Lake Pichola
Encyclopedia
Lake Pichola, situated in Udaipur
city in the India
n state of Rajasthan
, is an artificial fresh water lake, created in the year 1362 AD, named after the nearby Picholi village. It is one of the several contiguous lakes, and developed over the last few centuries in and around the famous Udaipur
city. The lakes around Udaipur were primarily created by building dams to meet the drinking water and irrigation needs of the city and its neighborhood. Two islands, Jag Niwas and Jag Mandir
are located within Pichola Lake, and have been developed with several palaces to provide views of the lake.
Three of the numerous lakes found in the vicinity of Udaipur which connect with the Pichola lake and the Saroop Sagar Lake connected by an arched bridge built by Maharana Swaroop Singh (1842-1861) which in turn connects to the Fateh Sagar Lake
, the crystal watered lake in the midst of tree lined hills and the smaller Arsi vilas.
road network, and it lies equidistant, at 650 kilometres, from Delhi
and Mumbai
on the National Highway (NH) 8. Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan is 6 hours by road and 3.5 hours drive from Ahmedabad to Udaipur. Rajasthan Tourism operates regular bus service from Delhi. It also falls on the East West Corridor which starts from Porbandar
and ends at Silchar
and intersects the Golden Quadrilateral and a part of this is the stretch from Udaipur
to Chittor. 25 km from the lake is the Dabok Airport
which connects to Delhi
and Bombay. Udaipur Railway Station and Maharana Pratap Bus Stand are both 3 km away from the Lake.
The lake’s surroundings and the several islands within the lake have been developed over the centuries, with palaces, marble temples, family mansions, bathing ghats or chabutaras (a raised platform, normally within a courtyard); some of the famous ones are the Lake Palace
(now converted into a heritage hotel) in the middle of the lake also called the Pichola Palace (pictured) or Jag Nivas located on the Jag Island, the Jag Mandir, the Mohan Mandir (in the northeast corner of the lake built by Jagat Singh between 1628 and 1652), the City Palace of Udaipur (Bansi Ghat) from where boats ply to all other parts of the Lake, the Arsi Vilas Island, which is a sanctuary for birds and the Sitamata Game Sanctuary on the western shore of the Lake.
At several locations where the lake narrows, ornamental arch bridges have been built to span the waterway between the banks.
Prince Khurram who rebelled against Jahangir
, sought refuge of the Mewar King Maharana Karan Singh II in 1623 and was housed in the partially completed Jag Mandir. Price Khurram later usurped the Mughal Empire
, took the title of Shah Jahan
.
would be gifted to her if she crossed the lake over a tightrope stretched across the lake from a village on the west bank of the lake to the City Palace on the east bank. It is said that she was tricked since the rope got cut off before she was to reach the other end of the rope. The girl plunged into the lake and drowned. Before she died, it is believed that she cursed that the Maharana’s family, who from then on would not have any direct descendents or heirs. This curse is claimed to have come true, since six Ranas
out of the seven succeeding Jawan Singh were adopted sons.
Octopussy
, a 1983 James Bond
film, was filmed in the precincts of the Lake Palace and other two palaces in Udaipur (Shiv Niwas Palace and Monsoon Palace
).
, drains a catchment of 55 km2 from the Aravalli Mountains and contributes to the flows in the lake. The average annual rainfall in the lake basin is 635 millimetres (25 in). The lake has a surface area of about 696 ha. It is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) long and 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) wide, and has depth varying from a minimum of 4.32 metres (14.2 ft) to a maximum of 8.5 metres (27.9 ft). In the heart of the Lake, a palace called the Lake Palace
was built, which is now converted into a heritage palace hotel. This palace built in marble in 1746 by Maharana Jagat Singh II, 62nd successor to the royal dynasty of Mewar
, spreads across the 1.6 ha (4 acres) island and is claimed to be as impressive as the Taj Mahal
. At the southern end, a dam was built across the major tributary to facilitate the Banjara tribesman to ford the stream with animals carrying grains. After 1560, Maharana Udai Sing II strengthened the dam (to a height of 15.24 m) when he established the city of Udaipur around the picturesque Lake. Machchala Magra hill, to the south of the city palace complex, is part of the old city wall and the small fort of Eklinggarh and the temple.
The fact that the Pichola lake was built by nomadic gypsies testifies that the rulers of Mewar encouraged people to build water harvesting structures.
During drought conditions because of lower rainfall & degradation of the catchment the lake becomes dry (pictured). During the years 1998 to July 2005. the Lakes of Udaipur were reportedly dry.
, the water quality of the lake has a high sodium
and Bicarbonate
content, which is attributed to the continental weathering due to anthropogenic pressure (tourist influx), intense development activities in the basin area and untreated effluent from municipal and domestic sewage into the Lake. The semi arid conditions of the area, saline and alkaline soils/groundwater conditions and weathering of the silicate rock exposed in the drainage basin are assessed as the reasons for the supply of major ion
s. The report infers that
The assessment of quality status determined that water is polluted and needs remedial measures to be implemented to rectify the situation.
Studies conducted by Jheel Sanrakshan Samiti (Udaipur Lake Conservation Society) – JSS - a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) set up in 1992 for Ecological, Limnological and Hydrological Conservation of Udaipur Lake System, has found growth of water hyacinth
, the lake bottom is also covered with a thick mat of submerged vegetation, presence of floating micro algae
which are detrimental to the public health, and also harbor varieties of harmful organisms. This degree of pollution makes chlorination
and treatment by other chemicals ineffective to render the water potable.
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
city in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, is an artificial fresh water lake, created in the year 1362 AD, named after the nearby Picholi village. It is one of the several contiguous lakes, and developed over the last few centuries in and around the famous Udaipur
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
city. The lakes around Udaipur were primarily created by building dams to meet the drinking water and irrigation needs of the city and its neighborhood. Two islands, Jag Niwas and Jag Mandir
Jag Mandir
Jag Mandir is a palace built on an island in the Lake Pichola. It is also called the "Lake Garden Palace". The palace is located in Udaipur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Its construction is credited to three Maharanas of the Sisodia Rajputs of Mewar kingdom...
are located within Pichola Lake, and have been developed with several palaces to provide views of the lake.
Three of the numerous lakes found in the vicinity of Udaipur which connect with the Pichola lake and the Saroop Sagar Lake connected by an arched bridge built by Maharana Swaroop Singh (1842-1861) which in turn connects to the Fateh Sagar Lake
Fateh Sagar Lake
Fatah Sagar Lake is situated in Udaipur city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Said to be the pride of the City of Lakes of Udaipur, it is an artificial lake constructed by Maharana in north of Lake Pichola in 1678 and to the north-west of Udaipur....
, the crystal watered lake in the midst of tree lined hills and the smaller Arsi vilas.
Access
The Lake Pichola is approachable by road from the Udaipur City. Local buses, Tongas, auto-rickshaws and taxis provide the needed transport. Udaipur, in turn, is well connected through the Golden QuadrilateralGolden Quadrilateral
The Golden Quadrilateral is a highway network connecting India's four largest metropolises: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, thus forming a quadrilateral of sorts. Four other top ten metropolises: Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Surat, are also served by the network...
road network, and it lies equidistant, at 650 kilometres, from Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
on the National Highway (NH) 8. Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan is 6 hours by road and 3.5 hours drive from Ahmedabad to Udaipur. Rajasthan Tourism operates regular bus service from Delhi. It also falls on the East West Corridor which starts from Porbandar
Porbandar
Porbandar is a coastal city in the Indian state of Gujarat, perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama...
and ends at Silchar
Silchar
Silchar is the headquarters of Cachar district in the state of Assam in India. It is the economic gateway to the state of Mizoram and part of Manipur. It is south east of Guwahati. The city of Silchar has tremendous commercial importance and is the second largest city in the state of Assam...
and intersects the Golden Quadrilateral and a part of this is the stretch from Udaipur
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
to Chittor. 25 km from the lake is the Dabok Airport
Udaipur Airport
Udaipur Airport or Maharana Pratap Airport or Dabok Airport is the airport at Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. It is situated east of Udaipur....
which connects to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Bombay. Udaipur Railway Station and Maharana Pratap Bus Stand are both 3 km away from the Lake.
History
Pichola Lake was built in 1362 AD by Banjara, a gypsy “Banjara” tribesman who transported grain, during the reign of Maharana Lakha. Later, Maharana Udai Singh, impressed by the charm of this lake with the backdrop of green hills, founded the city of Udaipur on the banks of the lake and also enlarged the Lake by constructing a stone masonry dam in the Badipol region on the shore of the Lake.Lake Palace
Lake Palace is a luxury hotel, of 83 rooms and suites featuring white marble walls, located on a natural foundation of rock on the Jag Niwas island in Lake Pichola, Udaipur, India....
(now converted into a heritage hotel) in the middle of the lake also called the Pichola Palace (pictured) or Jag Nivas located on the Jag Island, the Jag Mandir, the Mohan Mandir (in the northeast corner of the lake built by Jagat Singh between 1628 and 1652), the City Palace of Udaipur (Bansi Ghat) from where boats ply to all other parts of the Lake, the Arsi Vilas Island, which is a sanctuary for birds and the Sitamata Game Sanctuary on the western shore of the Lake.
At several locations where the lake narrows, ornamental arch bridges have been built to span the waterway between the banks.
Prince Khurram who rebelled against Jahangir
Jahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
, sought refuge of the Mewar King Maharana Karan Singh II in 1623 and was housed in the partially completed Jag Mandir. Price Khurram later usurped the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, took the title of Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
.
Natini’s curse
The Natini Chabutra, is a raised platform in a courtyard, built to commemorate a “natani” (tightrope walker) legend. Maharana Jawan Singh (1828-38), in an inebriated state, is stated to have assured a “natani” that half the kingdom of MewarMewar
Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later...
would be gifted to her if she crossed the lake over a tightrope stretched across the lake from a village on the west bank of the lake to the City Palace on the east bank. It is said that she was tricked since the rope got cut off before she was to reach the other end of the rope. The girl plunged into the lake and drowned. Before she died, it is believed that she cursed that the Maharana’s family, who from then on would not have any direct descendents or heirs. This curse is claimed to have come true, since six Ranas
Rånäs
Rånäs is a locality situated in Norrtälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 449 inhabitants in 2005....
out of the seven succeeding Jawan Singh were adopted sons.
Octopussy
Octopussy
Octopussy is the thirteenth entry in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's title is taken from a short story in Ian Fleming's 1966 short story collection Octopussy and The Living Daylights...
, a 1983 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film, was filmed in the precincts of the Lake Palace and other two palaces in Udaipur (Shiv Niwas Palace and Monsoon Palace
Monsoon Palace
The Monsoon Palace, formerly known as the Sajjan Garh Palace, is a hilltop palatial residence in the city of Udaipur, Rajasthan in India, overlooking the lake Pichola. It is named as Sajjangarh after Maharana Sajjan Singh of the Mewar Dynasty, who built it in 1884. It offers a panoramic view of...
).
Hydrology and technical details
The Sisarma stream, a tributary of the Kotra RiverKotra River
Kotra River is a long river in Belarus and Lithuania. The river is known due to a rare phenomenon of river bifurcation.At first Kotra and Ūla Rivers form one river, known as Pelesa River. Pelesa originates in Belarus and flows in northwestern direction...
, drains a catchment of 55 km2 from the Aravalli Mountains and contributes to the flows in the lake. The average annual rainfall in the lake basin is 635 millimetres (25 in). The lake has a surface area of about 696 ha. It is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) long and 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) wide, and has depth varying from a minimum of 4.32 metres (14.2 ft) to a maximum of 8.5 metres (27.9 ft). In the heart of the Lake, a palace called the Lake Palace
Lake Palace
Lake Palace is a luxury hotel, of 83 rooms and suites featuring white marble walls, located on a natural foundation of rock on the Jag Niwas island in Lake Pichola, Udaipur, India....
was built, which is now converted into a heritage palace hotel. This palace built in marble in 1746 by Maharana Jagat Singh II, 62nd successor to the royal dynasty of Mewar
Mewar
Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later...
, spreads across the 1.6 ha (4 acres) island and is claimed to be as impressive as the Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
. At the southern end, a dam was built across the major tributary to facilitate the Banjara tribesman to ford the stream with animals carrying grains. After 1560, Maharana Udai Sing II strengthened the dam (to a height of 15.24 m) when he established the city of Udaipur around the picturesque Lake. Machchala Magra hill, to the south of the city palace complex, is part of the old city wall and the small fort of Eklinggarh and the temple.
The fact that the Pichola lake was built by nomadic gypsies testifies that the rulers of Mewar encouraged people to build water harvesting structures.
During drought conditions because of lower rainfall & degradation of the catchment the lake becomes dry (pictured). During the years 1998 to July 2005. the Lakes of Udaipur were reportedly dry.
Water quality
According to a study carried out by the “Centre of Advanced Study in Geology”, Punjab UniversityPanjab University, Chandigarh
Panjab University is one of the oldest universities in India. The university campus is residential, spread over an area of in sectors 14 and 25 of the city of Chandigarh...
, the water quality of the lake has a high sodium
Sodium
Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal and is a member of the alkali metals; its only stable isotope is 23Na. It is an abundant element that exists in numerous minerals, most commonly as sodium chloride...
and Bicarbonate
Bicarbonate
In inorganic chemistry, bicarbonate is an intermediate form in the deprotonation of carbonic acid...
content, which is attributed to the continental weathering due to anthropogenic pressure (tourist influx), intense development activities in the basin area and untreated effluent from municipal and domestic sewage into the Lake. The semi arid conditions of the area, saline and alkaline soils/groundwater conditions and weathering of the silicate rock exposed in the drainage basin are assessed as the reasons for the supply of major ion
Ion
An ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge. The name was given by physicist Michael Faraday for the substances that allow a current to pass between electrodes in a...
s. The report infers that
The average of the pollution parameters recorded at random intervals during 2005-2006 as reported by the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board in 2006 are:
The increase in phosphate loading and consequent depletion of silica suggests biological consumption of the latter. The observed chemical data of the Pichola Lake was used to predict the mineral assemblages in the carbonate and aluminosilicate system. It demonstrates that calcite and dolomite are the possible minerals that are in equilibrium with the lake water system and that the lake water chemistry is in the range of stability of kaolinite
- Dissolved Oxygen 6.33 mg/L; pH Value No.8.27; BOD 2.66 mg/L; Nitrate 0.11 mg/L; Nitrite 0.0045 mg/L; Fecal Coliform 16 MPN/100; and Total Coliform 110 MPN/100.
The assessment of quality status determined that water is polluted and needs remedial measures to be implemented to rectify the situation.
Studies conducted by Jheel Sanrakshan Samiti (Udaipur Lake Conservation Society) – JSS - a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) set up in 1992 for Ecological, Limnological and Hydrological Conservation of Udaipur Lake System, has found growth of water hyacinth
Water hyacinth
The seven species of water hyacinth comprise the genus Eichhornia. Water hyacinth are a free-floating perennial aquatic plant native to tropical and sub-tropical South America. With broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves, water hyacinth may rise above the surface of the water as much as 1 meter in...
, the lake bottom is also covered with a thick mat of submerged vegetation, presence of floating micro algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
which are detrimental to the public health, and also harbor varieties of harmful organisms. This degree of pollution makes chlorination
Chlorination
Chlorination is the process of adding the element chlorine to water as a method of water purification to make it fit for human consumption as drinking water...
and treatment by other chemicals ineffective to render the water potable.
Threats to the lake
Some of the issues identified as causes for deterioration of the Lake environment are:- Polluted due to disposal of sewerage directly into surface drains or surface water body
- Large-scale and uncontrolled mining of marble and other minerals leading to heavy deforestation of hill slopes.
- Catchment area degradation and soil erosion causing deposition of sediments in to the Lake and disturbance to the eco- system of the area.
- Encroachments
- Dumping of solid, liquid waste, destruction of submergence areas and over exploitation of water
- Poor governance, and
- Lack of citizens and stakeholders participation in management of the Lake
- Due to deteriorated water quality, out of 42 species of fishes including MahseerMahseerMahseer is the common name used for the genera Tor, Neolissochilus, and Naziritor in the family Cyprinidae . The name Mahseer is however more often restricted to members of the genus Tor...
and all major carpCarpCarp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
fishes only 17 species of fishes have survived.
Lake restoration works
Steps undertaken to restore the lakes by the NGOs, such as JSS and concerned government organizations are:- Water hyacinth has been eradicated
- Biological measures undertaken
- Sewerage plan has been partly implemented.
- Catchment area conservation of the Pichhola Water shed project of Rs 34.2 million covering an area of 12702 ha under funding of the Government of India is under implementation