Ramsagar Dighi

Ramsagar Dighi

Ramsagar Dighi (lake) is one among the most important and oldest manmade water reservoirs in Bangladesh. It’s located at Tejpur village in Dinajpur sadar upazila, about 8km south of Dinajpur city.

The lake is situated on an elevated land. The excavation of Ramsagar was initiated by Raja Ram Nath between 1750 and 1755 AD. The lake, 31.53 hectare (78 acre) in area, is surrounded by red soil. It’s an area where the magic of heritage blends with the sweetness of nature, mesmerising visitors.

There is a story behind the creation of the reservoir. There was a shortage of beverage thanks to severe drought during the reign of Raja Ram Nath. All water bodies within the area dried up and there was no rainfall for 3 years. The people suffered thanks to the scarcity of water and lots of died. Finally, the Raja decided to dig an outsized water reservoir to unravel the water crisis. He engaged several thousand workers for the task, which cost around Taka 30,000 at that point, consistent with local legend.

To the north of Ramsagar, there's a raised land containing the ruins of some old building. These structures are locally referred to as Dev Mandir or Baroduari and Hazarduari. The structure appears to possess been constructed within the 17th or 18th century.

There is a beautiful forest round the lake that's planted with a spread of trees. The govt declared the world as a park on April 30, 2001. The entire area of Ramsagar Park is about 60 hectares. The Department of Forest planted differing types of decorative and fruit trees that flourished and became a forest.

In the park there are some animals, like deer, wild boar, blue bull, Melursus ursinus and hyena. There also are some birds like white-breasted water hen, jacanas, moorhen, river tern, sand piper, ringed plover and gray and purple herons. Moreover, the lake may be a shelter for migratory birds.

The lake is filled with different species of fish. There also are some water crocodiles. The park is managed by the Department of Forest, while the lake is taken care of by the Department of Fisheries.

Though the reservoir was originally made to supply safe beverage to local residents, it now plays a recreational role and is a crucial tourist destination in Dinajpur. The park may be a popular picnic spot for people of the world. The authorities have developed some facilities for visitors around Ramsagar Lake, like restrooms and kiosks to sell refreshments. Roughly, 150,000 tourists visit the world per annum.