Fatehsagar – Where Every Sunset And Sunrise Tell a Story!
Considered as the Pride of Udaipur, Fateh Sagar is one of the prominent lakes of Lake City and is also a must visit destination for every traveller. Sited to the north-west of Udaipur and rambling over a stretch of 2.4 km, lies the sparkling lake, Fateh Sagar, which is one of the major tourist spots in the city. It is the second largest artificial lake surrounded by the Aravalli Hills and known for its scenic beauty, is one of its kind. The pear-shaped lake is walled by the Aravallis on three sides having a straight gravity stone masonry dam on its eastern side which has a spillway to discharge flood flows during the monsoon season. The blue waters of the lake and the backdrop of the green mountains present captivating scenery. One can behold the circumference of Fateh Sagar Lake by driving around its periphery and get a fantastic view of the entire lake. The entire circumference of the lake could be covered by road via Moti Magri Road, Fateh Sagar Drive, Rani Road and witnessing the Rajiv Gandhi park, Sanjay park and the winding road on the eastern route to get a picturesque view of the lake, and the Aravali Hills surrounding it
The North-eastern embankment is known as the ‘Pal’ and is usually known as the “Heart of Udaipur” by the city people. Pal is also the place for morning-evening walks by locals while travellers love experiencing a serene lake view walk on the long stretched pathway . The lake is a prime location for the youth of the city and gets flocked with people of all ages every evening.
Fateh Sagar is 1.6 km wide and 11.5 meter in depth. During monsoons, the lake covers a total area of around 1 sq. km. The lake is primarily filled by Swaroop sagar link channel at the southern end and Madar channel on the north-eastern end. The runoff emerging from surrounding hills drains into nearby smaller lakes such as Sisarma, Madar, Nandeshwar, etc and from where the water is channelized through a systematic network of water streams. The lake’s excess water is accelerated to Udaisagar, from overflow section on the eastern side masonry dam during monsoons.
The lake comprises of three small islands. The largest of the three is the garden islands, known as Nehru Park, which no holidaymaker should ever miss to visit. The central attraction of Nehru Park, is the boat shaped café, which is the hot favorite amongst those who love to sip coffee and snacks, as they take in the reigning tranquility and serenity of the place. The second island houses Udaipur Solar Observatory which is the best solar observatory in Asia however it is not a visitor’s place. It is considered a prime site for obtaining good solar images because of its secluded location with clear skies above and clear waters below it. The smallest island though do not provide a visiting site however gives support to a jet fountain which adds further to the charm of this lake.
Fateh Sagar Lake is also highly preferred for hosting big and small, national and international events in the town. One of the most awaited events that is held every year at ‘Fatehsagar Pal’ is the World Music Festival, which is a three-day celebration of music and voice. Generally held during the month of February, you can witness mind-boggling performances by national and international artists. From poems to soul-stirring instrumentals, one can easily find one’s kind of music here. Besides, Udaipur flower show is again another event which is a flower and plants exhibition that showcases wide variety of flora all around the world. The event is held in the month of December every year when there is a swarming of domestic and international tourists
Another important festival held at the Fateh Sagar Lake is the Hariyali Amavasya Mela, which sees a great footfall of locals and rural folks from nearby regions every year. Also known as the ‘Green New Moon Fair’, this celebration is held during the Hindu month of Shravan or August/September. With the onset of monsoon this colorful festival is celebrated over a two days course ,at Fatehsagar and the nearby places. Fun, festivities and frolic mark the cultural celebrations that are held to welcome the rains.
History –
Fateh Sagar Lake was initially constructed by Maharana Jai Singh in 1678 AD. However, after a span of 200 years, the earthen bund, which formed the lake, was washed away during floods, thereby razing the lake. Thereafter, Maharana Fateh Singh built the Connaught Dam on the Lake to mark the visit of Duke of Connaught, son of Queen Victoria in 1888 AD. The dam enlarged the lake and was later renamed as Fateh Sagar Lake.
Before independence, the water from this lake was hardly used for any purpose and it remained more or less full throughout the year. The lake and the three islands, that were full of vegetation, were home to a large variety of flora and fauna like aquatic birds, waders, pythons, otters, crocodiles and many species of fishes. There were strict restrictions on fishing. The human interference was restricted to bathing and washing of clothes and that too in a limited area. Apart from this, there were numerous trees at the periphery of the lake.
After independence, the trees at the edge of the lake were chopped off. Government allotted contract for killing of crocodiles in early fifties. Government introduced fish contractors and it resulted in considerable depletion of fish fauna. The islands were developed into tourist spots. Several marshy places with reeds and other types of aquatic fauna and flora vanished. Residential houses came up around this lake and human interference increased, thus resulting in an increase in the usage of water from the lake and pollution.
Due to over exploitation of the lake, it came on the brink of drying many times and in the year 2003, the lake dried entirely for the first time. However, the lake has continued to replenish over the years.
Attractions:
There are several activities one can indulge in at this site:
- Must try your hand at boating and a number of other water sports that are available here for the visitors. It is one of the best ways to revel in the beauty of this charming lake and witness the mystique of the Aravalli. Different types of boats are available at the service of the patrons and you can choose your pick from the same.
The Boat Rides Timings are from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Boat Ride Prices:
15 – 30 per person for Indians.
200 For adults.
400 For children. - Indulge in nature photography. The sunsets here are especially picturesque and you must visit this destination to witness the same.
- Visit ‘Under The Sun’ Aquarium which is the largest public aquarium gallery in terms of gallons of water, numbers, and species of fishes in the entire Nation. This aquarium, built under the Fateh Sagar Pal, showcases over 200 species of fish brought from 16 countries across the world.
Timings of the Aquarium: 8:00 am to 11:00 pm
Ticket prices (inclusive of GST):
Adults: Rs. 130
Children : Rs. 65
Foreigners: Rs. 250
Virtual Reality Experience: Rs. 118
Trick Art Museum: Rs. 100 - Students: 124
- Take a boat ride to the Nehru Park which is an island garden in the lake. It has been developed rather beautifully and has lush green gardens displayed. The boat shaped restaurant is quite popular with tourists and locals. The Nehru Park is accessible by inboard motor boats.
Timings of the garden: 9 am to 6 pm
Ticket prices:For Adults: Rs 30 (Indian) and Rs 125 (Foreigner)
For Children: Rs 15 (Indian) and Rs 60 (Foreigner)
- Visit Moti Magri situated at the southwestern shore of the lake, which is another major tourist attraction. The site at the hilltop houses Maharana Pratap Memorial and Moti Mahal Museum. There are some gardens here as well and the site is an ideal location to get one of the best views of the city. A light and sound show is also held in the evening.
Timings: 9 am to 6 pm
Ticket prices:20 per person for Adults
10 per person for Children
50 for foreigners - Take a horse ride or camel ride. You can easily find these rides along the ‘Naav Ghat’ or the boat boarding junction of the lake.
- Enjoy a variety of street food by the lakeside. You can choose from a number of outlets which collectively forms the Bombay Market. Having coffee by the lakeside is a favourite of the locals.
- Plan a small picnic with your family or friends. There are gardens around the lake where you can spend some quality time throughout the day.
How to get at Fatehsagar:
Maharana Pratap Airport, located near Dabok, is at a distance of 22 km from the main city. The airport is connected well with many domestic flights connecting all major cities of India.The railway station is located at a convenient distance from the city. The city relies on a vast network of rail which connects Udaipur to all the major Indian cities.The city also has a well-established bus service network which includes deluxe and non-deluxe buses as well as State run transport.
Let us know about your visit at Fatehsagar. You can mail us at udaipurblog.com and comment us in the section of this article.