Damda Lake | |
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Location | Sohna, Gurugram district, Haryana, India |
Coordinates | 28°18′14″N77°07′44″E / 28.304°N 77.129°E Coordinates: 28°18′14″N77°07′44″E / 28.304°N 77.129°E |
Type | reservoir |
Damda reservoir in Sohna, near Gurugram city in Gurugram district in the Indian state of Haryana. [1] Damdama Lake is a small lake in Haryana and was formed when a stone and earthen dam constructed by the British was commissioned for rain water harvesting in 1947. [2] The lake, held by an embankment, is fed mainly by monsoon rain pouring into a trough at the base of the Aravali hills. The Lake greets visitors with a water level down to 20 ft (6.1 m). During monsoon the water level reaches up to 50 ft (15 m) - 70 ft (21 m).
It is an important biodiversity area within the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor stretching from Sariska Tiger Reserve to Delhi. Historical place around sanctuary are Badkhal Lake (6 km northeast), 10th century ancient Surajkund reservoir (15 km north) and Anangpur Dam (16 km north), Tughlaqabad Fort and Adilabad ruins (both in Delhi), Chhatarpur Temple (in Delhi). [3] It is downstream from the seasonal waterfalls situated in the villages of Pali, Dhouj and Kot near Faridabad., [4] the scared Mangar Bani and the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary. There are several dozen lakes formed in the abandoned open pit mines found across the area.
The lake dries up during summer and is awaiting a government sponsored renewal process. [5]
As it is located in a hilly region, the topography of this area is not even. Damdama Lake is spread in the shape of an amoeba and has many branches. The lake has a moderate climate and is good for a visit any time of the year. The best time to visit the lake is from October to March, late summers and monsoons. The climate is typically hot during summer, temperature reaching up to 45–47 °C.
Damdama lake is a natural home for birds, & more than 190 species of birds, migratory as well as local, visit here during summer, monsoon and winter season, i.e. all throughout the year a variety of birds from different places flock to Dream Island. Some of the major birds seen here are water fowl, cranes, cormorants, terns, egrets, kingfishers etc. While driving to Damdama Lake, you can also catch a glimpse of India's national bird peacock and blue bulls.
In February 2021, Haryana government initiated the 5-year development plan to convert 420 acre land on the slope of aravali mountain, including a 5 acre plant nursery, between Damdama and Kherla in the north as the biodiversity park by Gurujal, an NGO called Centre for Biological Development and Research and the Kherla panchayat. The team has collected the data about the flora and fauna of the area as well as the wild seeds from the forested areas of aravalli hills to grow in the nursery for the propagation of the diverse range of native plants. In 2021 the Chief Minister had declared Gurugram as the "forest cover area" under which four forested biodiversity areas will be created at Damdama, Shikohpur, Naurangpur and Kasan, which will also boost the tourism. [6]
Surrounded by the Aravali Mountains, it is one of the popular picnic spot to spend the weekend away from the city in a quiet and scenic atmosphere. In the serene location, one can enjoy boating in row boats, paddle boats and motor boats. Damdama is known for its splendid adventure sports facilities such as para sailing, kayaking, cycling, angling, rock climbing, valley crossing. One can also go for nature walks in the nearby Aravali hills.
The Sulfur hot spring of Sohna Sulphur Hot Spring at Sohna is a religious and tourist attraction with medicinal value for skin diseases. [7] [8] According to a legend, one of the pandav, Arjun, dug this well when he was thirsty.
An ancient Shiva temple is located in Sohna and was built by the Raja of Bharatpur/Gwalior. Every year on the occasion of Shiv Chaudas & Shiv Ratri, the residents of Sohna offer their special prayers to Lord Shiva & Maa Bhagwati for the new born babies and newly married couples.
Gurgaon, officially named Gurugram[ɡʊɾʊɡɾaːm], is a planned city and administrative headquarters of Gurugram District, located in the northern Indian state of Haryana. It is situated near the Delhi–Haryana border, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) southwest of the national capital New Delhi and 268 km (167 mi) south of Chandigarh, the state capital. It is one of the major satellite cities of Delhi and is part of the National Capital Region of India. As of 2011, Gurgaon had a population of 1,153,000.
The Aravalli Range is a mountain range in Northern-Western India, running approximately 670 km (420 mi) in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat. The highest peak is Guru Shikhar on Mount Abu at 1,722 m (5,650 ft). The Aravalli Range is arguably the oldest geological feature on Earth, having its origin in the Proterozoic era.
Gurgaon district, officially known as Gurugram district, is one of the 22 districts of Haryana in northern India. The city of Gurgaon is the administrative headquarters of the district. The population is 1,514,432. It is one of the southern districts of Haryana. On its north, it is bounded by the district of Jhajjar and the Union Territory of Delhi. Faridabad district lies to its east. On its south, lie the districts of Palwal and Nuh. To its west lies Rewari district.
Sohna is a town and a Municipal Council in the Gurgaon district of Haryana, India. A popular tourist weekend and conference retreat, it is on the highway from Gurgaon to Alwar near a vertical rock. Sohna is known for its hot springs and Shiva temple. Sohna tehsil is part of Ahirwal Region. Major communities in Sohna are Rajputs, Ahirs, Gujars, Jats, and Muslim Gujjar. Gurgaon district is divided into 4 sub-divisions each headed by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM): Gurgaon, Sohna, Pataudi and Badshahpur.
Delhi Ridge, sometimes simply called The Ridge, is a ridge in the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor in the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India. It is a northern extension of the ancient Aravalli Range, some 1.5 billion years old. The ridge consists of quartzite rocks and extends from the southeast at Tughlaqabad, near the Bhatti mines, branching out in places and tapering off in the north near Wazirabad on the west bank of the river Yamuna, covering about 35 kilometres.
Badkhal Lake was a natural lake situated in Badkhal village near Faridabad, in the Indian state of Haryana, about 32 kilometers from the national capital of Delhi. Fringed by the hills of the Aravalli Range, this was a man-made embankment. Owing to unchecked mining in neighbouring areas, the lake began drying up two decades back and is now totally dried up. There are functional Haryana Tourism Corporation restaurants in the vicinity. A flower show is held every spring here. Its name is most probably derived from the Persian word beydakhal, which means free from interference. Close to Badkhal Lake is the Peacock Lake. It is a biodiversity area within the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor stretching from Sariska Tiger Reserve to Delhi.
Surajkund is an ancient reservoir of the 10th century located on Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli range in Faridabad city of Haryana state about 8 km from South Delhi. Surajkund is an artificial Kund built in the backdrop of the Aravalli hills with an amphitheatre shaped embankment constructed in semicircular form. It is said to have been built by the king Surajpal of the Tomara dynasty in the 10th century. Tomar, a younger son of Anangpal Tomar – the ruler of Delhi, was a sun worshipper and he had therefore built a Sun temple on its western bank. Surajkund is known for its annual fair "Surajkund International Craft Mela", 2015 edition of this fair was visited by 1.2 million visitors including 160,000 foreigners with more than 20 countries participating in it.
Chhatarpur Temple is located in a down town area in Chhatarpur, Delhi, India. This temple is dedicated to Goddess, Katyayani. The entire complex of the temple is spread over a wide area of 70 acres. It is located at Chhatarpur, on the southwestern outskirts of the New Delhi and is just 4 km (2.5 mi) from Qutub Minar, off Mehrauli-Gurgaon road.
The Anangpur Dam is an Indian hydraulic engineering structure built during the reign of the King Anangpal I of the Tomara dynasty in the 8th century. It is located near the Anangpur village in Faridabad district, Haryana, India.
Bandhwari is a village dominated by Gurjar community in Gurgaon district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is an important biodiversity area contiguous to Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary within the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor.
Asola-Bhati Wildlife Sanctuary covering 32.71 km2 area on the Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli hill range on Delhi-Haryana border lies in Southern Delhi as well as northern parts of Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana state. Biodiversity significance of Ridge lies in its merger with Indo-Gangetic plains, as it is the part of the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor, an important wildlife corridor which starts from the Sariska National Park in Rajasthan, passes through Nuh, Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana and ends at Delhi Ridge.
Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary Ramsar site is located in Jhajjar district, which is about 15 km from Jhajjar in Haryana. On 3 June 2009, it is also declared as bird sanctuary by the Indian Government.
Khaparwas Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary in Jhajjar district, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) west of Delhi). The reserve covers 82.70 hectares. This is an important part of ecological corridor along the route of Sahibi River which traverses from Aravalli hills in Rajasthan to Yamuna via Masani barrage, Matanhail forest, Chhuchhakwas-Godhari, Khaparwas Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, Outfall Drain Number 8 and 6, Sarbashirpur, Sultanpur National Park, Basai and The Lost Lake (Gurugram). It lies 5 km northwest of Bhindawas Bird Sancturay and 46 km northwest of Sultantpur National Park via road.
Forests Department, Haryana is a department of the Government of Haryana in India that runs and maintains many protected nature areas in the state of Haryana. It has two administrative divisions: Forest and Wildlife. The department is responsible for maintaining National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Conservation Reserves in Haryana. It also provides a special emphasis on Soil and Moisture Conservation works in the hills to conserve water and deliver it to adjacent farmlands. Two National Parks, eight Wildlife Sanctuaries, two Conservation Reserves, four Animal & Bird Breeding Centres, one Deer park, and 49 herbal parks. Kanwar Pal Gujjar has been the cabinet minister responsible for this department since October 2019. constitute the Protected Area network of the department, covering 0.75% of the state. It also maintains a list of Protected Areas in Haryana.
Blue Bird Lake, Hisar is a resident and endangered migratory bird wetland habitat, lake and recreation area in the town of Hisar, in the Hisar district of Haryana State, India.
Basai wetland, located in Basai village in Gurgaon tehsil in Gurgaon district in Haryana, India, is a flora and fauna rich water body. It is recognised as one of India's Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas and is of global conservation significance as it supports populations of several endangered, vulnerable, and threatened bird species. Basai wetlandis recognised globally as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by the BirdLife International housing 20,000 birds of over 280 species including migratory birds and endangered birds, has not yet been declared a protected wetland by the Government of Haryana.
Pali is an Indian village in the NIT area of Faridabad city of Faridabad district under Faridabad Lok Sabha constituency of Haryana state, well known for being biggest crusher zone of Asia, that also has a seasonal waterfall. It is the part of the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor, an important wildlife corridor which starts from the Sariska National Park in Rajasthan, passes through Nuh, Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana and ends at Delhi Ridge.
Aravali diversity-bio Park, Gurgaon, spreads over 153.7 hectares, near the Guru Dronacharya metro station in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. The park, contains ecologically restored and semi arid land vegetation. The park was opened to the public on World Environment Day, 5 June 2010. The park includes a number of trails and a native plant nursery and interpretive displays at the entrance. The Park was declared as the first OECM site in the Country of the Environment Minister, Shri Bhupendra Yadav on the 4th February 2021. In April 2021, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hero MotoCorp Ltd to maintain the park for 10 year.
Masani barrage, also Masani bridge, a barrage on the seasonal Sahibi River completed in 1989, is named after the Masani village in Rewari District of Haryana in India. Masani barrage also serves as a bridge on NH 919. Water storage in the barrage was made perennial in 2017 after a gap of 50 years. This barrage is important part of ecological corridor along the route of Sahibi river which traverses from Aravalli hills in Rajasthan to Yamuna via Matanhail forest, Chhuchhakwas-Godhari, Khaparwas Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, Outfall Drain Number 8 and 6, Sarbashirpur, Sultanpur National Park, Basai and The Lost Lake (Gurugram).
Mangar Bani, a paleolithic archaeological site and sacred grove hill forest next to the Mangar village on Delhi-Haryana border,which is dominated by Gurjar community;is in the South Delhi Ridge of Aravalli mountain range in Faridabad tehsil of Faridabad district in the Indian state of Haryana. It lies, immediate south of India's national capital Delhi, within NCR.This whole area is dominated by Gurjar Community.