Water Sports in Rajasthan

Though travel to Rajasthan for water-sports may sound a bit out of place, tourists on vacation in the royal state of India can have an ocean of water-sports fun. The numerous lakes of Rajasthan are known for water sports. The 1982 Asian Games saw rowing competitions being held at the Ramgarh Lake near Jaipur. Ramgarh Lake is a man-made reservoir around 4 kms in length and 2 kms in width. Tourists during their Rajasthan travel can indulge in water sports throughout the year at the Ramgarh Lake. Facilities for swimming, boating, etc. are available. Boating is a regular feature, conducted by trained Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) staff. A fully equipped tourist village with 10 huts is also situated at Ramgarh Lake.

Travel to about 10 kms from Alwar and you enter dreamland. The undulating hills, flaming with bougainvillea and gulmohar, cradle the majestic Siliserh Lake. A beautiful Palace Hotel which is run by RTDC provides all facilities.

Travel to Udaipur, the lake city of India. Udaipur is also good for water sports with boating being a regular feature. The ideal place for water sports is Jaisamand Lake situated 50 km south of Udiapur. This lake is the second largest artificial lake in Asia (the water spread area is 90 sq km).

The Chambal River offers the exhilaration of water rafting in the Kota region. From Jawahar Sagar to Dholpur, the intricate network of the Chambal River, flowing through rock gorges and forests, provides ideal locales for the perfect water adventure. While traversing the river by boat, one can see the gavia (crocodile) basking in the sun on riverbanks.

Vacations in Rajasthan also offers angling sites. Bandh Baretha in Bharatpur, Siliserh and Jaisamand in Alwar, Mansarover near Sariska, Kukas, Chhaparwara and Ramgarh in Jaipur are an angler's paradise. However, the enthusiasts are advised to carry their own equipment and obtain permission from the Fisheries Department. Patience and perseverance in angling, as in life, has rich rewards.