GADISAR :A BEAUTIFUL AND WELL MAINTAINED LAKE IN THE SUN DRIED DESERT CITY OF JAISALMER

                                                                               

                                                          
           ( Tilon ki Pol or the Gateway to the Gadisar Lake .. Photo Autar Mota )

GADISAR ,A BEAUTIFUL  LAKE IN THE DESERT  TOWN OF JAISALMER..

                                                                           

The present population of this desert city is something around 58 thousand souls .Water is a scarce commodity . It is practically a sun dried city with  no river or canal .One can see  Sand dunes  in Sam, Khuri, Ramgarh and Tanot villages near Jaisalmer .
                                                                             

Gadisar lake in Jaisalmer    (wherein rain water was harvested since ages ) was the chief water source of the city. To collect precious rain water ,this lake was first built by the rulers in 1156 AD. Later it was   reconstructed by Rawal Gadsi Singh (A Bhatti ruler ) in the year 1340 AD. There are nicely  designed temples and shrines located by the side of the   lake. Presently water from Indira Gandhi canal is also fed to this lake through pipes .  Inside  this lake ,   a big domed pavilion has also  been built.

                                                                 

Deep Dug wells and Indira Gandhi Canal supplies water to this desert city at the moment. I was informed by some elderly people in Jaisalmer   that the rulers of Jaisalmer would personally supervise the water distribution to residents of the city from the lone Gadisar lake source . 

 A gate has been erected at the entrance to the lake . The gate is elegant and majestic in its construction And architecture. Tilon ,a wealthy  prostitute  from Jaisalmer   erected a gate  to this lake in 1909 AD  which till today is known as TILON  KI  POL. It was also informed by some persons that Tilon was also  a singer and dancer patronized by Jaisalmer  Royal Darbar .

One can also see something like Shikaras on this  lake  surface  for tourists . The shikaras have popular  names like DHOLA MARU or MAARWAAR QUEEN  taken  from  Rajasthani folk  tales.

                                                                           

                                                          

( Autar Mota 06.01.2014 )

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