DAY 4 (1/5): RESERVOIR OF THE GOLDEN CITY, Gadsisar Lake, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India, 2018.11.27

Our second day in Jaisalmer began with flagging down a tuk tuk in front of First Gate Home Fusion Hotel to Gadsisar Sagar or Gadsisar Lake, an artificial lake that supplied water to Jaisalmer for centuries. Just like many places in the desert state of Rajasthan, maintaining water supply has been an essential aspect for the city’s survival. The peaceful artificial lake was constructed at around 1400 by the Maharaja of Jaisalmer Maharwal Gadsi Singh. As the years progressed, the lake had also become a place of pilgrimage, and venue for religious festivals and leisure boating. Temples and shrines mushroomed around the lake, and so as religious statues and the beautiful Tilon Ki Pol (Gate of Tilon) for ceremonial purposes. Today the lake has become a popular destination for anyone who wants to get away from the noisy streets inside the city walls of Jaisalmer. In winter, visitors may find themselves with surprise sighting of migratory birds (along with the lake’s more permanent residents: pigeons, dogs, and the large catfish).

A passageway connects Gadsisar Sagar with the main road. We arrived early in the morning when souvenir stall owners were busy setting up their stalls along the passageway.

Built by Tilon, a famous courtesan, the grand gate Tilon-Ki-Pol is the main gate of Gadsisar Sagar. The maharaja refused Tilon’s proposal of the construction, but Tilon built the gate while the maharaja was away. She put a Krishna temple atop the gate so that the maharaja could not tear it down.

The sky was a little grey despite it was out of the monsoon season. We were delighted with the overcast weather as there was hardly any shading trees along the waterfront.

A group of locals were taking professional photos by the waterfront.

Boating is possible at Gadsisar Sagar. During our visit, we saw one boat occupied by a group of local visitors in the lake.

The chattris (and their reflections) by the shore provided a photogenic setting to the lake.

We decided to walk along the shore for a bit.

We assed by some ghats and decks in front of temples.

No matter how far we went, the chattris near the entrance were often the focal point.

The scenery was peaceful and poetic if we could ignore the trash along the bank.

Apart from pigeons, we also saw a few other kinds of birds at the waterfront.

Just like anywhere else, the dominant type of birds that can live along with humans is always the pigeons.

As time went by, more visitors arrived at the Tilon-Ki-Pol, but hardly any would venture far beyond the entrance area.

Dogs are not uncommon in India, and some of them tend to follow people for a bit.

There are a number of Hindu temples along the shore. They are frequented by local pilgrims.

Where there is Hindu temples there would be “holy men” around.

Upon leaving Gadsisar Sagar and Tilon-Ki-Pol, a street musician caught our attention. He asked us our name and used one of our names in his singing performance.