Kangsabati Dam

Kangsabati Dam, also known as Mukutmanipur Dam, is a large earthen dam at Mukutmanipur in Bankura district, West Bengal, at the confluence of the Kangsabati and Kumari rivers. Completed in the 1960s as part of the Kangsabati Reservoir Project, it is noted as one of India's longest earthen dams. The reservoir forms a vast lake surrounded by forested hills, making it a popular sightseeing, boating and picnic destination.

Visitors can expect a long earthen embankment offering panoramic views of the vast reservoir on one side and the river valley on the other. The reservoir appears as a large lake dotted with small hillocks and forested islands. Visitors can walk along the dam top, view the confluence of the Kangsabati and Kumari rivers, take boat rides on the reservoir, and enjoy open landscapes, sunset views and picnic areas in the surrounding forested terrain.

Constructed between 1956 and 1965 as part of the Kangsabati Reservoir Project to provide irrigation, flood control and water supply to Bankura, Purulia and Paschim Medinipur districts. It is regarded as the second longest earthen dam in India and a major post-independence irrigation project in West Bengal.

The dam and reservoir are central to tourism and recreation in southern West Bengal, serving as a major picnic, boating and sightseeing destination for local communities and visitors, especially during winter months.