Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam) — at a glance
TimingsDaylight hours
Best timeOctober to February; after the monsoon when the reservoir is full
Entry: Free; parking charged
Getting here
How to reach Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)
About 20 km west of Hiriyur; by road from Hiriyur or Hosadurga
Getting back
Work out your return before you settle in for the sunset. Public transport here thins out sharply in the evening, and Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam) is easier to reach than to leave. We do not publish departure times: there is no official live feed we are permitted to republish, and a wrong time here would strand you. Check the operator directly on the day.
- KSRTC — the Karnataka state bus operator; route and schedule enquiries. Online booking.
- Indian Railways — live running and seat availability for the nearest railhead, named under “Getting here” above.
Ask at the bus stand for the time of the last service back, not the next one. If you miss it, an auto or app cab is the fallback — agree the fare before you get in.
Getting around Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)
We have not assessed physical access at this place yet. Across India, step-free routes, handrails and accessible toilets are the exception rather than the rule, and pavements are often interrupted — if step-free access matters to you, contact the site or a local operator before committing to the trip.
If you need help at Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)
Walking and driving times are real routed distances, except the few marked “straight line”, which are direct-line estimates and will read short. Routing: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
On the map
Where Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam) is
Good to know
Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam) — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)?
October to February; after the monsoon when the reservoir is full.
What are the entry fee and timings at Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)?
Entry: Free; parking charged. Timings: Daylight hours.
How do I reach Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)?
About 20 km west of Hiriyur town; by road from Hiriyur or Hosadurga. A working dam — stay behind railings, do not swim and follow the site rules.
How much time do I need for Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)?
1 to 2 hours.
What else is near Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam)?
Nearby you can pair Teru Malleshwara Temple, Hiriyur (25.8 km), Jogimatti (31.4 km), Adumalleshwara (34.8 km), Bayalu Ganapati Temple, Holalkere (36.0 km).
Read before you go
Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam) guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam) itself yet. These cover Hiriyur, the town it sits in, and the wider district.
Around Hiriyur
Vani Vilasa Sagara (Mari Kanive Dam) sits in Hiriyur, so these cover the streets, buildings and surroundings around it.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Image credits
Photographs: Singhv796, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.