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01 India’s second-largest artificial lake
Rajasthan’s Dhebar Lake, also named Jaisamand Lake, and is India’s second-largest artificial lake, after the famous Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar. Situated in the Udaipur District, the lake covers an area of 87 km2 when full. It was made at in the 17th century, when Rana Jai Singh of Udaipur created a marble dam across the Gomati River. The lake is located 45 km from the main Udaipur city. At the time of its inception, it was the largest artificial lake in the world.
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02 The three islands on the lake
Dhebar Lake has three islands measuring 10 to 40 acres each. The Dhebar Lake Marble Dam is 984.3 ft high and forms a part of the Heritage Monuments of India. Another attraction of the lake is the Hawa Mahal Palace, which served as the winter capital of the former Maharanas of Mewar.
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03 The Ocean of Victory
Dhebar Lake was made by Maharana Jai Singh in 1685. The lake was made to supply water for cultivation in Mewar’s south-eastern corner. An interesting anecdote related to the lake is that on the day of its inauguration on June 2, 1961, Maharana Jai Singh donated gold worth his own weight. Also called as the Ocean of Victory (‘mand’ meaning ‘ocean’), the lake is 14 km wide, 102 ft deep, and has a circumference of 48 km, with marble staircases leading into the water. The lake is flanked by the summer palaces of the Queens of Udaipur on all sides.
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04 Marble Indian elephant at the lake
There are three islands on Dhebar Lake inhabited by the tribe Bhil Minas. The two bigger islands are called Baba ka Magra and the smaller island has been named Piari. The striking features at the lake site are six exotic cenotaphs and a Shiva temple. There is a palace with a courtyard towards the northern end of the lake and a pavilion of 12 pillars to its southern end. To its south are the hills having grand palaces offering an excellent view of the lake.
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05 Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary
A wonderful place to visit from Dhebar Lake is the Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary. This site offers a close view of the lake and the rich wildlife in their natural habitat. The inhabitants of the sanctuary comprise panther, deer, wild boar, four-horned antelope, mongoose and different kind of migratory birds. The sanctuary is located in the Kathiawar-Gir dry deciduous forests. The Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary around Dhebar Lake can be accessed by the state highway to Banswara from Udaipur.
