Sursagar Lake

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Located in the heart of the city, Sursagar Talav is a lake, formerly known as Chandan Talav. It was one of the factors that guided the placement of the old walled city called the Kila-e-Dulatabad. Later, it also became the center of the urban renewal activity that took place during the reign of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III.

Sursagar Lake

The lake is said to have been extended in the 1750s by a Mughal era tax collector called Sureshwar Desai (earlier known as Sureshwar Pandya), thus the name Sursagar. Later between 1870-75, during the reign of Malharrao Gaekwad retaining walls and ‘ghats’ were constructed on its periphery. There are several underground gates that have been constructed to empty the lake in case it shows signs of overflowing. Water from these gates gushes to the Vishwamitri river, which flows through the city. Earlier it was the only major source of drinking water supply to the city. The lake measures a massive 1057 feet in length and 665 feet in width with an average depth of 12 feet.

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Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) constructed a 120 ft tall statue of Lord Shiva (Sarveshwar Mahadev) in standing posture which was installed in the year 2002, in the middle of this lake. The civic body also started its renovation and beautification project in 2018. The project consists of the renewal of the ghats and the addition of a walkway around it. The lake will also resume the boating activities, which were stopped earlier due to frequent occurrence of suicide activities.

During the festivals such as Maha Shivratri, the huge statue is decorated with lights. The lake is also the center of activities during the Ganesh Festival when people crowd its banks for the immersion of the Lord Ganesha idols.

Explore Old Photos of Sursagar – CLICK HERE
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