MEMORIES OF KAILANA LAKE

MEMORIES OF KAILANA LAKE

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

04/VII/2022

As time went by, ‘Kailana Lake’ became a part of my life. It is an artificial lake at the outskirts of the Suncity built in 1872 by Sir Pratap Singh. It is the city’s life line for drinking water.

‘JA-SALE-MER’ was my first posting in 1985. This ‘pip-squeak’ had no option but to visit the Suncity for various errands. It was ‘Majboori’, as I could not refuse, ‘Mazdoori’ to earn my pay and later ‘Ji Hazoori’ as I found my wife here. One had to cross this lake umpteen times. No, not swimming across, but driving across it. Train was preferred but in emergencies it used to be by road. Kailana had to be crossed.

Heavy traffic was not allowed on the ‘old bridge’ under which was a dam to hold its water. While the convoy took a detour, I along with my vehicle would take a shortcut. Most of the time one used to travel in the ‘costliest vehicle’ of the Indian Army, called the 3 ton, Shaktiman.

Those days, Kailana was like ‘Kala Pani’ for city dwellers. Beyond ‘Akhaliya Chowraha’ there were Kikkar forests. It was a narrow lonely road, with a dilapidated meter gauge train track running parallel to the road till ‘Fiddusar” stone quarries. Goods trains used to ply from Bhagat-ki-Kothi railway station, carrying ‘ CHITTAR BHATA’ or the famous Jodhpuri stone. The ‘Umed Bhawan’ palace is also called Chittar Palace by the way.

For me, one had to take a break at the lake, enjoy the view, brew some tea and take a bite of the ‘poori-sabji’ we carried. The Air Force ‘Radar Station’ would dominate the lake from atop the highest cliff in that area.

We used to also go picnicking to ‘Bhim Bhadak’ just across the lake on the road leading to the radar station. It was a partially ‘restricted’ road but picnickers would get an entry. A lone ‘goofa’ or cave housed a Mahadev Mandir. As the folklore goes, ‘Bhim’ visited this place. It had an old Haveli jutting on a rock, which used to serve as a halt for Kings during hunting season.

I got posted to Jodhpur as a Captain. One day, a cousin of mine and his friend Doubloo decided to go fishing. It is ironic that fishing is banned in the lake. I was desperate to air my Dad’s fishing gear and catch up on my angling skills learnt from him.

‘Triple riding’ on a motorcycle, we sneaked to the lakeside cautiously. There were no mobiles, but people did warn the lake guards. Chowkidars would harass fishing enthusiasts for money. Had I got caught, it would have been embarrassing, but what the heck.

First halt was a ‘theka’. Fuel tanks had to be topped up. Had they given me an inkling there was no dearth of Rum but nevertheless. After one ‘quarter’ each was in, there was no fear of any Chokidaar-Showkidaar.

Meandering our way towards Bhim Bhadak we got onto a ‘kutcha track’. There came a stone wall and we had to abandon our bike there. Kikkar branches were quickly broken and the bike was camouflaged. We sat under a Babool tree on the lake’s retaining wall. Our escape routes were planned. Plan ‘B’ was just in case we had to leave our bike and run.

Kailana was a fisherman’s paradise. Down we went the rocky slopes to catch ‘Saul and Baam’ (Snakehead and Eel). Bait was chicken intestines which we had picked up from the butcher’s shop. These guys were professional in ‘desi’ style. ‘Andha (blind) Shikar’ they used to call it for baam. Bait, weight and they cast their lines to sink to the lake's bottom. Every cast bought a baam with it.

We could see ‘saul’ guarding their ‘schools’. I kept thinking that I should have brought my spinners. Well, this was a reconnaissance and exploratory kind of mission for me, so I settled down to catch something with a borrowed hook, line and sinker. As they say ‘beginners’ luck’. I caught a saul on the first cast. After all, the ‘old shikari’ had not forgotten his traits. As dusk started to fall, we wound up and hurried home with enough fish in a gunny bag to feed three families.

Yesterday, one happened to go there after almost twenty years. The scene had changed. Hotels, housing colonies and above all trash had changed the whole scenario. There were people everywhere like ants. Sarkanda and reeds all around the lake were all gone. An odd Ibis and Cormorants kept diving in the distance.

A notice board caught my eye. Kailana has become a suicide point now. Very sad indeed.

My only wish is that if they could allow angling even at a fee, which I am ready to pay. Will the authorities agree? I wonder!!!!!!!!!!!

JAI HIND