the canvasses of Bhopal....Part 1 : Upper Lake / Lake View

          As my time comes ,to bid farewell to this city , which has been my habitat for the past five years. My mind is filled with bitter-sweet memories ...

          But some beautiful places sketch unforgettable illustrations on our minds.And Bhopal has no shortage for such pictorial delights . All my fellow bhopalis will agree , that if you want to write about the beauty of Bhopal , there is no other place better than the UPPER LAKE , fondly known as Lake View , to begin with.
          The serene sunsets , the quiescent rides in boat , the visits to mazar , all fill in my mind, as fragrantly as a fresh rose would have  .But before i share with you my most wonderful memories of Upper Lake , i would like to acquaint you with its history.
            Upper lake is the largest artificial lake in Asia , with an astonishing surface area of 31 km².It was built by Raja Bhoj , the king of Malwa (1005-1055).It was created by creating an earthen dam on the Kolan River.
            Legend has it that once the mighty king suffered from an incurable skin disease. When all the vaidyas  of bhojpal failed to cure the king , a saint told him to build a tank to combine 365 tributaries , and then have a bath in this tank . He ordered his engineers , and so the upper lake was cobbled up .

 

             Much has been written and said about the beautiful sunsets on the lake. And no words i write , would justify the tranquility of the moments of watching the enormous sun quench into the lake , while sitting in a boat on the lake. Both the sky and the water are painted with various shades of grays , blues , purples , violets and reds. A magic only nature can conceive.November is one of my favorite seasons to watch these sunsets . Because the breeze is cool , and the evenings are rozy , hence the entire effect is spectacular.
             Many of you might have visited Mumbai , and must have been awestruck by the queens necklace , on Marine drive . Similar effect was tried to be achieved , here by the lightings of VIP road. And the effect might be not of the same magnitude , but it is indeed , very eye-catching.

                My friends and i used to risk getting scolded by our warden for coming late , and stay till the darkness , just to let our eyes behold this beautiful sight.And it was worth it. 
                Another beautiful memory in my mind is that of a chilly December morning , when my friends and i went to lake to bunk college , only to be mesmerized by what we saw. The lake was covered by a quilt of fog . which hung above it , as if afraid to touch the cold water.The sun was bright in the sky , it reminded me of the song SMOKE ON WATER...

              


           And it was at this very place that yours sincerely fell hopelessly in  love with a man she is waiting to be espoused to , on a humid , cloudy  July afternoon , when the concerned gent was sweating hard , both from peddling the boat , and the weather , but still had such a sincere smile on his face , that it was impossible not to feel the bliss.One of the reasons ,which makes Lake View special for me... and i know there are many others who share such romantic stints of lake.

            A small island is located on the lake , called the Takia island (no relation with the object of resting on your head on at night , mind you...) which has a tomb of Shah Ali Shah Rahamatullah Alla . Why the management chose to enlighten this island with ghostly green lights at night ,it beyond my imagination. But it is worth a dekko. 


            Lake view isn't the only location in Bhopal  from where i can enjoy the beauty of Upper lake.   Other spots such as Mahavir tekri , VIP road, Noor-Us-Sabah  also offer a breathtaking view of the lake. 
                 Yours sincerely will  write on them , while telling you about those very locations.

           
As my parting words for now i wish that may your evenings be as colorful and delighting as mine were... those spent on the Lake View...