Are you a religious person or someone who loves being close to nature? Where do you prefer visiting, a temple or a natural escapade? What if I tell you there is one spot in Vadodara where you can get the vibe of both. Yes, the Sursagar Lake in Vadodara is that spot for you. This is basically a beautiful lake where you can visit with your family to spend some time. There are seats where you can sit or enjoy boating here as well. However a tall statue of Lord Shiva is located right in the middle of this lake and very recently the authorities got the statue gilded in gold. It can be extremely alluring to visit this lake and you can spend a good time there too.
If you are in Vadodara you can easily visit here during the weekends as there are arrangements of special lighting on weekends. With a well lit lake and a tall statue in between the spot oozes out beauty. So you must include visiting Sursagar Lake Vadodara if you are ever visiting here. Keep on reading this article as I will mention all the necessary information that you might need to visit this lake. This will be a helpful read for you if you are planning a trip to the Sursagar Lake.
Sursagar Lake Vadodara
Location of Sursagar Lake: Mandvi, Vadodara, Gujarat
Sursagar Lake timings: This Lake is open for 24 hours
Entry fee of Sursagar Lake: There is no entry fee
How to reach Sursagar Lake
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach here is the Vadodara Airport. From cities like Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune you will get flights to reach here. The airport is about 4.9 km away from the lake and it would take around 15 minutes to reach there.
By train
The Vadodara Railway Station is the nearest railway station to reach Sursagar Lake and it is 2.9 km away. It would take around 9 minutes to reach the lake from the railway station. You will get trains to Vadodara station from most of the major cities like Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi.
By road
If you wish to travel by road you can easily drive through your own vehicle or even travel in a hired car as well. From Ahmedabad the distance of Sursagar Lake is 112 km by road. Even from Mumbai you can travel here and the distance is 420 km. You can find state transport buses as well as private buses plying on this route. From cities like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan you will find luxury buses as well with luxury coaches. There is a special Ahmedabad to Vadodara intercity bus as well and it will take only 2 hours and 15 minutes to reach the lake from there. The cost of tickets varies on the type of bus. It usually starts from around Rs. 100 to Rs. 200.
Best time to visit Sursagar Lake
The ideal time to visit here is from the months of October to March. This is the ideal time to visit here as during this time the weather is most comfortable here. This is the time when you will be able to enjoy the whole area well so try to plan your visit during this time. Also the summers here can be too hot and humid. Especially during peak summer months of April to May it will be excessively hot so you can avoid a visit during this time.
Read More: RANN OF KUTCH GUJARAT HOW TO REACH, BEST TIME TO VISIT
Sursagar Lake History
The construction of this lake goes back to the 18th century and it is one of the oldest lakes in the city as well. Also popular as the Chand Talao the Sursagar Lake is one of the popular tourist spots in Vadodara. This lake is located at the heart of the city of Vadodara. The lake got its name from Shri Sureswar Desai who created this beautiful lake. During various rulers in Vadodara the rulers had renovated this lake numerous times. Malharrao Gaekwad is one of them who made pucca embankments of this lake.
Previously this was only like a small pond. One of the special attractions of this lake is that the water in this lake remains inside for the whole year. There are concrete walls around the lake that surround the lake. Also these are spots where the tourists and visitors prefer to sit and spend some time.
The Shiva Statue located just in the middle of the Sursagar Lake is the prime attraction here. It is a tall statue and makes the lake look even more beautiful. Another important feature of this lake are the multiple underwater gates of the lake. The water flows automatically when the lake overflows and empties in the Vishwamitri River. Boating is a popular activity in this location. During the renovation of the Shiva statue boating was not available but now it has been resumed again.
What’s more?
At the time of the construction of this lake the area was popular as the Walled City of Vadodara. However right now it is located in the middle of the city. Many notable locations also lie on the banks of this lake. The Akkalkot Swami Maharaj Mandir and the Hanuman Mandir are notable temples located adjacent to the lake. Also the MS College, popular as the Music College is situated right in front of this lake. The lake has many fishes and turtles in it. However you cannot indulge in fishing here. This lake is also a popular spot for idol immersions as well.
Read More: SOMNATH TEMPLE TIMINGS, NEAREST RAILWAY STATION, HOW TO REACH
Sursagar Lake Shiva Statue
The Shiva Statue in the middle of the Sursagar Lake is definitely the major attraction of this spot. This is a newly inaugurated structure after renovations that was opened on the 18th of February 2023 on the day of Maha Shivartari. In 1996 the authority planned to clean and renovate the Sursagar Lake.
At that time an incomplete structure was there that was black in colour. The Vadodara Mahanagar Seva Sadan had built this statue in the middle of the lake. The construction was finally completed in 2002. However later in 2023 this statue is gilded with gold. It is a 111 feet or 34 meters long statue. The amount of gold in it is about 17.9 kg. Along with that 1500 kg of copper and 700 kg of zinc is also used here. The total weight of the statue is about 2500 tonnes. Sculptor Naresh Verma is the person behind this beautiful statue of Lord Shiva.
At present the statue is officially open for public visit. The value of the reconstruction with gold cost about 12 Crore Indian rupees. On the day of Mahashivratri in 2023 many devotees from all over the city visited here to witness the beautiful statue. Also it looks even more beautiful with lights lit up. On every Saturday and Sundays there are special lighting arrangements here around the lake.
Wrapping Up!
The Sursagar Lake in Vadodara can be a good spot to visit along with your family. However there isn’t a lot to explore here. So you can easily have around 1-2 hours time in hand to make a trip here. You can sit on the seats here or try boating in the lake. The ambience is really tranquil and peaceful here. Especially during the night the lake looks even more beautiful. Make sure you are visiting here once. Let me know if this article on the Sursagar Lake Vadodara is helpful for you in planning a trip there.
