Dhebar Lake, which is located at about 45km from the scenic district of Udaipur, is also known by the name, Jaisamand Lake. This lake was named after the ruler Maharaja Rana Jai Singh, who built a huge dam, made out of marble on the Gomati River and created a big embankment, giving rise to the formation of the Jaisamand Lake during the 17th century. The Dhebar or Jaisamand Lake is currently the biggest man-made lake in the continent of Asia. Till few years back, it was the second biggest in the continent with the first one being Bhopal’s Upper Lake. Now, however, there is absolutely no water in the Upper Lake because of acute shortage of rainfall in the area. There are 3 islands in this lake which measure up to anywhere between 10 and 40 acres. The beautiful marble dam stretches to a length of about 300m and is today one of the beautiful “Heritage Monuments of India”. The dam has wonderful architecture and its measurements are – breadth of 14km, 102feet of depth and 48km of circumference. From the dam, elegant marble steps take you down to the water.

History

The Dhebar Lake that covers an area of 93sq.km was created during 1685 by the then ruler of Udaipur, Maharana Jai Singh. When it was constructed it was the biggest man-made lake in the world. Later on, during 1902, Egypt’s Aswan Dam, created by the British rulers, took over that position. The reason why Maharana Jai Singh constructed this lake was, because the south eastern areas of Mewar needed water for cultivation purposes. Immediately, the king constructed an enormous marble dam across the Gomati River and gave it the name Jaisamand. Many locals call this dam by the name “Ocean of Victory”. In the local dialect, ‘samand’ denotes ocean. The king constructed this dam that ran up to a height of about 36.6m and declared it open to the public on 2nd June 1691. On this day, the king also performed an act of charity where he distributed gold equivalent to his weight, to his people.

Attractions

There are quite a few interesting spots in and around the Jaisamand Lake. You can spot three islands on this dam which are inhabited by the tribal population. Out of the three, two are big and are known as Baba ka Magra and the smaller one is known as Piari. Right at the middle of marble dam, you can spot a beautiful Shiva temple which is surrounded by six intricately carved cenotaphs. The famous Hawa Mahal Palace, which was the winter capital of yesteryear’s Mewar Maharanas is located towards the north of the lake. Various summer retreats of the Udaipur Queens are found all over the Dhebar Lake. From the lake, you can get into the water through a series of beautiful marble steps. The pavilion that is located towards the south of the dam has 12 pillars, again carved out of marble.

The Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary is another tourist spot nearby this dam. This sanctuary has a rich collection of flora and fauna which will keep you occupied. Some of the common species of animals found here are mongoose, antelope with four horns, wild boar, deer and panther. This sanctuary is the abode for a large variety of migratory birds.

Best time to Visit

The period between September and March is the most ideal time for visiting this lake. Rajasthan can get very hot during the summer months, therefore, travelling to the state during the months of April, May and June should be strictly avoided.

How to Reach

Air

Maharana Pratap Airport, which is at a distance of 20 km from Udaipur, is the nearest to reach this lake. Almost all the important cities in the country are well connected by flights from this airport. From the airport, there are many cabs and pre-paid taxis that you can take to reach the lake.

Rail

Udaipur railway junction is the nearest to the Dhebar Lake. This is a very important tourist destination in the country, so most of the trains stop here. The well-known luxury train, Palace on Wheels, too stops at Udaipur for some time. From here, there are many connecting trains available that will take you to almost all the well -known cities in the country.

Road

From Udaipur, you can hire a cab or take a bus ride to reach the Dhebar lake, which is about 45 km away from the main city. Many luxury and deluxe buses connect Udaipur with cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Indore etc. on a regular basis.