A hanging wonder

Discover the architectural wonder of Mathur Aqueduct in Tamil Nadu, a hanging bridge transporting water with scenic views.

“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.”