When you hear the name Ramsagar, you may think that it is a sea. When you hear the name Dighi, you may be a little perplexed thinking whether it is a sea or lake. You will find the answers to all of your questions if you visit Ramsagar Dighi, the largest man-made lake located in the Dinajpur district. Full of historical and archeological monuments, the lake is 77 acres in volume and 30 feet deep. The water in this lake surprisingly never dries up. Let's take a look at the details of this attractive Ramsagar lake.
Background to the naming of Ramsagar Dighi
Shortly before the battle of Palashi, the lake was dug between 1750 and 1755 on the orders of King Ramnath to meet the water needs of the surrounding villages. The lake came to be known as Ramsagar Dighi after the name of King Ramnath.
There is a popular myth surrounding this lake. When a severe drought occurred in 1750, thousands of people died due to the lack of water. At this time the merciful king Prannath received a dream order and dug a lake. The whole work of digging the lake was completed in just 15 days. But no water rises from that lake.
Read Visit Kaptai Lake, Rangamati: The Largest Artificial Lake in South Asia
Suddenly one day the king received a prophecy in a dream that if his only son Ram was sacrificed in the lake, the water would rise. According to the dream, the king first built a small temple in the middle of the lake. Then one morning Prince Ramnath, dressed in white, rode on an elephant and started his journey towards the lake.
After reaching the bank of the lake, Yuvraj Ram went down the stairs to the temple. Water began to rise from the bottom of the lake in front of everyone's wide eyes. A huge lake was filled with water along with Yuvraj Ramnath in the blink of an eye. Later, the king named the lake after his son - Ramsagar.
Ramsagar Dighi as tourist attractions
The lake, located at Tajpur village, about 8 km south of Dinajpur district town, came under the supervision of the forest department in 1960. In 1995-96, the lake was established as a modern tourist center which was declared as a national park later on April 30, 2001.
There was a wharf in the middle of the west bank of the lake, some of which still remain. The wharves, made of sandstone slabs of various shapes, were about 150 feet long and 60 feet wide, respectively. The banks of the lake are about 35 feet high each.
Read Floating Guava Market in Barishal: Outlandish decor for livelihood on the estuary of three canals
At present, the water of this lake, which is adorned with innumerable plants, has created an eye-catching scene with its reflection and vast water.
A beautiful and modern rest house has been made here under the direct supervision of the tourism corporation for the beautification of the lake. There is a mini zoo with pythons, monkeys, and several deer inside the Ramsagar National Park. There is a children's park with statues of various animals and birds. 7 picnic corners have been built here for the convenience of picnics. A library named Ramsagar Library has been set up on October 10, 2010, with a collection of more than 800 books.
Camping on the shores of Ramsagar is a fascinating way to enjoy the captivating beauty of the full moon. Every year more than fifty thousand tourists come to Ramsagar to experience the magnificent beauty and scenery of the lake and the nearby places.
Read Visit Baikka Beel, Hail Haor, Sreemangal: Buoyant art of nature in a paradise of birds
