.gif)
Upper Lake (Bhopal)
Encyclopedia
Bhojtal, formerly known as Upper Lake is a large lake which lies on the Western side of the capital city of Madhya Pradesh
, Bhopal. It is a major source of drinking water for the residents of the city, serving around 40% of the residents with nearly 30 million impgals (136,382.7 m³) of water per day. Bada talaab, along with the nearby Chhota Talaab
, meaning small lake in Hindi, constitute Bhoj Wetland
, which is now a Ramsar site.
during his tenure as a king of Malwa (1005–1055). He is also said to have established the city of Bhopal (also named after him, then as Bhojpal) to secure the eastern frontier of his kingdom. There is a legend why the built the lake. Once king Bhoj suffered from skin disease and all Vaidyas (Doctor in Hindi) failed to cure him. Then, one day a saint
told the king to build a tank to combine 365 tributaries and then have a bath in it to wipe out the skin disease. Bhoj called upon his engineers to build up a huge tank. They spotted a place near river Betwa, which was 32 km away from Bhopal. It was found that it has only 359 tributaries. A Gond
Commander Kalia fulfilled this shortage. He then gave the address of an invisible river. After merging the tributaries of this river the number 365 was completed.
The lake was created by constructing an earthen dam across the Kolans River. An eleven gate dam called the Bhadbhada dam
was constructed at Bhadbhada in 1965 at the southeast corner of the Lake, and now controls the outflow to the river Kaliasote.
The lake was known as the Upper Lake or Bada Talab ("Big Pond") until March 2011, when the BJP
-led state government renamed it to Bhojtaal. A huge statue of Raja Bhoj was also installed on a pillar on one corner of the lake.
on the south, human settlements on the east and north, and agriculture fields on the west. It has an area of 31 km², and drains a catchment or watershed of 361 km². The watershed of the Upper Lake is mostly rural, with some urbanized areas around its eastern end. The Kolans was formerly a tributary of the Halali River, but with the creation of the lake using an earthen dam and a diversion channel, the upper reach of the Kolans River and Bada Talaab now drain into the Kaliasote River.
The fishing rights to Bhojtal have been given on long lease by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation to a co-operative consisting of some 500 fishermen families. Fishing is mainly done on its south-eastern shores. The lake also serves as the source of water for irrigating a large area. There are 87 villages in its catchment area in the Bhopal as well as Sehore districts. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for people in these areas and most farmers have livestock as well. While some farmers have large landholdings, many farmers are small and marginal farmers with only a few acres of land.
Bhojtal attracts tourists due to its scenic beauty. India's first National Sailing Club has been established at the Boat Club on its Eastern side. This club offers various water sports such as kayaking
, canoeing
, rafting
, water skiing
, parasailing
etc. A number of operators provide facilities for exciting trips by sail, paddle and motor boats. Van Vihar National Park
, situated on the south-eastern side of the lake, attracts tourists. The road passing through it has on one side the animals in their natural habitats, and on the other hand is the scenic beauty of the lake.
The two lakes support flora and fauna. White stork
, blacknecked stork
, barheaded goose
, spoonbill
etc., that have been rare sightings in the past, have started appearing. A recent phenomenon is the gathering of 100-120 sarus cranes
in the lake. The largest bird of India, sarus crane (Grusantigone) is known for its size, majestic flight and lifetime pairing.
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, Bhopal. It is a major source of drinking water for the residents of the city, serving around 40% of the residents with nearly 30 million impgals (136,382.7 m³) of water per day. Bada talaab, along with the nearby Chhota Talaab
Lower Lake, Bhopal
The Lower Lake or Chhota Talaab is a lake in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh state of India. Along with the Upper Lake, it forms the Bhoj Wetland.- History :...
, meaning small lake in Hindi, constitute Bhoj Wetland
Bhoj Wetland
The Bhoj Wetland consists of two lakes located in the city of Bhopal, the capital of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The two lakes are the Upper Lake and the Lower Lake, which lie to the west of the city center. The Upper Lake has an area of 31 km², and drains a catchment or...
, which is now a Ramsar site.
History
Bhojtal is said to have been built by the Parmara Raja BhojBhoja
Bhoja was a philosopher king and polymath of medieval India, who ruled the kingdom of Malwa in central India from about 1000 to 1050 CE. Also known as Raja Bhoja Of Dhar, he belonged to the Paramara dynasty...
during his tenure as a king of Malwa (1005–1055). He is also said to have established the city of Bhopal (also named after him, then as Bhojpal) to secure the eastern frontier of his kingdom. There is a legend why the built the lake. Once king Bhoj suffered from skin disease and all Vaidyas (Doctor in Hindi) failed to cure him. Then, one day a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
told the king to build a tank to combine 365 tributaries and then have a bath in it to wipe out the skin disease. Bhoj called upon his engineers to build up a huge tank. They spotted a place near river Betwa, which was 32 km away from Bhopal. It was found that it has only 359 tributaries. A Gond
Gondi people
The Gondi, Goindi or Gond people are people in central India, spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh, eastern Maharashtra , Chhattisgarh, northern Andhra Pradesh, and Western Orissa. With over four million people, they are the largest tribe in Central India.The Gondi language is related to...
Commander Kalia fulfilled this shortage. He then gave the address of an invisible river. After merging the tributaries of this river the number 365 was completed.
The lake was created by constructing an earthen dam across the Kolans River. An eleven gate dam called the Bhadbhada dam
Bhadbhada dam
The Bhadbhada dam is a set of 11 sluice gates at the south-east corner of Upper lake in Bhopal. It was constructed in 1965. The gates are used to control the outflow of water from the lake to Kaliasote river, and are usually opened only when the city receives heavy rainfall during the monsoon...
was constructed at Bhadbhada in 1965 at the southeast corner of the Lake, and now controls the outflow to the river Kaliasote.
The lake was known as the Upper Lake or Bada Talab ("Big Pond") until March 2011, when the BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
-led state government renamed it to Bhojtaal. A huge statue of Raja Bhoj was also installed on a pillar on one corner of the lake.
Geography
Bhojtal is situated on the west central part of Bhopal city and is surrounded by Van Vihar National ParkVan Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park is a national park in India located a the heart of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Declared a national park in 1983, it covers an area of about 4.45 km². Although it has the status of a national park, Van Vihar is developed and managed as a modern zoological...
on the south, human settlements on the east and north, and agriculture fields on the west. It has an area of 31 km², and drains a catchment or watershed of 361 km². The watershed of the Upper Lake is mostly rural, with some urbanized areas around its eastern end. The Kolans was formerly a tributary of the Halali River, but with the creation of the lake using an earthen dam and a diversion channel, the upper reach of the Kolans River and Bada Talaab now drain into the Kaliasote River.
Social and cultural significance
Since the construction of the lake in the 11th century, Bhopal city has grown around it. The people are religiously and culturally attached to the lakes. The lakes meet their needs of water supply and they wash clothes in them (very harmful for the lake ecosystem), cultivate water chestnut in Bhojtal and lotus in Chhota Talaab. The idols of gods and goddesses are also immersed in the lake during religious festivals, though the local administration is advising devotees not to do so. The Takia island in Upper lake has a tomb of the Shah Ali Shah Rahamatullah Alla, which has religious and archaeological significance.Economy and entertainment
Bhojtal attracts tourists due to its scenic beauty. India's first National Sailing Club has been established at the Boat Club on its Eastern side. This club offers various water sports such as kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
, canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
, rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
, water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
, parasailing
Parasailing
Parasailing, also known as parascending, or "parakiting" is a recreational kiting activity where a person is towed behind a vehicle while attached to a specially designed canopy wing that reminds one of a parachute, known as a parasail wing...
etc. A number of operators provide facilities for exciting trips by sail, paddle and motor boats. Van Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park is a national park in India located a the heart of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Declared a national park in 1983, it covers an area of about 4.45 km². Although it has the status of a national park, Van Vihar is developed and managed as a modern zoological...
, situated on the south-eastern side of the lake, attracts tourists. The road passing through it has on one side the animals in their natural habitats, and on the other hand is the scenic beauty of the lake.
Biodiversity
White Stork
The White Stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to end of tail, with a wingspan...
, blacknecked stork
Stork
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
, barheaded goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
, spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbills are a group of large, long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, which also includes the Ibises.All have large, flat, spatulate bills and feed by wading through shallow water, sweeping the partly opened bill from side to side...
etc., that have been rare sightings in the past, have started appearing. A recent phenomenon is the gathering of 100-120 sarus cranes
Crane (bird)
Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the order Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back...
in the lake. The largest bird of India, sarus crane (Grusantigone) is known for its size, majestic flight and lifetime pairing.