Matsyagandha Lake
Matsyagandha Lake (मत्स्यगंधा) is a 1.50 km by 200 m artificial lake in the Sattar Kataiya block of Saharsa district of Northern Bihar region in India.[1]
The lake was conceptualized in 1996, by the then Saharsa Collector, Tej Narayan Lal Das, as a development of wasteland used to cremate bodies.
As a result of neglect, the lake shrunk between 2006 and 2017, almost disappearing by 2018. In June 2020 the lake was planned to be renovated at the cost of ₹ 7.47 Crore (USD 1.02 M),[2] by the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali mission under the Government of Bihar, to be carried out by the State Department of Minor Water Resources, and includes increasing the depth by 2 meters, expanding the size of the lake to 81 acres, and capacity to 6000 m3.[1]
Etymology[edit]
The name of the lake is derived from the semi-mythical character of Matsyagandha, the wife of King Shantanu. She is also the mother of the sage Vyas, fathered by the wandering rishi (sage) Parashara.
Facilities[edit]
There is a Matsyagandha temple nearby, which houses a small temple pond with idols of Gods and Goddesses. The lake has the facility for boating and speed-boating at a chargeable basis,[3] however, due to low water levels, boating is intermittent. There are plans for lake improvement for tourism by developing an 8 feet wide pavement lined with trees and park benches.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "मंजूरी: मत्स्यगंधा झील के कायाकल्प की योजना को हरी झंडी, सालोंभर रहेगा पानी". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 2020-04-29. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
- ^ "सहरसा स्थित मत्स्यगंधा झील की लौटेगी रौनक,दिया जा रहा झील को अंतिम रूप | navbiharpatrika". navbiharpatrika.com. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
- ^ "उम्मीदें...: मत्स्यगंधा झील में होगी बोटिंग". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 2021-01-01. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
- ^ "Matsyagandha Lake will be Developed: CM - PatnaDaily". www.patnadaily.com. Retrieved 2021-04-05.