Rawal Dam.....with a lake in and a Park around, in capital Islamabad " A beautiful combination of water and gardens"

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Rawal Dam was constructed in 1962. It is situated in the National Capital Islamabad, Pakistan. Basically it is an artificial reservior of water and is a great source of water supply to Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the twin cities of Pakistan. This reservior of water is called Rawal Lake and is spread over an area of 8.8km sqaure.

It is suppose to be that "Korang River" along with some small streams coming down from the Margala Hills collect together to form this lake. This lake not only provide water to the twin cities but it also help in irrigation.

On both sides of the Rawal Lake two parks have been constructed. One is the newly construction, situated on Murree road and is called as "Lake View Park". As i have earlier mentioned about that new park in my blog.
Just click the link for more informations.
http://kiranpalwasha.blogspot.com/2010/06/visit-to-rawal-lake-view-park-islamabad.html

Lake view Park is new thats why it is receiving more visitors in comparision to the Rawal Dam park which is bit older.





Another one which iam going to mention here is older one and is situated near " Rawal Dam". Both parks are poles apart.Locals frequently visit here during evenings. Sunset at Rawal Lake is very beautiful. Many people visit here, sit here and relax.







The area around the lake have been adorned with different type of trees, gardens, walking tracks etc.
This lake offers various sports activities like fishing, boating, canoeing, rowing, sailing etc. The sports events usually arranged by CDA or certain local non governmental public and private groups.







Iam quite familiar with Rawal Dam Park since my childhood. I have visited here several times with family and mostly during the school trips. I remember very well those days the place used to be very lively and with festive environment. It is not so as if it is deserted now but still i felt as if this park is neglected by its authorities as well by the visitors.

During schools trips i was really fed up with this park because every times we were bring here on the way back from Murree thats why i didnt visit here from last many years. But this time i have opt for Rawal Dam Park because i wanted to see it back after such a long time. I have found that park is not properly looking after. Due to negligence the gardens have lost its freshness and beauty.

One of the important feature of this park that i have forgotten to mention earlier is that at one side of the park one can view the hustle bustle of Rawalpindi city known as "pindi view point" while the another one that is lake side fronted towards Margala Hills along with Murree Hills far away at the other corner of the Lake.

So when i been to pindi view point i have noticed that the garden there looks more like a junk yard than a garden. Lots of shopping bags and empty juice cans were thrown there by the careless visitors.

I found a calm camel sitting there alone was adding  beauty to the surroundings. Though the view of rawalpindi city is not clear in the pictures.


There is one heighest peak point in this park that offers a panoramic view of the lake. It offers a spectacular view of the lake with far behind Margala and Murree Hills. One can also see the newly constructed park "Rawal Lake view Park" from here.
Stairs leading to this peak point from the gardens.


On right side is a garden and on left side is lake view




Road leading towards Rawal Dam Lake


A mini resturant below


I have mentioned these lights as "famous light lamps" because it has a certain background behind.

If some body ever watched Pakistan old movies of Shabnam, Babra etc, you might definitely notice the heroin dancing around these lamps , that have been installed here in these gardens. Those days most of the films shooted in Islamabad, Murree Hills. "Rawal Dam Park" and "Shakar Pariyan" were the two favorite parks for the movie directors in Islamabad.

Well i must say that i have enjoyed visiting here again after such long years. And i  get nostalgic, it remind me all the time i have ever visited here in past with my school friends.

Comments

  1. ElettraJune 13, 2011 at 12:32 AM

    Every neighborhood of every city should have an area with public parks, I hope not remain a dream !!!!!!!!!! Congratulations for the pictures!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kiran PalwashaJune 13, 2011 at 12:17 PM

    Thanks Elettra....

    ReplyDelete
  3. countryjetJune 18, 2011 at 11:51 PM

    Wonderful scenic photography. You catch a flying bird too with your camera lense. Der ala.

    ReplyDelete
  4. aquilineJune 22, 2011 at 2:42 PM

    It's really great to experience the living beauty throughout in your Blog, keep updating the fascinating work. I just accidentally explored your artistic work, via Google Images Search & only say that "A thing of Beauty is JOY Forever." My one request is that please add caption(s)/text/copy right text etc on the lower bottom of your snaps, so one can enJOY whole picture. It's just my view point. Although I can't paste the picture, so tribute to your excellent blog as:
    --> “The greatest treasures are those invisible to the eye but found by the heart.”
    --> “It's beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures your heart.”
    --> “Love of beauty is Taste. The creation of beauty is Art.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
    --> "Let the beauty we love become the good we do." (Rumi)
    --> "Truth, and goodness, and beauty are but different faces of the same all." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
    --> "Our hearts are drunk with a beauty our eyes could never see." (George W. Russell)
    --> "Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart." (Kahlil Gibran)

    (VelVet Green OAK from Attock-#-Junction)
    *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

    ReplyDelete
  5. aquilineJune 22, 2011 at 2:43 PM

    Behind the Scenes:

    Is it your face
    that adorns this garden?
    Is it your fragrance
    that intoxicates this garden?
    Is it your spirit
    that has made this brook
    a river of wine?

    Hundreds have looked for you
    and died searching
    in this garden
    where you hide behind the scenes.

    But this pain is not for those
    who come as lovers.
    You are easy to find here.
    You are in the breeze
    and in this river of wine. (RUMI)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kiran PalwashaJune 23, 2011 at 10:51 AM

    @ countryjet, thanks
    @ aquiline, thanks for the blog compliments

    ReplyDelete

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