Thippagondanahalli Reservoir stands at the confluence of two rivers, the Arkavathy River and Kumudavathi River at Magadi Road in Bangalore in the Indian state of Karnataka. The dam was named after the village head Thippagonda. It is also known as the TG Halli Dam or Chamarajsagar Dam. The construction of the dam was supervised by the very great Bharath Rathna Sir M Visvesvaraya. The reservoir built in 1934 is the second oldest source after the Hesaraghatta Lake. It supplies 125 million litres of water every day to Bangalore and its surrounding areas. The total extent of the dam is 1453 sq km. Parts of Doddaballapur, Nelamangala, Devanahalli, Magadi and Bangalore Taluks are covered by the dam. The water of the reservoir is a major source of drinking water for the western part of Bangalore.

Encroachments, industrialization and illegal residential layouts have blocked the flow of water to TG Halli reservoir. That is why, the catchment area of T.G. Halli has now been declared as a "regulated zone" which means that the industries in the catchment area will not let their waste flow into the reservoir. Future development in the catchment area is likely to be restricted.

Entry from the main gate is restricted. But the backwaters can be approached from outside Magadi Town. You might need to make some extra efforts to find the entrance, but it's worth it.

Attractions

Scenic Beauty

Lush green surroundings around the dam attract everyone especially on sunny days. There are lots of trees, flowers and the calm environment is simply soothing for the senses. 

Bird Sightings

T.G. Halli, no doubt, is an ideal place for the bird watchers. One can see a vast variety of different avian species here including the common and jungle mynahs, spotted, laughing and Eurasian collared dove, skylarks, herons, cormorants, ducks, storks and more. It’s also the place to find predatory species such as kites and eagles. Pretty species such as sparrows, robins and Kingfisher are also seen here.

Machinabele Dam

Machinabele dam is a good location for trekking. It supplies water to the Magadi town. Visitors can also enjoy kayaking here. Kayaking is a kind of boating using a double-bladed paddle.

Water snakes have also been noticed in the water of the reservoir. And the reservoir is not safe for swimming since there are sudden fault-lines, large boulders, etc. which make it quite unsafe.

Dodda Alada Mara

Dodda Alada Mara is at a distance of nearly 11 km from Thippagondanahalli Reservoir. Dodda Alada Mara literally means ‘Big Banyan Tree’. It is an old Banyan Tree, aging more than 400 years and is located in the Kettohalli Village in Bangalore. This Banyan Tree is so huge that this single tree is spread over an area of 3 acres. The circumference of the crown of the tree is more than 250 metres. And the number of roots in air is more than a thousand.

However, the main root of the tree caught a disease few years back and the looks quite normal now.

A wine brand was launched in 2007 named after the Big Banyan Tree which has its headquarters located near the tree.

Arkavathy River

The Arkavathy River originates at Nandi Hills and is a tributary of the river Kaveri, which it joins at a place called Sangama.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit extends from September to February.

Nearby Tourist attractions

Veerabhadeshwara Temple, Omthara Kala Kuteera, Basaveshwara Temple, Savandurga, Virabhadreshwara Temple, Sri Sri Sri Mahadeshwar Temple, Shaneshwara Temple, Kunigalamma Temple, Mukthi Naga Temple, Magadi Ranganatha Swami Temple, Ganesha Anjaneya Temple are worth visiting.

How to Reach

The nearest airport is Bengaluru International Airport at a distance of 50 km.

The nearest railway station is Bangalore City Junction Station at a distance of 24 km.

The reservoir is easily approachable due to the availability of the various modes of transport.