Jaisamand Lake is popular for being the second largest artificial lake in Asia. It is the largest artificial lake in Asia till the time Aswan Dam in Egypt was not in construction. The Lake is at a distance of 48 kilometers from the city of Udaipur. The dam is about 35 meters in height, 375 meters long, and 5 cm broad. Its breadth differs from 1 km to 8 km with a total circumference of 50 km. Jaisamand lake contains seven islands inhabited by Bhils who use rough boats, called Bhel for transport. After the year 1950, two canals viz. Shyampura and Bhat canals were built for irrigation purposes.

History of Jaisamand Lake

Jaisamand lake was built in 1685 by Maharana Jai Singh of Mewar. Mewar was the last princely state that surrendered to the Mughal Empire. In 1568, Mewar lost its capital Chittaurgarh to the army of Akbar after a long war, but a royal bit escaped to find its new capital at Udaipur. The Mughals tried to defeat Mewar again at the Battle of Haldighati in 1576. Jaisamand Lake was one of the public works projects in the post-accession period. The lake stores water from the Gomti River and was in use for the purpose of irrigation. It was also a perfect location for palaces and royal hunting reserves. Jaisamand Lake has changed a lot since the late seventeenth century.

Places to visit near Jaisaman Lake

Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary

The aquatic wildlife sanctuary is about 48 km from Udaipur on Udaipur–Banswara Road. Jai Samand Wildlife Sanctuary was constructed in 1957 and the Dhebar Lake covers 160 sq. area and is therefore known as Jai Samand Sanctuary. You can see Chital, Chinkara, Wild Boar, and a few Leopards. A large number of Crocodiles feed on different species of fishes-fresh water forms such as Rahu and Katla. Various species of migratory birds also come to the lake.

Roothi Rani Ka Mahal Fort

If palaces and paranormal stories give you an adrenaline rush then you must definitely visit Roothi Rani ka Mahal Fort. According to the tale Queen Umade, arrived at this palace after her husband broke her heart, and she vowed never to give him the satisfaction of forgiveness. She lived the rest of her life in this palace with her broken heart in solitude. The architecture and design of the palace can be appreciated.

Udai Sagar Lake

Udaipur has five significant lakes, one of which is the Udaisagar Lake. It is situated about 13 kilometers to the east of the city, the lake was created during the rule of Maharana Udai Singh. In 1559, the Maharana commissioned the construction of a dam on the Berach River to meet the demands of water in his kingdom. Udai Sagar Lake is the result of this dam. The lake today is a popular weekend destination for the locals and the serene waters of the lake bring a lot of tourists to this gorgeous lake.

Jaisamand Island Resort

Jaisamand Island Resort is the only resort in the North West Region of the country to be built on a Private Island of 40 acres. The Lake and the Sanctuary are rich in fauna with 300 types of bird species, which makes the place ideal for bird watchers, You can enjoy bird watching while on their stay at the resort. This resort is the perfect destination to witness the beauty of the lake. Jaisamand Lake is famous for its quality of fish. Fried fish is a common delicacy of the Jaisamand region.

Also, Jaisamand Lake is worth visiting if Rajasthan and lakes were always on your travel bucket list. The state is culturally rich as well as stories in every corner of this beautiful state that celebrates its culture and traditions.