Puthen Dam, known as the mother of irrigation projects in
Kanyakumari District, is located near
Nagercoil. This 250-year-old structure across the Paraliyar River was constructed by Marthanda Varma, the erstwhile ruler of
Travancore.
The dam is designed and constructed to irrigate about 25,580 hectares of land in Kanyakumari district and 6,885 hectares of land in Tirunelveli District.
