DAVIDSTHAN
Rajasthan through eyes of David
DAVID | September 11th , 2017
-
Siliserh Lake
Sprawling over an area of 7 kilometers, Siliserh Lake is a charming man-made creation located near Alwar in Rajasthan. We found ourselves here after a long discussion about where to stay and what to do in Alwar, while we were already on our way. That might sound a little irresponsible, but impromptu trips are always better. The lake is some 13 kilometers ahead of the city of Alwar and is famous for family picnics and nature loving buffs. What attracted us here was the famed Siliserh Fort Palace which has been transposed into a heritage hotel. I’m so glad we chose to stay here because the serenity of this place is totally worth being an interesting getaway for a perfect weekend.
-
The Amazing stay
Placed by the lake is the pretty looking Hotel Lake Palace Siliserh, which had got us thrilled in the very first glance. Converted from a royal palace built by Maharaja Vinay Singh for his beloved queen Shila in 1845, the architecture of the Hotel is stunning, with arced walls and multi-storey balconies, surrounded by natural scenery. The rooms were well furnished. They had a decent menu to choose from and all things you could ask for on a remote vacation. The best part was the magical view of the calm Siliserh Lake and its quiet environs. It was truly a view to remember. Eating at the terrace restaurant at the Hotel that looked upon the lake made for quite an experience. There’s one more thing that you should know; the only cellular network that works here is BSNL. If you have a SIM of any other network, you’ll face difficulty in making or taking calls, and connecting to the internet. We in fact were glad about that as we were able to relax and amble without being bombarded by calls and WhatsApp messages. That made our trip all the more rejuvenating.
-
Things to do
The beauty of the hotel located on the forested slope of the Aravallis, besides the Lake, is a treat for the eyes. I could have sat on the terrace and watched the sun set forever. The beautiful view was actually spellbinding as the lush trees turned into a silhouette. Delicious hot food and cold breeze playing with our hair was the best we could have asked for from our short weekend trip. If you are observant enough, you can also spot a number of unique birds flocking around the place, therefore, going bird watching around the lake is a great idea. You also have boating facility available here which is managed by RTDC. By renting a boat, you’d be able to experience the calmness of the lake, and the sheer beauty of everything that surrounds it. Another highlight of the lake is crocodiles; they are visible quite easily along the distant bank in winters, and sometimes swimming in water with their snout being visible. That being said, they don’t come towards the hotel side because the water level on this side is deeper.
-
A visit to the Jaisamand Lake
Not something we had originally planned, but we finally decided to go for it. This large artificial lake was constructed by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1910, and is accessible by road from Alwar city. The banks of the lake house beautiful cenotaphs, namely shaded pavilions and lovely towers. These monuments are erected on lotus shaped bases with a height of 7 feet. It is an excellent picnic spot, especially during the rainy season when the entire landscape turns lush green. The lake is easily accessible by road from Alwar city, and if you coming back from Siliserh Lake towards Alwar, Jaisamand Lake is just 1 km off the main road.