Raja Bhoj Statue: A 32 foot Tribute in Bhojtal Lake
I walked out on a beautiful summer morning to honour Bhopal’s most cherished monument, located in the city’s Upper Lake. The Madhya Pradesh government paid a spectacular homage to the Parmar dynasty’s wisdom tutor by placing his statue at the shore of the Upper Lake in 2011 to honour Raja Bhoj’s one-thousandth anniversary. My eyes began to analyse photographs from far shots to close-ups as I moved closer to this gigantic 32-foot Raja Bhoj statue. “This monument is solely constructed from cannon and bell metal,” uttered my driver in Hindi.
Before coming here, I did some research on the site. What’s fascinating is that the decision to place this statue in Upper Lake was made after much thought. Raja Bhoj ruled this region and the Malwa region of Central India in the 10th century. According to legend, he fought several wars to enlarge his realm. When King Bhoj’s epidermis decayed in the past, none of the Vaidyas (Doctors of the period) could heal him. An anonymous Hindu sage recommended King Bhoj to bathe in the waters of a lake where 365 streams joined.
Bathing in such a lake, according to the saint, will heal the King of all illnesses. Raja Bhoj’s engineers travelled from village to hamlet to acquire a handle on the ordeal of locating such a lake. Until they came upon Betwa, a little town near Bhopal that confirmed the categorisation. Raja Bhoj was soon healed after bathing in the miracle lakewater, and the rest is history. Following his recovery from illness, King Bhoj devoted a significant portion of his life to promoting scholastic advancements for this homeland.
He earned a lot of respect and a lot of acclaim in the process. As a result, Upper Lake was renamed Bhojtal in 2011 in honour of Raja Bhoj. Regardless of its name, whether Upper Lake, Bhojtal, or Bada Talab, this vast, gorgeous lake (together with Chota Talab) is a pivotal supply of drinking water, providing around 30 million imperial gallons of water per day to 40 per cent of Bhopal. And the people of Bhopal adore their lakes! In particular, Bhojtal, since the city has built up around it. This thousand-year-old lake has become a cornerstone of local hobbies.
I lingered here for an hour, watching the Sun ascend from behind the massive turquoise blue lake. The opposite side of the lake began to appear as the sunlight progressed. “That’s the lower lake,” my driver explained, pointing to the opposite end of the lake. “You may access both the lakes via the Pul-Pukhta bridge or by boat,” he said. An activity I planned to do when I returned to Bhojtal in the evening. A sunset while boating with a lake view is usually a wonderful sight to behold.
But today, I went here to photograph the beauty of this magnificent lake, which was draped in a seductive cravat of sunshine. Mornings are lovely, and it was a joy to see the sun rays cast a whimsical highlight on the cherished copper statue. I was truly overwhelmed when I left! Visit Shahpura Lake, Motia Talab, Sarangaria, Nawab Siddique Talab, Jawahar Baal Udhyaan Lake, and Mullah Sarovar while you’re here.
Never been to Bhopal and never knew about this tall statue. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting and informative post, did not know the story,thanks for sharing with beautiful clicks.