“Wow! Do we really get to climb up there? What is it? A bridge or a canal?” asked Taran. They were at the bottom of a flight of stairs by the river Pahrali about 60 km from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and were looking up at the architectural wonder that was the Mathur Aqueduct.
“I think it’s sort of like a hanging bridge. I read that it is 115 feet high and one kilometre long; one of the longest of its kind in all of Asia. It was built in 1966 and is used to transport water from one part of the Mahendragiri hills to the other,” said Appa.
“But where is the water? I can’t see it,” said Taran.
“Let’s climb up and find out!” said Appa, clambering up the stairs like a billy goat.
They reached the top to see panoramic views of greenery, the river below and the Western Ghats.
“Look, Amma. Water troughs,” said Taran pointing to the duct. “I guess that’s how the water is transported.”
Amma nodded, “You can walk alongside. That’s why it’s called a bridge. Watch your step. It’s quite narrow.”
Taran was glad they were early and the crowds were low. “Would be funny if we have a traffic jam of visitors up here!” he smiled.
Appa was busy taking aesthetic photos of Amma on the bridge. From an angle, it almost looked like the bridge had disappeared into the hills beyond. Coconut and banana trees jutted out jauntily.
“This aqueduct serves the irrigation projects of many taluks nearby. The construction is so unique that it soon became a tourist attraction. The bridge is held up by 28 pillars,” explained Appa.”
From above, they could see some children bathing in the river below and some fruit vendors setting up their shops. “Amma! Look! Pineapples and ice apples,” exclaimed Taran.
“Food spotted, time to head down again,” laughed Appa. “All that climbing has made me hungry!”
The family huffed and puffed their way down and were glad for the fresh fruits welcoming them.
“So reasonably priced!” said Taran, as he sat on a park bench nearby and looked up at the hanging bridge. “Imagine building something like this. Somebody actually designed and constructed this, around 60 years ago!” he mused.
Appa smiled. “Those were the years of mega civil engineering projects across the country: dams, bridges, and roads were constructed for the development of India. Many were concerned about the aesthetic value too. Hence, something like the Mathur aqueduct project.”
“It is truly wonderful! I’m going to go back and tell my friends all about it and how fresh these ice apples are as well,” replied Taran as he munched away.
“You do that! I’m going to tell my friends too!” said Appa
“Me three!” said Amma.
Published - January 27, 2025 12:38 pm IST
