Gadisar – Where water and land conspires with the sky

I’ll tell you how the sun rose,
A ribbon at a time.
The steeples swam in amethyst,
The news like squirrels ran.
The hills untied their bonnets,
The bobolinks begun.
Then I said softly to myself,
“That must have been the sun!”

-Emily Dickinson

Let me tell you, ask any local in Jaisalmer and he would say the best place to see the sunrise or sunset is at the Sam dunes but if you are in the city, do not forget to visit the Gadisar / Gadisagar / Gadsisar – they all are different names of the same place but stay over for dawn or dusk and you would realise it also has different colours to it.

It’s not a Oasis. Excavated in 1367 by Rawal Gadsi Singh, Gadisagar Lake is a scenic rainwater lake surrounded by the small temples and shrines of Amar Sagar. Earlier, this lake was used to be the main water source of Jaisalmer.

This stately tank, southeast of the city walls, was Jaisalmer’s vital water supply until 1965, and because of its importance it is surrounded by many small temples and shrines. The tank was built taking advantage of a natural declivity that already retained some water. It’s a waterfowl favourite in winter, but can almost dry up before the monsoon.

The attractive 14th-century Tilon-ki-Pol gateway that straddles the road down to the tank is said to have been built by a famous prostitute. When she offered to pay to have it constructed, the maharawal refused permission on the grounds that he would have to pass under it to go down to the tank, which would be beneath his dignity. While he was away, she built the gate anyway, adding a Krishna temple on top so the king could not tear it down

Being of such paramount importance, it is perhaps natural to find many shrines and temples dotting the precincts of the lake that have with time become spots of pilgrimage.

Although no longer serving its historic purpose of supplying water to Jaisalmer, the lake still retains most of its rainwater. Come winters and the visiting tourists are treated to a plethora of migratory birds, which venture to the lake due to its proximity to Bharatpur. It is always advisable for bird lovers to carry a pair of binoculars, and a quality camera to capture these birds of flight in all their unabashed natural glory.

The place is also famous as a picnic spot and boats are available for hire.

Do not forget to visit it early morning at dawn to see the place glow up in golden light

or stay back for the sunset..

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