Nakki Lake is located in the heart of the town of Mount Abu. This is an artificial lake located at an elevation of 1200 m / 3900 ft, and it has many interesting legends behind the formation of the lake itself. Irrespective of how the lake was formed, the lake itself is very picturesque, pristine and clean making it one of the most charming attractions of Mount Abu.
Nakki Lake History
Nakki Lake is about a half mile in length and a quarter of mile broad also has a quite interesting history as well. One historical story explained that it was dug out from nails by gods for the protection against demon ‘Bashkali’. Another romantic history was of Rasia Balam, a sculpture of Dilwara Jain temple and Kings daughter name Kunwari Kanya. King put up the challenge of digging of the lake in one night and he will marry his daughter to that one. It is believed that Rasia Balam dug a lake overnight with his nails. Later Queen refused to marry their daughter.
Some also believed that Rasia Balam was an aged sage and was the incarnation of Lord Shiva and the teenager was the embodiment of Ma Parvati. Due to betrayal, they will again come back to complete their love. The famous poem ‘Lost Love’ describe their story very well.
The name 'Nakki' comes from a legend associated with the lake, according to which, the lake was dug by nakhs (nails) by gods to protect themselves from wicked demons. According to another legend, the lake was dug in one night by Rasiya Balam, a sculptor of Dilwara Jain Temples. Tourists can also visit the Gandhi Ghat, constructed in memory of Mahatma Gandhi. His ashes were immersed in this lake on February 12, 1948. There are a number of rocky mountains near the lake, providing visitors and adventure lovers with a chance to involve themselves in rock climbing. Another interesting thing that one can do while at the Nakki lake is boating, a perfect activity to enjoy the calm and tranquil waters of the lake.
