Rabindra Sarobar (formerly known as Dhakuria Lake) is an artificial lake, garden and park in South Kolkata in the

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...

. The name also refers to the area surrounding the lake. It is flanked by Southern Avenue to the north, Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Road to the west, Dhakuria to the east and the

Kolkata Suburban Railway The Kolkata Suburban Railway (colloquially called Kolkata local trains or simply locals) is a suburban rail, suburban and regional rail system serving the Kolkata metropolitan area and its surroundings in West Bengal, India. Its network has 45 ...

tracks to the south. It is named after Nobel Prize winner and poet

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...

History

In the early 1920s, the Calcutta Improvement Trust (CIT), a body responsible for developmental work in the

Kolkata metropolitan area The Kolkata Metropolitan Area (abbreviated KMA; formerly Calcutta Metropolitan Area), also known as Greater Kolkata, is the urban agglomeration of the city of Kolkata (Calcutta) in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the third most populous ...

, acquired about of marshy jungles. Their intention was to develop the area for residential use – improving the roads, raising and levelling some of the adjacent land and building lakes and parks. Excavation work was undertaken with the plan of creating a huge lake. The excavation of the lake was led by CIT's first chairman Cecil Henry Bompass, Kolkata Municipal Corporation's chief-engineer M.R. Atkins and a young Bengali passout from Shibpur B.E. College Prabodh Chandra Chatterjee and initially it was known as Bompass Lake. Originally known as Dhakuria Lake, in May 1958, CIT renamed the lake as Rabindra Sarovar, as a tribute to Bengali writer and

Nobel Laureate The Nobel Prizes (, ) are awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee to individuals and organizations who make outstanding contributions in th ...

. The area around this excavated lake was later developed to build recreational complexes, which included children's parks, gardens and auditoria. Today the lake and its surrounding areas are one of the most popular recreational areas in Kolkata. are covered by water, while shrubs and trees, some of which are more than 100 years old, occupy the rest of the area. A partial tree census in 2012 recorded 50 different species. In the winter, one can spot some migratory birds around the lake, though the numbers are dwindling because of the rise in

pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...

level. The lake itself is home to many varieties of fish. Fishing is strictly prohibited. A number of people come for a walk around the lake in the mornings to enjoy the fresh air. Many visit the sunrise point to offer their prayers to the sun. During the day, it is visited by families on a picnic, tourists, young lovers and joggers.

Landmarks

*Dhakuria Lake Bridge: In 1927 to commemorate the construction of the Dhakuria Lakes a plaque was installed on a small bridge called Dhakuria Lake Bridge, connecting the then Lansdown Road (renamed Sarat Bose Road) to Lilllipool, a park-cum-zoo on the Lake Gardens side of the bridge. The plaque can still be seen on the bridge. Dhakuria Lake Bridge Plaque

*Durga Museum: In 2012 an abandoned waterhouse in the premises of lake turned into a museum housing several award winning Durga idols. It is run by Kolkata Improvement Trust and is officially known as the ''Maa Phire Elo'', literally translate into return of the goddess. It is also mcalled the called the Durga Exhibition Museum. There are three exhibits displayed outside under pavilions. The inner and outer wall of the gallwery is decorated with terracotta motifs. The gallery houses about 9 exhibits, which are replaced with new ones after the Durga puja every year. *To the north is a

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

stadium A stadium (: stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage completely or partially surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit ...

, known as the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, with a

seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...

of approximately 26,000 people. It was established in the 1950s and is today, the city's first stadium to be fully equipped with audio-visual training facilities. *Also to the north is the open-air theatre, Mukta Mancha. *Nazrul Mancha is situated on the northern flank near Golpark. *The only Japanese Buddhist temple in Kolkata is located on the southern fringe of the Rabindra Sarovar. It was established in 1935 by Nichidatsu Fujii, founder of the worldwide Buddhist association, the Nipponzan Myohoji. Monks offer prayers in Japanese, to the sound of beating drums, in the early morning hours and at dusk. There are no restrictions on entry to the main temple even when prayers are in progress. Outside the main temple building there is a pillar, with a message of peace engraved in Japanese, and a pair of

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

s that symbolise the guardians of the faith. The Japanese refer to these figures as '' Komainu'' (lion-dog). *There is a

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

on one of the lake's islands, which predates the excavation of the lake itself. This island is connected to the southern shore by a cable-stayed wooden (now iron)

suspension bridge A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (bridge), deck is hung below suspension wire rope, cables on vertical suspenders. The first modern examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 1800s. Simple suspension bridg ...

, which was built in 1926 and renovated in 1962. The fish sanctuary under this bridge is an additional attraction. *There are some

cannons A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during t ...

lying on the lake's west bank that were found during the excavation in the early 1920s and retained by the CIT for beautification. It is believed that they were used by

Nawab Nawab is a royal title indicating a ruler, often of a South Asian state, in many ways comparable to the Western title of Prince. The relationship of a Nawab to the Emperor of India has been compared to that of the Kingdom of Saxony, Kings of ...

Siraj-ud-daulah, the last independent ruler of

Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...

. *The complex contains a safari garden and children's play center with a lily pool, and a swimming pool. A toy train, operational between 1985 and 1989, was a popular draw for children. *A number of rowing and

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

clubs are situated within the Rabindra Sarovar complex. While the former are located to the north of this lake, the latter are located to its south. In 1858 the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

founded the Calcutta Rowing Club (CRC), presently one of the oldest clubs in India, to promote rowing activities in Kolkata. In 1901, it got affiliated to the prestigious Amateur Rowing Association of the East (ARAE) and in 1923 signed a reciprocal arrangement deal with the London Rowing Club. The CRC has been the hub of competitive rowing in Kolkata for more than 150 years and has organised many intra- and inter-club competitions. Rowing facilities are available to members on a regular basis, from 6 am to 7:30 am and from 3:30 pm to 5 pm. The Bengal Rowing Club, Lake Club and Calcutta University Rowing Club are a few other rowing clubs located in the Rabindra Sarovar complex. One of the oldest swimming clubs in Kolkata, the Indian Life Saving Society (formerly known as Anderson Club) has its office in the lake complex. *The lake is within walking distance of the

Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture (RMIC) in Kolkata, India, is a branch of the Ramakrishna Mission founded on 29 January 1938 as an outcome of the commemoration of Sri Ramakrishna's Birth Centenary Celebrations, the institute has gro ...

at Golpark. *There is an auditorium or a hall within the Sarovar complex which adjoins the Rabindra Sarovar Stadium'. Its name is Pavilion Hall.

Incidents

On 15th June 2025 in the morning, a boy named Shivam Kumar Singh drowned in the lake during swiming.

Degradation

Like a majority of artificial lakes in the country, Rabindra Sarovar is suffering from

environmental degradation Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, referring respectively to all living and non-living things occurring naturally and the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism ...

Water pollution Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of Body of water, water bodies, with a negative impact on their uses. It is usually a result of human activities. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and ...

is on the rise, owing to an increase in tourist flow and habitation around the lake. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has recently included this lake in the National Lake Conservation Plan in the hope that this will help preserve it. The local authorities have also begun an extensive tree plantation program. Dumping of garbage in the lake is the main problem of degradation of Rabindra Sarobar.

Transport

Rabindra Sarovar is 30 km away from Dum Dum airport and 12 km from the

Howrah railway station Howrah railway station (also known as Howrah Junction) is a railway station located in the city of Howrah, of Kolkata Metropolitan Area, West Bengal, India. It is the largest and busiest railway complex in India, as well as one of the List of ...

. The area is served by the Rabindra Sarobar metro station of the

Kolkata Metro The Kolkata Metro is a Urban rail transit in India, rapid transit system serving the city of Kolkata and the Kolkata metropolitan area, Kolkata Metropolitan Region in West Bengal, India. Opened in 1984, it was the first operational rapid trans ...

and Lake Gardens and the Tollygunge station of the

Kolkata suburban railway The Kolkata Suburban Railway (colloquially called Kolkata local trains or simply locals) is a suburban rail, suburban and regional rail system serving the Kolkata metropolitan area and its surroundings in West Bengal, India. Its network has 45 ...

(Budge Budge section). It is one of the few points where the two railway systems interface (another being

Dum Dum Dum Dum is a city and a municipality in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Author ...

and New Garia). The area of Rabindra Sarobar is also well-connected with a bus route. Located in South Kolkata the area is properly connected and is counted as a tourist spot.

Bio-diversity

The lake and the surrounding green occupy 192 acres. The water body is 73 acres while the green cover is 119 acres and supports bio-diversity.

Fauna

The region attracts a wide range of local and migratory birds. 107 species of birds were recorded in 2019, which includes 69 resident birds, 14 local migrants, 23 long distant migrants and one summer visitor have been recorded in 2019. In 2021 a total of 118 species of birds were recorded in Rabindra Sarobar. The number was 116 in 2022. In 2023 (till October) the number stood at 110. In 2023 the migratory birds have appeared early and the transit migrants are staying for a longer period. The area also has 13 species of dragonflies.

Flora

The green cover has 11,000 trees of which 7,500 are over 75 years old. The trees include palash, African tulip (rudra palash), ashok, shimul which bloom during the spring. Rabindra Sarobar is also home to a wide variety of

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

which thrive during the

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...

season. They generally grow on the dead and decaying logs. The most common fungi of Rabindra Sarobar include dead man's fingure,

wine glass A wine glass is a type of Glass (drinkware), glass that is used for drinking or wine tasting, tasting wine. Most wine glasses are stemware (goblets), composed of three parts: the bowl, stem, and foot. There are a wide variety of slightly differe ...

, bracket fungus, ink cap, split gill,

puffball Puffballs are a type of fungus featuring a ball-shaped fruit body that (when mature) bursts on contact or impact, releasing a cloud of dust-like spores into the surrounding area. Puffballs belong to the division Basidiomycota and encompass sever ...

and many more.

Gallery

File:Migratory-birds-at-the-lake.jpg, Asian open bill stork at Rabindra Sarobar File:Migratory-birds-at-the-lake-2.jpg, Asian open bill stork at Rabindra Sarobar File:Terracota-art-at-the-lake-complex-1.jpg, Terrcota relief at art gallery (Maa Phire Elo) File:Terracota-art-at-the-lake-complex-2.jpg, Terrcota relief at art gallery (Maa Phire Elo) File:Durga-at-the-lakes-1.jpg, Idol of Bakul Bagan Sarbajanin, 2017, artist: Bimal Samanta, art gallery (Maa Phire Elo) File:Durga-at-the-lakes-2.jpg, Idol of 74 Pally Khidirpur, 2020, artist: Nirmal Mullick, art gallery (Maa Phire Elo) File:Sunset-at-the-lake-1.jpg, Sunset at the Rabindra Sarovar File:Sunset-at-the-lake-2.jpg, Sunset at the Rabindra Sarovar File:Rowing-clubs-around-the-lake-reflecting-in-the-night-1.jpg, Reflections of the rowing clubs around the lake at night File:Rowing-clubs-around-the-lake-reflecting-in-the-night-2.jpg, Reflections of the rowing clubs around the lake at night

References

External links

a description of Rabindra Sarovar in Rainwaterharvestinga reference to the Pavilion Hall, Rabindra Sarovar in ''The Telegraph''