Rajsamand Lake

Infobox lake
lake_name = Rajsamand Lake
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location = Rajasthan
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type = reservoir
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catchment = 508 km²
basin_countries = India
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Rajsamand Lake (also known as:"Rajsamudra Lake") is situated near Rajsamand, a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan . Built in the 17th Century, it is approximately 1.75 miles wide, 4 miles long, and 60 feet deep. The lake was built across the Gomati, Kelwa, and Tali Rivers, with a catchment area of approximately 508 square kilometers.

Construction

Rajsamand (Rajsamudra) Lake is a huge expanse of water 66 km. north of Udaipur, between the towns of Rajnagar and Kankroli. The lake was the result of a dam constructed across the Gomati, Kelwa, and Tali rivers at the southwestern end by Maharana Raj Singh I, between 1662 and 1676 AD. The reason for the dam and lake was to provide employment for victims of a widespread drought and famine (1661), and to provide canal irrigation to local farmers. The digging of its foundations began on January 1, 1662. Ranchod Rai, the elder son of Purohit Garibdas, the Royal Priest, laid the foundation stone on April 17, 1665. Construction of the actual dam began on January 14, 1676, Maharana Raj Singh observing a fast on the previous day. The following day, after having his bath, he went to the temple with his brothers, sons, queens, and other relatives. He then observed Ratri-Jagran (the singing of devotional songs) all night.

Description

Rajsamand Lake is the oldest known relief work in Rajasthan and cost almost 4 million rupees. With a circumference of 7.5 km., the lake is quite awe-inspiring. It is roughly 6 km. long and 2.5 km. wide, with a depth of 18 m., and a catchment area of some 508 sq. km. As large as it is, the lake has been known to disappear in times of severe drought: for instance, in 2000, it was merely a huge, empty basin with a surface of dried, cracked mud. The late monsoon the following year partly refilled it, but the water level remained dangerously low [ [http://www.downtoearth.org.in/Full6.asp?FolderName=20061215&FileNAme=news&sid=3&sec_id=4 Water distribution of Rajsamand Lake in Rajasthan cause of rift] ] .

At the Kankroli (southern) end, the lake has an immense white stone embankment, 183 m. long and 12 m. high, with terraces of large marble and stone ghats (steps) leading down to the water's edge. Along the embankment are ornamental arches and pavilions, commissioned by Princess CHARUMATI, from another branch of the Sisodia family, in gratitude to Maharana Raj Singh I, who married her to prevent her marriage to Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. The five toranas (weighing arches) seen here are where Raj Singh and his successors performed the event called Tuladan: they were weighed in gold and jewels, the cash value of which was distributed among Brahmans, and for the construction of temples and tanks for the welfare of the people. The colonnaded pavilions are decorated with depictions of the sun, chariots, gods, dancing girls and birds, exquisite carvings that are claimed to be unique in India. A special feature of Rajsamand is a long Sanskrit inscription on twenty-seven white marble blocks, dated 1675/76 (see AMARKAVYA).

The Rajsamand district was also the scene of a desperate battle in the late 17th century between Mewar and the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and is linked with the name of Anand Singh (Kelwa), an officer in the Mewar army, who fought and died there, when left with only a small force to defend the dam from the Mughals (see also RAJ SINGH I vs. AURANGZEB).

During World War II, Rajsamand Lake was used as a seaplane base by Imperial Airways for about six years.

Adjoining Thikanas

Kelwa

Kelwa (Jaitmal Rathore) is a town 85 km. from Udaipur; jagir of the descendants of Rao Salkha’s second son, Jaitmal.

When Jaitmal’s one descendant, Bida, was on a pilgrimage in Mewar, he was camped in Sevantri village. There, at the temple of Roop Narayan, Kunwar Sangram Singh (Sanga) arrived, badly wounded from a conflict with his brother, Prithvi Raj and saved his life, "at the same time sacrificing his own life" (see SANGA AND PRITHVI RAJ). When Sanga became Maharana, he searched for Bida’s children and found Net Singh, and gave him the jagir of Bemali.

The next Maharana, Udai Singh II gave Banol village to Net Singh who was killed in the third sack of Chittor, along with Net Singh’s son, Shanker Das and two brothers, Kendas and Ramdas. Shanker Das’s successor was Tejmal, who fought with Maharana Pratap Singh against Akbar. Tejmal’s son, Veerbhan fought against the Mughals in Maharana Raj Singh I’s reign.

Genealogy: Bida; Net Singh; Shandas; Tejmal; Veer Bhan; Gokaldas; Sanwaldas; Kishandas; Mokham Singh; Khuman Singh; Anoop Singh; Madhav Singh; Varisal; Gheerat Singh; Onar Singh; Madan Singh; Roop Singh; Daulat Singh.

ardargarh

Sardargarh (Dodia) is a town on the right bank of the [Chenab River|Chandrabhaga] , about 31 km. northeast of Udaipur; the thikana (estate) of the Dodia Rajputs from Kathiawar (now Gujarat), descendants of Dhawal, son of Siha Dodia. Their title is 'Thakur'. During the reign of Maharana Lakha (1382-1421), Lakha's mother went on a pilgrimage to Dwarka in Kathiawar. There, members of the Kaba tribe attacked the Mewaris. Rao Siha died, fighting to protect the Mewaris. In return for this brave act, the Maharana brought Siha's son, Dhawal to Mewar and gave him the jagirs of Ratanganh, Nandrai, and Masuda.

During the reign of Maharana Raimal (1473-1509) when Mandu Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din attacked Mewar, Dhawal's great-grandson, Kishan, fought most gallantly. And in Maharana Udai Singh II's reign (1537-1572), Sardargarh Bhim Singh fought against Emperor Akbar at the third sack of Chittor.

Genealogy: Dhawal; Sal; Nahar Singh; Kishan Singh; Karan Singh; Bhan; Sanda; Bhim Singh; Gopaldas; Jai Singh; Naval Singh; Indrabhan; Sardar Singh; Samant Singh; Rod Singh; Zorawar Singh; Manohar Singh; Sohan Singh; Laxman Singh; Amar Singh; Man Singh.

Kotharia

Kotharia (Chauhan)is a town on the right bank of the Banas River about 19 km. northeast of Udaipur (10 km. from NATHDWARA); also the jagir (estate) of the House of Kotharia, descendants of the last Chauhan king of Ranthambhor, Raja Hammir. When Mughal Emperor Babur met Maharana Sangram Singh I at the Battle of KHANWA (1527), the Chauhan, Manak Chand from the village of Rajor in the district of Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh, joined Sanga with his 4,000 men and fought to the death. He was rewarded (posthumously) with the jagir of Kotharia and the title of ‘Rawat’.

Manak Chand’s sons opted to remain in Kotharia and serve Mewar, and were among the first rank of Mewar’s nobles (the First 16 Umraos).

Genealogy: Manak Chand; Jaipal; Sarangdeo; Khan Tatar Khan; Dharmand; Sahib Khan; Prithviraj; Rukmand; Udaikaran; Devbhan; Budh Singh; Fateh Singh; Vijai Singh; Mokham Singh; Jodh Singh; Sangram Singh; Keshri Singh; Javan Singh; Urjan Singh; Man Singh; Shivpratap Singh; Masesh Pratap Singh

References

[http://www.mewarindia.com/ency/raja.html The Mewar Excyclopedia]