The picturesque landscape natural backdrop of Madiwala Lake makes it a famous visiting place. The most enthralling attractions of the Madiwala Lake Park are bird watching and boating along with the scenic beauty of the lake. The view of the sun setting over the horizon across the lake is spectacular and a treat for the eyes. In the evening, the view of city lights shimmering in the dark night is simply mesmerizing.

Location

The Madiwala Lake is located on the 29th main road of 2nd stage of BTM Layout in the southern part of Bangalore in the Indian State of Karnataka. It is just 1 km in distance to outer ring road. The lake lies between NH7 Hosur Road and Bannerghatta Main Road. It is also called the BTM Lake. The extent of the lake is 114.16 hectares and the total wetland area is 24.74 acres. It comes under the Karnataka Forest Department.

Nearby Cities: Bommanahalli, Sarda Kunj no-732/733, Kodihalli

History

Madiwala Lake was built by the Cholas nearly 300 years ago. It is said to have been built overnight. The word ‘Madiwala’ means washerman. This lake was mainly used by the washermen population that lived around it and that is how it got its name. And the water was still so clean that people used to come from long distances to fetch drinking water from the lake.

But the situation changed with time. A large part of the lake got covered with weeds. Chemical wastes dumped by the neighboring industrial units and sewage waste of the slums nearby polluted the water of the lake. The lake which used to be filled with fish at one time got ruined and became a sewage pool. It became a breeding ground for mosquitoes due to the stinking and filthy lake water. Children began to fall sick in the rainy season for the same reason. The smell of the water became unbearable.

It was then that the personnel of the Karnataka State Forest Department made a decision in Aug 2008 to clean up the lake and restore it to its original beauty. Restoration work under the Indo-Norwegian Environmental Programme aimed at diversion and treatment of sewage to prevent contamination of the water of the lake. The weeds were cleared and the lake was fenced.

Now the lake has been restored to its original beauty and there are no complaints to make. Presently it is in first class condition and is brimming with crystal clear water.

Beauty of the Madiwala Lake

The beautiful green surroundings and the peaceful atmosphere of the lake with the gentle cool breeze blowing throughout the day makes it an ideal place to visit at any time of the day. There is a garden in the vicinity of the lake which has big trees. This is the very reason for the lake being called as the Lake Garden. The park provides joggers, local residents and children a peaceful atmosphere without pollution and traffic sounds. And the pleasant sounds of birds delight the heart and minds of joggers, locals and children. The Park has a laughter club also. There is also a children’s park here. The garden is pretty well maintained and continuous development ensures it to be getting better all the time. There is also a rose garden and a nursery for plants. The walkers and joggers from the area visit the lake regularly.

An island is there in the central portion of the lake which has plenty of bamboo trees. Variety of bird species fly to this place in the winter season as per their migratory seasonal patterns.

Crazy Water is an Amusement Water Park which is situated on the Bannerghatta Main Road.

Boating in Madiwala Lake

Boating is available in BTM lake garden. Ten to fifteen boats have been placed here for recreation. It is not much crowded and pedal boats are available for boating for 30 minutes or 1 hour. Two seater as well as four seater boats is available.

Boating time: 10:00 am to 6:30 pm

Bird Sightings in Madiwala Lake

The Madiwala Lake is a delight for bird watchers. Amongst the various species of migratory birds visiting the lake, the Spot billed Pelicans are the most graceful ones. These birds come to the lake in large numbers during the winter season in the months of November and December. These feed on fish and live in groups. These birds are specially the favorites of the local inhabitants. Egrets are also seen in good numbers.

The long legged Purple Swamp Hen, Ashy Prinia, Spot Bill Ducks, Purple Moor Hen, Little Cormorants, Pond Herons, Sun Birds, Indian Robin, Small Green Barbet, Brahminy Kite, Pariah Kites, Spotted Munia, Rose Ringed Parakeets, Eurasian Marsh Harrier, Shikra, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Darter, Little Grebe, White breasted Waterhen, White breasted Kingfisher are the other species of birds generally found here.

Some reptiles can be seen in various cracks and crevices. 

Useful Information for Visitors

Entry Fee

Entry is free in the morning before 9:30 AM. A nominal entry fee is charged if you visit after that. Also a nominal fee is charged if you want to carry your camera inside.

Nearby Tourist Attractions

Shri Vighneshwara Temple, Shri Maneshwaraswamy Temple, Raja Rajeshwari Temple, Narshimaya Chamundeshwari Temple, Venugopalaswami Temple, Bhuwaneshwari Temple, Maruthi Anjaneya Temple

How to Reach

Bangalore is easily reachable from all parts of the country. The nearest airport to Madiwala Lake is the Bengaluru International Airport, Bengaluru which is 38 km away. The nearest railway station is Bangalore city junction train station which is 9 km away.

Once in Bangalore, you can easily hire a taxi, cab or an auto to reach the lake. Reach the BTM II stage and look for the 29th main road. This road connects the BTM main road and the Bannerghatta Road.