RESERVOIR
Maharana
Pratap Sagar
Maharana Pratap Sagar. 450 m above sea level.
Maharana Pratap Sagar is 32 degrees North and 76
degrees East. In District Kangra. 170 km from Chandigarh, 110 km from Amritsar,
55 km from the district headquarters at Dharamshala. The closest railway
stations are at Mukerian-30 km, and Pathankot-32 km. The settlements of Nagrota
Surian and Jawali-which are located on the Sagar’s periphery-are connected by
the charming narrow gauge Kangra Railway Line that connects Pathankot to
Jogindernagar. The closest airport is at Gaggal-40 km. the lake is well served
by a network of roads.
Named in honour of the great patriot Maharana Pratap,
the Maharana pratap sagar was once known as the Pong Dam Reservoir. India knows
the Maharana Pratap Sagar was once known as the Pong Dam Reservoir. India knows
the Maharana as a man who struggled valiantly for his kingdom of Mewar-as for
the principle of independence. In the words of the chroniclers James Tod and
William Crooke,”Hespurned every overture that had submission for its basis”.
Over the river Beas, the ‘Pong Dam’ was completed in 1976. Its reservoir has an
area of about 45,000 hectares at maximum possible flooding-the level varies
with every season and overages around 30,000 hectares. Over 200 villages with a
population of over 85,000 people lie along the wetland.
In 1983, the Sagar was declared a wildlife sanctuary
and over 220 species of birds belonging to 54 families have been sighted over
the waters and the fringing mud-banks-these include black-headed gulls,
plovers, terns, ducks, water-fowl and egrets. The first sighting in the region
of the red-necked grebe was made at the Sagar. The wetland’s location at the
head of the Indian plains has made it a suitable habitat and stopover for
migratory birds that enter India from central Asia.
The land portion of the sanctuary has barking deer,
sambar, wild boars, nilgai, leopards and claw-less otters.
Twenty-seven species and sub-species of fish belonging
to six families have been recorded in the Sagar’s waters. Some of the important
commercial varieties are-Labeo dero, Labeo rohita, Labeo calbasu, Tor Putitora
and Mystus seenghala. Since 1976, fishing has been a major economic activity in
the area and today, this provides employment to some 1,500 fishermen and the
annual catch is valued at over a crore rupees.
There is a branch of the Directorate of Mountaineering
and Allied Sports at the Sagar and year-round activities include swimming,
water-skilling, surfing, kayaking, rowing, canoeing and sailing. The
Directorate of Tourism and Civil Aviation provides equipment at Sagar this
includes sail boats, paddle boats, speed aero boats, life buoys, water
scooters, speed boats, rafts, life jackets, water skis and wet suits. Various
courses-beginners, intermediate and advanced-are also conducted at the Sagar.
Other Attractions
The sagar is close to several places of Hindu
pilgrimage-Jawalamukhi, Chamunda Devi, Chintpurni, Brajeshwari Devi,
Mahakalesar, Bagolamata and Naina Devi. The seat of his holiness the Dalai Lama
at Mcleodganj and the Namgyal monastery are a short drive away. The other
Buddhist monasteries at hand are Tashijong
and Bir-Billing.
The Kangra area is rearded as amongst the best in this
part of the world for Paragliding.
There are many sites of architectural importance, old forts and palaces that
are close to the Sagar. For example, the forts of Kangra, Mangarh,
Tira(Sujanpur) and the monolithic temple of Masrur.
This area was the cradle of the Kangra school of
miniature painting. Near the Sagar is Haripur-Guler which was a major centre of
the art. There are rare exhibits at the Kangra Art Gallery at Dharamsala.
The area has several trek routes for which the sagar
can act as the base camp.
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