The lake that resulted from Sage Durwasa’s prayers to Lord Shiva is dying, if not already dead. According to legend, Rishi Durwasa had prayed to Lord Shiva at this spot.  He requested the presence of water for his meditation, and the magnanimous Lord Shiva blessed the area with seven streams, which led to the formation of Dal Lake of McLeod Ganj. 

Until a few years ago, Dal Lake was one of the prominent tourist attractions of McLeod Ganj. Lined with deodar trees, it was a small mid-altitude lake near the village of Tota Rani in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.

This lake is considered sacred due to the presence of an ancient Shiva Temple on its bank. A festival is held at the Temple every year in September. Devotees of Lord Shiva flock to the Dal Lake to attend this festival.

This oval-shaped lake(whatever is left of it) is situated on the crest of a hill and gives a panoramic view of the Kangra Valley and the Dhauladhar Ranges. Until a few years ago, tourists enjoyed boating at this lake. I stood at the lake and tried to imagine the reflections of the towering deodar trees in the crystal clear water of the Dal Lake. There are only puddles of water now, the lake nowhere in sight.

The lake was earlier shaped like a bowl. Silt slowly filled the bottom. JCBs were used to desilt the lake. That aggravated the problem. According to some Newspaper reports, unscientific digging was likely to have created aqueducts at the base of the lake, which led to the draining of water from the lake.

Due to rapid silting and continuous seepage, there has been a gradual loss in the water storage capacity of the lake. This has affected the flora and fauna in its catchment areas. The fish in the lake are dying due to the loss of water. The local residents launched a drive to rescue the fish and released them into water bodies where they could survive.

The lake is dying a slow death, I say dying instead of died, because efforts are being made to revive and restore the Dal Lake to its original glory.

Photos and content by Prerna Jain.