Sharmishtha Lake

Mehsana

The details about the Mehsana city is very interesting. Also, there are several things to see and do in Mehsana that no other cities in Gujarat can offer. Mehsana is one of the largest cities in Gujarat and largest in the region of north Gujarat. It is about 70 kilometers away from Ahmedabad. Mehsana ranks amongst the top in milk production capacity. The city of Mehsana is known for its Mehsani Buffalo and the Dudhsagar Dairy which is Mehsana District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. Tropic Of Cancer passes from nearby Mehsana only on the way between Mehsana & Ahmedabad.

Brief History

The Sharmishtha Talav is an interesting example of the water retaining systems of the Solanki period, as it is still in use. It is an ancient lake created by the waters of the river Kapila flowing from the hills of Aravalli. More than 4500 years ago, early settlements appeared on its northeastern shore. Later a stepped embankment was created all around it to retain the water. In order to protect the embankments from getting destroyed by the gushing waters of the river in monsoon, a water feeding kund was built on the northern side of the lake. This kund, called Nagdharo, with a lake, pool, locks, and feeding channel, built during the Solanki period, is a specimen of high quality engineering.

It is believed that the Hatkeshwar temple and Sharmishtha Lake, now on the outskirts of Vadnagar, once stood in the center of town, testifying to just how vast Vadnagar was at one point.