Jammu (NVI): The Mansar and Surinsar lakes near Jammu, which are held in high regard by pilgrims and nature lovers alike, are set to be promoted further high on the newly created Union Territory’s tourism itinerary with the local administration initiating several projects to this effect.
The UT’s Principal Secretary, Tourism, Navin K Choudhary, who reviewed tourism and related issues on Saturday, said that Surinsar and Mansar would be developed into major tourist destinations.
Besides being a popular excursion destination in Jammu, it is also a holy site. On the Eastern Bank of the Lake there is a shrine to Sheshnag, a snake with six heads.
Harking back to the legends of Mahabharata, Mansar and Surinsar Lakes are linked with Arjun and his son, Babar Vahan. The mythology suggests that Babar Vahan mistakenly killed his own father, and to bring him back to life, used the mani from Sheshnag (or the six-headed snake god), which he got from creating a surang (or a passageway) with his arrow.
The site where he made the surang is now known as Surinsar and where he emerged with the mani is called Mansar. These two together are therefore known as the Mansar and Surinsar Lakes. The lake now stands surrounded by temples and shrines, which makes the lake popular among pilgrims, who take a dip in its holy waters as a ritual. The lake is also a popular boating spot, where you can even feed the multitude of fish.
The Mansar Lake is around 62 km and the Surinsar Lake, which is an extension to the Mansar Lake, is around 24 km from the main city of Jammu.
After a detailed review of the ongoing projects under Prime Minister Development Package (PMDP) and Capex Budget, Principal Secretary directed, Director Tourism, Deepika Kumari Sharma, to immediately carryout feasibility study of Gandola at Mansar through J&K Cable Car Corporation.
He also directed for constructing a glass deck over the lake and installing a musical fountain at Mansar. During his inspection of JKTDC facilities at Mansar, he directed Asgar Hussain, MD, JKTDC to establish a multi cuisine restaurant in the SMDA building and explore possibility of outsourcing the restaurant through a reputed restaurant brand.
The Principal Secretary also stressed introduction of environmental friendly e-rickshaws both at Mansar and Surinsar. He directed Nagendra Singh Jamwal, CEO, SMDA to immediately take up the renovation of Mansar Haveli which is a designated monument.
The Principal Secretary also inspected the Tourism related infrastructure at Surinsar Lake and directed for exploring the feasibility of establishing an aquarium. He stressed the need for augmenting the recreational facilities for tourists in the park.
The Principal Secretary directed the officials concerned to make provisions for rescue boats, all Terrain Vehicle ATV’s, mountain cycles and signages. He also directed for establishment of dedicated Bus stands at Mansar and Surinsar.
