Hamirsar Lake

Rao Khengarji I chose this place as an oasis in saline and arid Kutch and, over several decades, developed canals and tunnels to bring water from three river systems and recharge the aquifer, to fulfill the needs of Bhuj, which he had declared the capital of his kingdom in 1549.

However, after the earthquake, with a view to revive the traditional water system and to develop its catchment to meet the domestic water needs of population of Bhuj, awareness campaign mobilized the citizens, municipality, local press to do the bare minimum repairs to fill up the lake in 2003.

Highest rainfall (22 inches) in the last 50 yrs of span was recorded in 2003 which overflowed the Hamirsar lake making it an occasion to celebrate.

[3] There is a tradition from the days when Kutch was a princely state and the puja was performed by the royalty, whenever lake overflowed due to rains and a prasad of ladoos called megh laddoos distributed to citizens.

Recently, in August 2010, this historic tradition was once again en lived even though days of royalty have long gone, when the Bhuj municipal president held thanksgiving ceremony in the form of the traditional puja of the lake and offer megh laddoos to its residents at a community dinner.

Multitude of birds in Hamirsar lake