Jal Mahal
Encyclopedia
Jal Mahal is a palace located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur
city, the capital of the state of Rajasthan
, India. The palace and the lake around it were renovated and enlarged in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber
.
The Jal Mahal palace has got an eye-popping makeover. Traditional boat-makers from Vrindavan have crafted the Rajput style wooden boats. A gentle splashing of oars on the clear lake waters takes you to Jal Mahal. You move past decorated hallways and chambers on the first floor to climb all the way up to the fragrant Chameli Bagh. Across the lake, you can view the Aravalli hills, dotted with temples and ancient forts, and on the other side, bustling Jaipur. The most remarkable change is in the lake itself. The drains were diverted, two million tonnes of toxic silt were dredged from the bottom, increasing its depth by over a metre, a water treatment system was developed, local vegetation and fish reintroduced, the surrounding wetlands regenerated and five nesting islands created to attract migratory birds.
The lake, situated to the north of Jaipur city lies between Amber
, the historic city and Jaipur, the provincial headquarters of Rajastan state. It has a water spread area of 300 acres (121 ha) and is enclosed by the Aravalli hills on the north, west and eastern side, while the southern side consists of plains that is intensely inhabited. There is the Nahargarh Fort
(Nahargarh means home of tigers) in these hills that provides a commanding view of the Man Sagar lake and the Jal Mahal palace, in addition to a beautiful view of the city of Jaipur. The lake was created by constructing a dam across the Darbhawati River, between Khilagarh hills and hilly areas of Nahargarh, in the 16th century. The drainage area of the lake is 23.5 square kilometrecontributed by an urban area accounting for 50%, hilly terrain accounting for the balance area comprising the degraded Aravalli hills, which have added to siltation problem in the lake. Rain fall of an average of 657.4 millimetres (25.9 in) per year (90% of this rainfall occurs during the months of June to September) in the catchment contributes to the storage in the reservoir. At the outlet end of the dam, there is an irrigation system that is supplied with water stored in the reservoir (obligatory water demand for this is reported to be 2,410,000 cubic metres during the five months from November to March). But two large nalas (streams
) that also drain the surrounding Nahargarh hills and the Jaipur town are the Brahmpuri and Nagtalai, which bring in large amount of untreated sewage flows, in addition to solid wastes.
Geology and soils
The hills surrounding the lake area, towards the north east of Jaipur, has quartzite rock formations (with thin layer of soil cover), which is part of Aravalli hills range. Rock exposures on the ground surface in some parts of the project area have also been utilised for constructing buildings. On the north east, the Kanak Vrindavan valley, where temple complex is situated, the hills slope gently towards the lake edge. Within the lake area, ground conditions depict a thick mantle of soil, blown sand and alluvium. Forest denudation, particularly of hilly areas, has caused soil erosion, compounded by erosion due to wind and water. Due to this, silt moved to the lake resulting in raise of the bed level of the lake.
was, therefore, motivated to build a dam to store water to overcome the severe hardships caused by the famine to the people inhabiting the region. A dam was constructed, initially using earth and quartzite, across the eastern valley between Amer hills and Amagarh hills. The dam was later converted into a stone masonry structure in the 17th century. The dam, as existing now (see picture), is about 300 metres (984.3 ft) long and 28.5–34.5 m (93.5–113.2 ft) in width. It is provided with three sluice gates for release of water for irrigation
of agricultural land in the down stream area. Since then, the dam, the lake and the palace in its midst have undergone several rounds of restoration under various rulers of Rajasthan but the final restoration in the 18th century is credited to Jai Singh II of Amer. During this period, a number of other historical and religious places, such as the Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort
, Nahargarh Fort
, Khilangarh Fort, Kanak Vrindavan Valley were also built in the vicinity of the lake. All these places are now linked under a tourist corridor of road net work.
In recent years, with urbanization of Jaipur city and areas surrounding the lake, ecological system of the lake and its vicinity area deteriorated drastically. It got silted up heavily thereby reducing the surface area of the lake. The silt deposited (estimated to be about 2,500,000 cubic metres) was contaminated with effluent
s (untreated sewage) from the city drainage causing intense eutrophication
. The ground water around the lake was also found to be highly contaminated and created serious health hazards. The rainwater combined with sewage water flow from the city resulted in the lake water emnating foul smell. Water samples collected from the lake were tested, which clearly showed that water quality was not uniform. It was extremely poor in southeast, south and southwest caused due influent nalas. The water quality parameters of BOD and total nitrogen
recorded were 20 mg/L each. BOD
values indicated high level of organic matter. COD
denoted a very high level of oxidisable chemicals. Nitrate
and phosphate
content were excessive. Coliform number was more than 500 times the normal. The Chloride
content was found to be fatal to plants and fishes.
Hydrology
The fresh water into the lake is seasonal during rains between July and September. This flow originates from 325 small and big streams that drain the hilly catchment of the lake. But the two municipal nalas from the Jaipur city contribute the perennial flow to the lake. The volume of water in the lake has been assessed as 3,130,000 cubic metres at the maximum water level. During lean season, it is said to be about 360,000 cubic metres from October to June. The depth of water at the deepest location in the lake is recorded to be a maximum of 4.5 metres (14.8 ft) and a minimum of 1.5 metres (4.9 ft). In addition, the stored water was also used for irrigation on the downstream end of the lake during summer months resulting in drying up of the lake in these months.
type of dry tropical forests in the catchment; the total forest area of 9.01 square kilometre comprises dense forest cover of 6.45 square kilometre area, degraded forest of 0.95 square kilometre and encroachment of 1.61 square kilometre. The dominant floral specie found in the area is Dhauk (Anogeissus pendula), which has lean foliage. The low vegetation cover and steep gradient of the hills causes substantial erosion and the eroded material flows into the lake. On the western side, beyond the urbanized area, the Nahargarh hills on the western side are also denuded, which has reduced its moisture retaining capacity.
_in_a_nelumbo_nucifera_(indian_lotus)_pond_w_img_8779.jpg)
The reserve forest area of the lake catchment has several wild life species such as Deer
, Jungle cat
, striped hyena
, Indian Fox, Indian wild Boar and leopards.
The lake used to be a bird watcher's paradise in the past and was a favorite ground for the Rajput
kings of Jaipur for royal duck shooting parties during picnics. The lake was natural habitat for more than 150 species of local and migratory birds that included Large Flamingo
, Great Crested Grebe
, Pintail
, Pochard
s, Kestrel
, Coot
, Redshank
, Marsh Sandpiper
, Ruff
, Herring Gull
, Red-breasted Flycatcher
, Grey Wagtail
, but their numbers declined with the deterioration of the lake. Now, with restoration works undertaken, the birds have started visiting the lake again, though not to the same degree as in the past. In order to attract attention to the lake's condition, a private initiative of holding an annual birding fair was started in 1997. It is reported that the common moorhen
, a resident species has started breeding in large numbers at the lake. The other birds seen now are the grey heron
, white-browed wagtail
and Blue-tailed Bee-eater
s. The lake was also home for a large species of the aquatic ecosystem such as fish, insects, microorganisms and aquatic vegetation.
and Mughal
styles of architecture (common in Rajasthan) providing a picturesque view of the lake (from the Mansagar dam on the eastern side of the lake that acts as a vantage point for viewing the lake and the valley), and the surrounding Nahargarh (abode of the tigers) hills. The palace, built in red sandstone
, is a five storied building out of which four floors remain under water when the lake is full and the top floor is exposed. The rectangular Chhatri
on the roof is of the Bengal
type. The Chhatris on the four corners are octagonal. The palace had suffered subsidence in the past and also seepage due to water logging, which have been repaired under the restoration project undertaken by the Government of Rajasthan.
On the terrace of the palace, a garden was built with arched passages. At each corner of this palace semi-octagonal towers were built with an elegant cupola.
The restoration works done in the palace in the past (10–15 years back) were not satisfactory and an expert in the field of similar architectural restoration works of Rajastahn palaces carefully examined the designs that could decipher the originally exisitng designs on the walls, after removing the recent plaster work. Based on this finding, restoration works were redone with traditional materials for plastering. The plaster now used consisted of an organic material of a special mortor mix of lime, sand and surkhi mixed with jaggery
, guggal and methi (cummins
) powder. It was also noticed that there was hardly any water seepage, except for a little dampness, in the floors below the water level. But the original garden, which existed on the terrace had been lost. Now, a new terrace is being created based on a similar roof garden exisitng on the Amer palace.
The Royal family cenotophs
At Gaitore, opposite to the lake, there are Chhatris or cenatophs erected over cremation platforms of some of the Kachwaha
rulers of Jaipur. They were built by Jai Singh II within landscaped gardens. The cenotaph monuments are in honour of Pratap Singh, Madho Singh II and Jai Singh II, among others. Jai Singh II's cenatoph is made of marble and has impressive intricate carvings. It has a dome with 20 carved pillars.
In 2004, the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation took matters in its hands and decided to try and restore the monument to its original glory. They signed an agreement with Jal Mahal Resorts, granting it a 99-year lease to develop 100 acres along the Mansagar Lake (in the middle of which Jal Mahal stands) and the palace.
Joint sector project
The Lake restoration project of the Man Sagar lake area with an estimated investment of Rs 1.5 billion (considered as one of the largest and unique such projects in India) has evolved a plan that has diverse project components. Consequently, there are many project stakeholders and beneficiaries. The project stake holders are: the Government of Rajasthan and their subordinate organizations such as the Public Works Department (PWD), Rajasthan Urban Development Authority (RUIDP), the Jaipur Development Authority
(JDA - the nodal agency for implementation of all aspects of the project), the Department of Tourism, Rajasthan Project Development Fund (RPDF) and the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation
(RTDC) and an Empowered Committee on Infrastructure Development (ECID); the Central Government organizations associated for planning and financing are the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOE&F) through its National River Conservation Program (NRCP) and ILFS. The Private Sector Developer (PSD) appointed was M/s KGK Consortium. Under the public–private sector partnership model approved by the EICD, PDCOR had prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the restoration of Man Sagar lake, Jal Mahal restoration and lake precincts development. The total project area for restoration and development approved by ECID was 432 acres (174.8 ha) comprising the lake with 300 acres (121.4 ha) water spread, the lake precincts area of 100 acres (40.5 ha), which subsumed 15 acres (6.1 ha) of submerged land) for tourism development under joint sector cooperation and 32 acres (12.9 ha) for lake promenade and tertiary treatment facility and related works.
Unique features of the project
The studies indicated two approaches to tackle the nature of environmental degradation that had occurred in the lake, namely, dealing with natural catchment area and concurrently addressing the serious problem of municipal sewerage emerging from large scale urbanization or human settlement. Keeping this broad planning approach in view, under the lake restoration project, the works undertaken involved were: the re-alignment of city drains, de-silting of the lake, construction of artery road from Amber to Mansagar Dam (about 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi)), construction of check dam in a 100 metres (328.1 ft) length with silt removed from the lake, creation of three nesting islands for migratory birds, lake front promenade in1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi)), afforestation and treatment of forest area portion of lake catchment, plantation to stabilize the slopes of bank formation. Afforestation envisaged plantation of local plant species such as Acacia arabica (Desi babool) and
tamarix indica
(planting close to the water edge where they can grow well), Terminalia arjuna
(Arjun ) poplar, Neem
and all species of Ficus
, which would provide diversity in vegetation and also better habitat diversity for feeding by birds and wild life.
In addition, to remove eutriphication of the lake water and improve its water quality, in-situ Bioremediation
process with 140 diffusers & 5 air compressors to aerate and create inversion of the lake bed and stored water was also envisaged. The city sewage, which supplied 7.0 MLD of untreated sewage was treated with Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) and then led to the lake to maintain its water level, after due removal of nutrients through tertiary treatment. This process involved diversion of the Brahampuri Nala into the Nagtalai Nala by a lined channel to its south. This was then lead through a treatment plant on site to generate secondary level effluent, which was then discharged into an artificial wetland through a hyacinth channel. For this purpose, a Physico Chemical Treatment Plant was also envisaged and the effluent from this plant was taken through artificially created wetlands in an area of 4 hectares (9.9 acre)) (not only to treat the water but also to serve as natural habitat for birds) and through this process the entire eco-system is being re-generated. Vegetation generated in this process is disposed in a composite pit near the lake.
It is also reported that about 500,000 cubic metres of silt was removed from the lake. This silt was then put to use for strengthening of embankment and building of islands as wintering grounds for migratory birds.
After the above initial restoration works of the lake and its feeder system were mostly completed by the JDA, during 2003, private sector developers were invited to develop identified tourism components on the land adjoining the lake. After following the due process, a joint sector undertaking called the PDCOR was formed between the JDA of the Rajastahn Government and the consortia of private developers with lead provided by M/s. KGK Enterprises. The project for tourism development was entrusted to this joint group. The tourism project entailed development of Convention Centre and Art Gallery, Multiplex and Entertainment Centre, Craft Bazaar, Arts and Craft Village, Resort Hotels, restaurants and food courts, public park and gardens including responsibility for restoration and maintenance of the Jal Mahal.
National Highway No 8, over a road distance of 4 kilometres (2.5 mi)) from Jaipur. Delhi is a further 273 kilometres (169.6 mi)) away. Jaipur city being centrally located in Rajasthan, the National Highway No.8 not only links to Delhi
but also to Mumbai
. NH No.11 is a road link of 366 kilometres (227.4 mi)) from Bikaner to Agra
via Jaipur. The lake is 8 kilometres (5 mi)) from Amer palace on the Amber - Mansagar dam road to the north.
The Jal Mahal palace is now open to visitors for the first time having undergone dramatic transformation. Visitors can contact the site managers, Jal Tarang to inform them of their visit.
Jaipur is well connected by rail to all the major cities and towns of India. Jaipur is on the broad-gauge and meter gauge network of the Indian Railways
and has direct trains on the broad gauge
network to all major cities in Rajasthan and India. The city is also connected with a metre gauge
rail route with Sri Ganganagar, Churu
and Sikar
within the state. One of India's most famous and luxurious trains, The Palace on Wheels
, originating from Delhi also makes a scheduled stop in Jaipur.
Jaipur has well connected domestic air links with Jodhpur
, Udaipur
, Aurangabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata
, Goa
, Chennai
, Ahmedabad
, Indore
, Bangalore
, Mumbai, Surat
and Raipur, Lucknow, Gorakhpur
. Jaipur's Jaipur International Airport
is situated in its satellite town of Sanganer and offers sporadic service to Muscat
, Sharjah, Bangkok
and Dubai
.
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
city, the capital of the state of Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, India. The palace and the lake around it were renovated and enlarged in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber
Jai Singh II of Amber
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh was ruler of the kingdom of Amber . He was born at Amber, the capital of the Kachwahas. He became ruler of Amber at the age of 11 after his father Maharaja Bishan Singh died on 31 December 1699...
.
The Jal Mahal palace has got an eye-popping makeover. Traditional boat-makers from Vrindavan have crafted the Rajput style wooden boats. A gentle splashing of oars on the clear lake waters takes you to Jal Mahal. You move past decorated hallways and chambers on the first floor to climb all the way up to the fragrant Chameli Bagh. Across the lake, you can view the Aravalli hills, dotted with temples and ancient forts, and on the other side, bustling Jaipur. The most remarkable change is in the lake itself. The drains were diverted, two million tonnes of toxic silt were dredged from the bottom, increasing its depth by over a metre, a water treatment system was developed, local vegetation and fish reintroduced, the surrounding wetlands regenerated and five nesting islands created to attract migratory birds.
Topography
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
, the historic city and Jaipur, the provincial headquarters of Rajastan state. It has a water spread area of 300 acres (121 ha) and is enclosed by the Aravalli hills on the north, west and eastern side, while the southern side consists of plains that is intensely inhabited. There is the Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the pinkest city of Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The view of the city from the fort is breath taking. Along with Amber Fort and Jaigarh Fort it formed a strong defence ring for the city...
(Nahargarh means home of tigers) in these hills that provides a commanding view of the Man Sagar lake and the Jal Mahal palace, in addition to a beautiful view of the city of Jaipur. The lake was created by constructing a dam across the Darbhawati River, between Khilagarh hills and hilly areas of Nahargarh, in the 16th century. The drainage area of the lake is 23.5 square kilometrecontributed by an urban area accounting for 50%, hilly terrain accounting for the balance area comprising the degraded Aravalli hills, which have added to siltation problem in the lake. Rain fall of an average of 657.4 millimetres (25.9 in) per year (90% of this rainfall occurs during the months of June to September) in the catchment contributes to the storage in the reservoir. At the outlet end of the dam, there is an irrigation system that is supplied with water stored in the reservoir (obligatory water demand for this is reported to be 2,410,000 cubic metres during the five months from November to March). But two large nalas (streams
STREAMS
In computer networking, STREAMS is the native framework in Unix System V for implementing character devices.STREAMS was designed as a modular architecture for implementing full-duplex I/O between kernel or user space processes and device drivers. Its most frequent uses have been in developing...
) that also drain the surrounding Nahargarh hills and the Jaipur town are the Brahmpuri and Nagtalai, which bring in large amount of untreated sewage flows, in addition to solid wastes.
Geology and soils
The hills surrounding the lake area, towards the north east of Jaipur, has quartzite rock formations (with thin layer of soil cover), which is part of Aravalli hills range. Rock exposures on the ground surface in some parts of the project area have also been utilised for constructing buildings. On the north east, the Kanak Vrindavan valley, where temple complex is situated, the hills slope gently towards the lake edge. Within the lake area, ground conditions depict a thick mantle of soil, blown sand and alluvium. Forest denudation, particularly of hilly areas, has caused soil erosion, compounded by erosion due to wind and water. Due to this, silt moved to the lake resulting in raise of the bed level of the lake.
History
In the past, at the location of the lake, there was a natural depression where water used to accumulate. During 1596 AD, when there was a severe famine in this region there was consequent acute shortage of water. The then ruler of AjmerAjmer
Ajmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
was, therefore, motivated to build a dam to store water to overcome the severe hardships caused by the famine to the people inhabiting the region. A dam was constructed, initially using earth and quartzite, across the eastern valley between Amer hills and Amagarh hills. The dam was later converted into a stone masonry structure in the 17th century. The dam, as existing now (see picture), is about 300 metres (984.3 ft) long and 28.5–34.5 m (93.5–113.2 ft) in width. It is provided with three sluice gates for release of water for irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
of agricultural land in the down stream area. Since then, the dam, the lake and the palace in its midst have undergone several rounds of restoration under various rulers of Rajasthan but the final restoration in the 18th century is credited to Jai Singh II of Amer. During this period, a number of other historical and religious places, such as the Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort
Jaigarh Fort
Jaigarh Fort is situated on the premonitory called the Cheel ka Teela of the Aravalli hill ranges; it overlooks the Amber Fort and the Moata Lake, near Amber in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India...
, Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the pinkest city of Jaipur in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The view of the city from the fort is breath taking. Along with Amber Fort and Jaigarh Fort it formed a strong defence ring for the city...
, Khilangarh Fort, Kanak Vrindavan Valley were also built in the vicinity of the lake. All these places are now linked under a tourist corridor of road net work.
Man Sagar lake
Status of water qualityIn recent years, with urbanization of Jaipur city and areas surrounding the lake, ecological system of the lake and its vicinity area deteriorated drastically. It got silted up heavily thereby reducing the surface area of the lake. The silt deposited (estimated to be about 2,500,000 cubic metres) was contaminated with effluent
Effluent
Effluent is an outflowing of water or gas from a natural body of water, or from a human-made structure.Effluent is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as “wastewater - treated or untreated - that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall. Generally refers...
s (untreated sewage) from the city drainage causing intense eutrophication
Eutrophication
Eutrophication or more precisely hypertrophication, is the movement of a body of water′s trophic status in the direction of increasing plant biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system...
. The ground water around the lake was also found to be highly contaminated and created serious health hazards. The rainwater combined with sewage water flow from the city resulted in the lake water emnating foul smell. Water samples collected from the lake were tested, which clearly showed that water quality was not uniform. It was extremely poor in southeast, south and southwest caused due influent nalas. The water quality parameters of BOD and total nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
recorded were 20 mg/L each. BOD
Biochemical oxygen demand
Biochemical oxygen demand or B.O.D. is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to break down organic material present in a given water sample at certain temperature over a specific time period. The term also refers to a chemical procedure for...
values indicated high level of organic matter. COD
Chemical oxygen demand
In environmental chemistry, the chemical oxygen demand test is commonly used to indirectly measure the amount of organic compounds in water. Most applications of COD determine the amount of organic pollutants found in surface water or wastewater, making COD a useful measure of water quality...
denoted a very high level of oxidisable chemicals. Nitrate
Nitrate
The nitrate ion is a polyatomic ion with the molecular formula NO and a molecular mass of 62.0049 g/mol. It is the conjugate base of nitric acid, consisting of one central nitrogen atom surrounded by three identically-bonded oxygen atoms in a trigonal planar arrangement. The nitrate ion carries a...
and phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
content were excessive. Coliform number was more than 500 times the normal. The Chloride
Chloride
The chloride ion is formed when the element chlorine, a halogen, picks up one electron to form an anion Cl−. The salts of hydrochloric acid HCl contain chloride ions and can also be called chlorides. The chloride ion, and its salts such as sodium chloride, are very soluble in water...
content was found to be fatal to plants and fishes.
Hydrology
The fresh water into the lake is seasonal during rains between July and September. This flow originates from 325 small and big streams that drain the hilly catchment of the lake. But the two municipal nalas from the Jaipur city contribute the perennial flow to the lake. The volume of water in the lake has been assessed as 3,130,000 cubic metres at the maximum water level. During lean season, it is said to be about 360,000 cubic metres from October to June. The depth of water at the deepest location in the lake is recorded to be a maximum of 4.5 metres (14.8 ft) and a minimum of 1.5 metres (4.9 ft). In addition, the stored water was also used for irrigation on the downstream end of the lake during summer months resulting in drying up of the lake in these months.
Flora and fauna
The flora is dictated by the subsidiary EdaphicEdaphic
Edaphic is a nature related to soil. Edaphic qualities may characterize the soil itself, including drainage, texture, or chemical properties such as pH. Edaphic may also characterize organisms, such as plant communities, where it specifies their relationships with soil...
type of dry tropical forests in the catchment; the total forest area of 9.01 square kilometre comprises dense forest cover of 6.45 square kilometre area, degraded forest of 0.95 square kilometre and encroachment of 1.61 square kilometre. The dominant floral specie found in the area is Dhauk (Anogeissus pendula), which has lean foliage. The low vegetation cover and steep gradient of the hills causes substantial erosion and the eroded material flows into the lake. On the western side, beyond the urbanized area, the Nahargarh hills on the western side are also denuded, which has reduced its moisture retaining capacity.
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, Jungle cat
Jungle Cat
The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
, striped hyena
Striped Hyena
The Striped Hyena is a species of true hyena native to North and East Africa, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Middle and Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent...
, Indian Fox, Indian wild Boar and leopards.
The lake used to be a bird watcher's paradise in the past and was a favorite ground for the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
kings of Jaipur for royal duck shooting parties during picnics. The lake was natural habitat for more than 150 species of local and migratory birds that included Large Flamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
, Great Crested Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
The Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...
, Pintail
Northern Pintail
The Pintail or Northern Pintail is a widely occurring duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory and winters south of its breeding range to the equator...
, Pochard
Pochard
The Common Pochard, Aythya ferina, is a medium-sized diving duck.The adult male has a long dark bill with a grey band, a red head and neck, a black breast, red eyes and a grey back. The adult female has a brown head and body and a narrower grey bill band. The triangular head shape is distinctive...
s, Kestrel
Kestrel
The name kestrel, is given to several different members of the falcon genus, Falco. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour which is to hover at a height of around over open country and swoop down on prey, usually small mammals, lizards or large insects...
, Coot
Coot
Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Fulica. Coots have predominantly black plumage, and, unlike many of the rails, they are usually easy to see, often swimming in open water...
, Redshank
Common Redshank
The Common Redshank or simply Redshank is an Eurasian wader in the large family Scolopacidae.- Description and systematics :...
, Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper
The Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis, is a small wader. It is a rather small shank, and breeds in open grassy steppe and taiga wetlands from easternmost Europe to central Asia....
, Ruff
Ruff
The Ruff is a medium-sized wading bird that breeds in marshes and wet meadows across northern Eurasia. This highly gregarious sandpiper is migratory and sometimes forms huge flocks in its winter grounds, which include southern and western Europe, Africa, southern Asia and Australia...
, Herring Gull
Herring Gull
The European Herring Gull is a large gull , and is the most abundant and best known of all gulls along the shores of western Europe. It breeds across Northern Europe, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic states...
, Red-breasted Flycatcher
Red-breasted Flycatcher
The Red-breasted Flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It breeds in eastern Europe and across central Asia and is migratory, wintering in south Asia. It is a regular passage migrant in western Europe, whereas the Collared Flycatcher which breeds further west is...
, Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
The Grey Wagtail is a small member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae. The species looks similar to the Yellow Wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat...
, but their numbers declined with the deterioration of the lake. Now, with restoration works undertaken, the birds have started visiting the lake again, though not to the same degree as in the past. In order to attract attention to the lake's condition, a private initiative of holding an annual birding fair was started in 1997. It is reported that the common moorhen
Common Moorhen
The Common Moorhen is a bird in the Rallidae family with an almost worldwide distribution. The North and South American Committees of the AOU and the IOC have voted on or before July 2011 to split the American forms into a new species Common Gallinule, however, no other committee has voted to...
, a resident species has started breeding in large numbers at the lake. The other birds seen now are the grey heron
Grey Heron
The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions...
, white-browed wagtail
White-browed Wagtail
The White-browed Wagtail or Large Pied Wagtail is a medium-sized bird and is the largest member of the wagtail family. They are conspicuously patterned with black above and white below, a prominent white brow, shoulder stripe and outer tail feathers...
and Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
The Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Merops philippinus is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. It breeds in southeastern Asia. It is strongly migratory, seen seasonally in much of peninsular India....
s. The lake was also home for a large species of the aquatic ecosystem such as fish, insects, microorganisms and aquatic vegetation.
The Palace
The Jal Mahal palace is considered an architectural beauty built in the RajputRajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
and Mughal
Mughal architecture
Mughal architecture, an amalgam of Islamic, Persian, Turkish and Indian architecture, is the distinctive style developed by the Mughals in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries in what is now India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It is symmetrical and decorative in style.The Mughal dynasty was...
styles of architecture (common in Rajasthan) providing a picturesque view of the lake (from the Mansagar dam on the eastern side of the lake that acts as a vantage point for viewing the lake and the valley), and the surrounding Nahargarh (abode of the tigers) hills. The palace, built in red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, is a five storied building out of which four floors remain under water when the lake is full and the top floor is exposed. The rectangular Chhatri
Chhatri
Chhatris are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indian architecture. Chhatris are commonly used to depict the elements of of pride and honor in the Rajput architecture of Rajasthan. They are widely used, in palaces, in forts, or to demarcate funerary sites...
on the roof is of the Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
type. The Chhatris on the four corners are octagonal. The palace had suffered subsidence in the past and also seepage due to water logging, which have been repaired under the restoration project undertaken by the Government of Rajasthan.
On the terrace of the palace, a garden was built with arched passages. At each corner of this palace semi-octagonal towers were built with an elegant cupola.
The restoration works done in the palace in the past (10–15 years back) were not satisfactory and an expert in the field of similar architectural restoration works of Rajastahn palaces carefully examined the designs that could decipher the originally exisitng designs on the walls, after removing the recent plaster work. Based on this finding, restoration works were redone with traditional materials for plastering. The plaster now used consisted of an organic material of a special mortor mix of lime, sand and surkhi mixed with jaggery
Jaggery
Jaggery is a traditional unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is a concentrated product of cane juice without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color...
, guggal and methi (cummins
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
) powder. It was also noticed that there was hardly any water seepage, except for a little dampness, in the floors below the water level. But the original garden, which existed on the terrace had been lost. Now, a new terrace is being created based on a similar roof garden exisitng on the Amer palace.
The Royal family cenotophs
At Gaitore, opposite to the lake, there are Chhatris or cenatophs erected over cremation platforms of some of the Kachwaha
Kachwaha
Kachwaha are a Suryavanshi Kshatriya clan who ruled a number of kingdoms and princely states in India such as Alwar, Maihar, Talcher, while the largest kingdom was Jaipur which was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727...
rulers of Jaipur. They were built by Jai Singh II within landscaped gardens. The cenotaph monuments are in honour of Pratap Singh, Madho Singh II and Jai Singh II, among others. Jai Singh II's cenatoph is made of marble and has impressive intricate carvings. It has a dome with 20 carved pillars.
Restoration works
In the year 2000, Government of Rajasthan entrused to IL&FS the task of finding a permanent solution to the development requirements of the Man Sagar lake and the palace. In 2001, Government of Rajasthan initiated a project for the 'Ecological Restoration of Man Sagar Lake' and the palace in its midst to its past glory and to enhance the tourism potential of the precincts, through the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) as the nodal agency. It was also recommended that private developers should also be involved in this effort. In the year 2002, the Ministry of Environment and Forests sanctioned through its National Lake Conservation Programme (NLCP), Rs 24.72 crores (about US$ 5 million) and released Rs 17.3 crores (about US $3.46 million) as grant-in-aid with the proviso that the balance amount shall be raised by JDA. JDA initiated steps for restoration and completed 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) tourist trail and a 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi)) long promenade, apart from other works.In 2004, the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation took matters in its hands and decided to try and restore the monument to its original glory. They signed an agreement with Jal Mahal Resorts, granting it a 99-year lease to develop 100 acres along the Mansagar Lake (in the middle of which Jal Mahal stands) and the palace.
Joint sector project
The Lake restoration project of the Man Sagar lake area with an estimated investment of Rs 1.5 billion (considered as one of the largest and unique such projects in India) has evolved a plan that has diverse project components. Consequently, there are many project stakeholders and beneficiaries. The project stake holders are: the Government of Rajasthan and their subordinate organizations such as the Public Works Department (PWD), Rajasthan Urban Development Authority (RUIDP), the Jaipur Development Authority
Jaipur Development Authority
Jaipur Development Authority is the agency of the Government of Rajasthan responsible for working for the benefit of the citizens of Jaipur with planned implementation of development schemes and is consistently striving to take Jaipur at higher levels of progress...
(JDA - the nodal agency for implementation of all aspects of the project), the Department of Tourism, Rajasthan Project Development Fund (RPDF) and the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation
Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation
Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation is an agency of Government of Rajasthan set up in 1978 to develop tourism in the state. It manages many restaurants, cafeterias, motels and bars. The Corporation also organises package tours, fairs, festivals, entertainment, shopping and transport services...
(RTDC) and an Empowered Committee on Infrastructure Development (ECID); the Central Government organizations associated for planning and financing are the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOE&F) through its National River Conservation Program (NRCP) and ILFS. The Private Sector Developer (PSD) appointed was M/s KGK Consortium. Under the public–private sector partnership model approved by the EICD, PDCOR had prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the restoration of Man Sagar lake, Jal Mahal restoration and lake precincts development. The total project area for restoration and development approved by ECID was 432 acres (174.8 ha) comprising the lake with 300 acres (121.4 ha) water spread, the lake precincts area of 100 acres (40.5 ha), which subsumed 15 acres (6.1 ha) of submerged land) for tourism development under joint sector cooperation and 32 acres (12.9 ha) for lake promenade and tertiary treatment facility and related works.
Unique features of the project
The studies indicated two approaches to tackle the nature of environmental degradation that had occurred in the lake, namely, dealing with natural catchment area and concurrently addressing the serious problem of municipal sewerage emerging from large scale urbanization or human settlement. Keeping this broad planning approach in view, under the lake restoration project, the works undertaken involved were: the re-alignment of city drains, de-silting of the lake, construction of artery road from Amber to Mansagar Dam (about 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi)), construction of check dam in a 100 metres (328.1 ft) length with silt removed from the lake, creation of three nesting islands for migratory birds, lake front promenade in1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi)), afforestation and treatment of forest area portion of lake catchment, plantation to stabilize the slopes of bank formation. Afforestation envisaged plantation of local plant species such as Acacia arabica (Desi babool) and
tamarix indica
Tamarix
The genus Tamarix is composed of about 50-60 species of flowering plants in the family Tamaricaceae, native to drier areas of Eurasia and Africa...
(planting close to the water edge where they can grow well), Terminalia arjuna
Terminalia arjuna
Terminalia arjuna is a tree of the genus Terminalia.-Description:...
(Arjun ) poplar, Neem
Neem
Azadirachta indica is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is one of two species in the genus Azadirachta, and is native to India growing in tropical and semi-tropical regions. Its fruits and seeds are the source of neem oil...
and all species of Ficus
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
, which would provide diversity in vegetation and also better habitat diversity for feeding by birds and wild life.
In addition, to remove eutriphication of the lake water and improve its water quality, in-situ Bioremediation
Bioremediation
Bioremediation is the use of microorganism metabolism to remove pollutants. Technologies can be generally classified as in situ or ex situ. In situ bioremediation involves treating the contaminated material at the site, while ex situ involves the removal of the contaminated material to be treated...
process with 140 diffusers & 5 air compressors to aerate and create inversion of the lake bed and stored water was also envisaged. The city sewage, which supplied 7.0 MLD of untreated sewage was treated with Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) and then led to the lake to maintain its water level, after due removal of nutrients through tertiary treatment. This process involved diversion of the Brahampuri Nala into the Nagtalai Nala by a lined channel to its south. This was then lead through a treatment plant on site to generate secondary level effluent, which was then discharged into an artificial wetland through a hyacinth channel. For this purpose, a Physico Chemical Treatment Plant was also envisaged and the effluent from this plant was taken through artificially created wetlands in an area of 4 hectares (9.9 acre)) (not only to treat the water but also to serve as natural habitat for birds) and through this process the entire eco-system is being re-generated. Vegetation generated in this process is disposed in a composite pit near the lake.
It is also reported that about 500,000 cubic metres of silt was removed from the lake. This silt was then put to use for strengthening of embankment and building of islands as wintering grounds for migratory birds.
After the above initial restoration works of the lake and its feeder system were mostly completed by the JDA, during 2003, private sector developers were invited to develop identified tourism components on the land adjoining the lake. After following the due process, a joint sector undertaking called the PDCOR was formed between the JDA of the Rajastahn Government and the consortia of private developers with lead provided by M/s. KGK Enterprises. The project for tourism development was entrusted to this joint group. The tourism project entailed development of Convention Centre and Art Gallery, Multiplex and Entertainment Centre, Craft Bazaar, Arts and Craft Village, Resort Hotels, restaurants and food courts, public park and gardens including responsibility for restoration and maintenance of the Jal Mahal.
Visitor information
The Jal Mahal palace within the Man Sagar lake is accessible from the Jaipiur-DelhiDelhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
National Highway No 8, over a road distance of 4 kilometres (2.5 mi)) from Jaipur. Delhi is a further 273 kilometres (169.6 mi)) away. Jaipur city being centrally located in Rajasthan, the National Highway No.8 not only links to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
but also to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. NH No.11 is a road link of 366 kilometres (227.4 mi)) from Bikaner to Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
via Jaipur. The lake is 8 kilometres (5 mi)) from Amer palace on the Amber - Mansagar dam road to the north.
The Jal Mahal palace is now open to visitors for the first time having undergone dramatic transformation. Visitors can contact the site managers, Jal Tarang to inform them of their visit.
Jaipur is well connected by rail to all the major cities and towns of India. Jaipur is on the broad-gauge and meter gauge network of the Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
and has direct trains on the broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
network to all major cities in Rajasthan and India. The city is also connected with a metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
rail route with Sri Ganganagar, Churu
Churu
Churu is a town in the desert region of Rajasthan state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Churu District. It lies in the Thar Desert on the National Highway-65 connecting Pali to Ambala and is a junction station on the railway line to Bikaner...
and Sikar
Sikar
Sikar is a city located in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan state in India. It is the administrative headquarter of Sikar District. Sikar is a historical city and contains many old Havelis which are a huge tourist attraction. The best way to reach the city is to use road transport from Jaipur...
within the state. One of India's most famous and luxurious trains, The Palace on Wheels
Palace on Wheels
The Palace on Wheels is a luxury tourist train. It was launched by the Indian Railways to promote tourism in Rajasthan, and has been highly popular since its launch....
, originating from Delhi also makes a scheduled stop in Jaipur.
Jaipur has well connected domestic air links with Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
, Udaipur
Udaipur, Rajasthan
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
, Aurangabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, Mumbai, Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
and Raipur, Lucknow, Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is one of the proposed capitals of the Purvanchal state which is yet to be formed...
. Jaipur's Jaipur International Airport
Jaipur Airport
Jaipur International Airport is in the southern suburb of Sanganer, from Jaipur, the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan.Jaipur airport is the only international airport in the state of Rajasthan. It was granted the status of international airport on 29 December 2005...
is situated in its satellite town of Sanganer and offers sporadic service to Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
, Sharjah, Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
and Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
.