Surajkund Lake

One of the most popular places to visit in Faridabad is Surajkund, a 10th-century reservoir, which means the Sun of the Lake. The lake was built by Suraj Pal, the ruler of the Tomar dynasty, who was an ardent devotee of the god Surya and so he built a sun temple (now in ruins) on its west bank in addition to a garden and a pool.

This artificial reservoir has a semi-circular embankment similar to an amphitheater with Nirmal Aravalli in the background, where you can sit and enjoy the beautiful scenery while picnicking here. It is the site of the world-famous Surajkund International Crafts Mela, which is held during the first fortnight of February. You can see the best of Indian traditional handicraft, handloom, and folk art including dance and music – if you are in Faridabad in February then do check it out.

According to the Bardic tradition (a tradition steeped in the history and traditions of the dynasty and the country), the Yadav kings, who initially lived near the Aravalli hills, migrated to the Surajkund region near Lal Kot, which was built by the Yadavas. Lal Kot was named Qila Rai Pithora after Prithvi Raj Chauhan (the second last Hindu king of Delhi). Archaeological excavations have revealed the existence of a sun temple here on the basis of ruins which can still be seen. Some carved stones from the reservoir were recently recovered. Some stones have been reused in later renovation works. A few students of history likewise guarantee that it was named after King Surajpal himself.It is additionally said that Suraj Pal assembled this lake for his girl.

The reservoir is constructed in the shape of the rising sun with the arch facing east. It is enclosed within an embankment made in a semi-circular shape made of stepping stones. To meet the shortage of water in Delhi, a 130 meter (427 ft) diameter reservoir was constructed to prevent the fall of rainfall here. Its area is 40 hectares (99 acres). The reservoir provides a grand spectacle, and in the past, it was a hunting forest resort. It kills peacocks while dancing. The reservoir is filled every monsoon season but remains dry during the summer before the monsoon rains begin. The tank underwent major repairs during the British period in the 1920s.

Surajkund Lake is located near Surajkund village between Baharpur and Lakkarpur villages in the Faridabad district of Haryana. The lake’s drainage basin is part of the Aravalli mountain range. It is fed from the northwestern side by a local drain (stream), which initially feeds the Anagpur Dam upwards, this dam was built by Emperor Anangpal Tomar. Storage in tanks or lakes has been severely affected as the catchment area flowing into Surajkund (lake) from villages like Anangpur, Lakkarpur, Ankhir and Mela Maharajpur has been extensively used for mining and for large settlements, making it The drainage system has been disturbed and thus obstructed the gravity flow of rainwater from the basin to the reservoir. This condition has also affected the flora and fauna of the region.