Kukkarahalli Lake Mysore Entry Fee
- No entry fee
Kukkarahalli Lake Mysore Phone
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Kukkarahalli Lake Mysore Address: Kukkarahalli lake, Saraswathipuram, Mysore, Karnataka, 570011, India
Spread across an area of 58 hectares, the Kukkarahalli Lake is a J shaped lake with a shoreline of almost 5 km. Constructed in 1864, the lakes was the brainchild of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar.
In its present state, it has a catchment area of about hectares. With its breath-taking natural beauty, this lake is a perfect place for nature lovers. Anyone, who wants to have a few moments amidst the lush greenery of nature at a serene surrounding, this is the ideal place to visit. The presence of majestic Chamundi hills at the backdrop makes the scenery even more captivating.
The beauty of lake has inspired many artists and poets. For instance, celebrated author R. K. Narayan, had also written about this lake in his autobiography ‘My days’. Even other poets and writers such as Gopalakrishna Adiga, S.L. Bhyrappa, T.S. Venkannaiah, A.N. Murthy Rao, G.S. Shivarudrappa, V. Seetharamaiah, Na. Kasturi have written about this lake, weaving their words with the incomparable beauty of this lake. Since older times, many of the artists have also found the area of the lake and around as an ideal place for contemplation and creative thinking.
Flora and Fauna at Kukkarahalli Lake
Not just a place for relaxing, it is popular for its avian fauna as well. About 180 species of birds can be seen here at the lake. During the migratory season, many birds come to this area from all around the world such as Siberia.
Some of the birds that can be seen here are Spot-billed Pelicans, Black-crowned Night Herons, Little Cormorant, Eurasian Spoonbills, Painted Storks, Oriental Darters, and Open-bill Storks.
A quiet walk around the lake is also quite refreshing. The 4.5 km long walkway on the border of the lake, which has been dotted with stone benches offers a perfect venue for long walks around the lake. There are also facilities for boating with a nominal charge.
Kukkarahalli Lake was built to serve as the source of water for irrigation to land measuring more than 10,000 acres. This lake was also used as source of water for the Mysore Sandalwood Oil factory till 1950. However, due to disproportionate land encroachments, sewage and obstruction to water sources to the lake had led to the eutrophication in this lake. Owing to the increasing issues at the lake, Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (KUIDFC) in association with the University of Mysore and with the fund provided by the Asian Development Bank started restoration of the lake and the surrounding areas. This not only gave a second life to the lake but also added to the beauty of area overall. With the restoration work which started in 2003-2004, a new walkway was created for the morning and evening walkers to enjoy the scenic beauty of the place while having their regular walks. Other pathways have also been improved. Stone benches under the shades of bougainvillea creepers are also made for visitors to relax amid the rejuvenating beauty of the lake. Decent lighting arrangements have also been done for visitors’ benefits. The aquaculture has been increases along with cleaning of the lake and adaption of varied techniques for keeping the ecosystem undamaged.
Kukkarahalli Lake Timings and Entry Fee
You can visit the lake from 6 am to 6pm. There are no entry charges to visit Kukkarahalli Lake.
Reaching Kukkarahalli Lake
Kukkarahalli Lake is located only 3 km away from the city centre. It is adjacent to the University of Mysore and Kalamandir. From the Mysore railway station, it is at a distance of 3 km. Its ideal location and well connectivity to the rest of the city, makes it easily accessible.
