The Jaisamand Lake (also known at the Dhebar Lake) is an idyllic place to visit if one has the time as it is a short 50kms away from Udaipur. This lake was built in the 1600s when Maharan Udai Singh built a dam on the Gomti River. It is the second largest artificial lake in India.
This location also housed the summer Plalace of the Queen. The lake is comprised of seven islands. A couple of islands are still inhabited by local tribes.
Jaisamand Lake is also famous for the Jaisamand Wldlife Sanctuary established in 1957. It has leopards, deer, wild boars, crocodiles and bird life. It also hosts various migratory birds.
The Jaisamand Lake Resort is located on an island on one end of the lake. A beautiful boat ride is the only way to get here. This place would be an ideal getaway for people looking to get away from city life for a couple of days.
Great Egret Colonies
Gliding on the calm lake towards the resort, we saw a big colony of Great Egrets. There were hundreds of this beautiful specimen feeding in the water. The Great Egrets are much bigger than the Cattle Egrets and are a common species found in tropical and temperate climes of Southern Europe, Asia and North America.
The Great White Egrets have piercing Yellow eyes. They feed in shallow water on fish, insects, snakes, small mammals and reptiles. They stay absolutely still in the water till they are within striking distance and use their sharp bill to spear it’s prey.
An Idyllic Retreat
The Jaisamand Lake offers yet another destination for those not in a hurry. It is great for those looking to be close to birdlife, wildlife and water. The boat ride is simply spectacular – gliding through calm silvery water. The boatride offered us a great closeup view of the Great Egret colony! For those serious about getting away for a few days to somewhere calm and serene, this is a great place to visit. Even if one does not have time, it is a great one day getaway from Udaipur.
While there are plenty of resources on the web, I found this particular site – Ebepe to have fantastic imagery of Great White Egrets. Check it out if you are into birdlife.
