Eye in the Sky: Gadisar Lake - Jaisalmer's Oasis of Serenity

My rickshaw was moving away from the city limits, east of the fort. The road is parched, as golden as the structures that rise from the earth. Once upon a time, in an epoch of merchants, adventure seekers and conquerors, the city depended on Gadisar Lake (Gadi Sagar Lake) for their water supply. The area is a basin for rainwater, a virtual oasis in an arid terrain. These days, the lake is surrounded by temples, including a Krishna temple built by a famous prostitute, some tombs of saints, a cultural center, a local museum and several sheds that provide perfect viewpoint when you just want to enjoy the serene waters.

I took a leisurely walk from the paved road leading down to the tank, passing under an imposing archway called Tilon-ki-Pol. This was also financed by the aforementioned prostitute who offered to pay for the archway. When she asked the king’s permission, he refused permission. He didn’t want to visit the lake and have to pass under the archway built by a prostitute. It would be an affront to his dignity. When the king was away, she built it anyway, and included a Krishna Temple on top so that the king wouldn’t be able to tear it down.

The shed at the center of the lake is home to hundreds of birds. Paddle boats wait for customers, but the sun was bearing down its heat so there were no takers. Five men wearing turbans curiously sat beside the lake, gazing into the waters, seemingly suspended in their reverie. I went closer to the water to see some people throwing bread down the lake – and there was a school of voracious catfish feasting on their giveaway food. Across the lake, the dryness of the land stretches on to the horizon. Very few vegetation seem to survive. Imagine when it’s midsummer, when temperatures rise to 41 and 43 degrees.

I like places like this. It’s like a symbol of hope in the midst of drought. To visit the lake, you have to hire a rickshaw to take you outside the city limits.

This is the Eye in the Sky!