History of Kankaria lake
The artificial Kankaria Lake was built by Sultan Qutbuddin in the 15th century. The construction was over by 1451 CE and the lake was used by kings for bathing. Later, over the years, the lake lost its charm and turned into an urban chaos. With lack of management and disorganised environment, its quality deteriorated over time.
The issue resolved when Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation took charge. The development of the lakefront was drafted and different fun activities were included in the plan. The central garden was revamped and utilities were improved. After spending around 360 million, the project was completed in the year 2008 and it was inaugurated in the Kankaria Carnival on 25 December 2008. Now, the transformed Kankaria Lake observes crores of people every year who always have a whale of a time!
Attractions at Kankaria lake
Around Kankaria Lake, there is a lakefront which has many attractions. Some of them are-
1. Kankaria Zoo-Spread over an area of 31 acres, it is also known as Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden. It houses around 450 mammals, 2000 birds and 140 reptiles. The timings of the zoo are 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
2. Balloon Ride-The super thrilling tethered balloon ride is also available. It elevates to a height of around 350 feet and you can enjoy the mesmerizing panoramic view of Ahmedabad city. The balloon ride premise also has some restaurants serving you mouth-watering dishes.
3. Toy Train-The Atal Express, imported from London and named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, takes a round of Kankaria Lake on a 2.3 km track. It can carry up to 150 passengers and is a fun-filled ride.
4. Kids City-It is a replica of an actual city for kids aged between 5 to 14. It has mini banks, prison, theatre, police station, hospital and many other activities that provide a platform for both amusement and learning for kids.
5. Stone Mural Park-On the sidewalls of the lake, different fascinating murals depicting the history of Ahmedabad in pink sandstone is worth admiring.
6. Nagina Wadi-It means a beautiful garden in Urdu. It is located in the centre of the lake and looks extremely pleasing in the evening with musical fountain and laser lights.
Other entertaining activities of the Kankaria Lake are mirror maze, mini-golf, butterfly park, Segway and archery.
Kankaria Carnival
The week-long Kankaria Carnival is the most awaited festival of Ahmedabad which promises to be entertaining and extremely exciting. Held in the last week of December every year, the festival includes scores of novel activities that could be enjoyed by people of all age groups. Some of the fun events and adventures included are- Magic Show, Rangoli-making competition, debate, essay or painting competitions, dog show, scuba-diving, laser show and gymnastics.
Kankaria Lake Timings and Entry Fee
Kankaria Lake is opened from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM on all days except Mondays. The entry fee is very nominal. For kids, it is INR 5 per head and for adults, it is INR 10 per head. Senior citizens or handicapped persons are not charged.
Best time to visit Kankaria Lake
Kankaria Lake is always mesmerising at any time of the year but, you should visit in the last week of December when the Kankaria Festival takes place. Evenings provide the best opportunity because you can enjoy the musical fountain and laser light shows.
How to Reach Kankaria Lake
You can take the Punt Maharaj Road to reach the lake, which lies right across Nelson's Primary School. The nearest railway station to kankaria lake is Ahmedabad Jn Train Station which is 5 km away from Kankaria Lake.
Top Tourist Places in Ahmedabad
Sabarmati Ashram
Dada Hari Wav
World Vintage Car Museum
Jhulta Minar
Kankaria Lake
Law Garden Night Market
All Tourist Places in Ahmedabad
Photos of Kankaria Lake
Comments on Kankaria Lake
Post Your Comment
