A serene gray-green lake disappearing into a cluster of hazy hillocks, a
fairy-castle-like tourist complex glistening in the sunshine, and carpet
of star-like flowers dotting the lake-this is what Damdama, a
picturesque resort just 64 kilometers from Delhi, is all about. The
Saras Tourist Complex that stands on the bank is a neat little place
with tastefully done-up guest rooms, each with a separate balcony facing
the lake. The colorful camping tents pitched on green slopes nearby are
particularly charming.
The Damdama Lake recedes in winter reaching its lowest ebb in the
summer. During the rains its level shoots up dramatically, reaching 50
to 60 feet in places and covering about 6 kilometers all round. The lake
covers and area of about 5˝ acres, though the exact area of Damdama is
difficult to gauge because its numerous amoeba-like arms expand and
contract unexpectedly, lending a new dimension to the lake almost
everyday.
Cormorants, terns, egrets, robins, kingfishers, and sirus cranes flock
to the lake every year. Summer, when the flaming tesu are in full bloom,
is a good time to visit Damdama. Facilities for boating on the lake are
also available.
There is a rocky hillock at the far end of the lake. On the way up,
you’ll come across poultry and goats in a little farm with ingeniously
built stone huts belonging to nomadic Gujjars. A solitary Durga temple
and overgrown ruins from some ancient fort combined to make up a picture
of romance.
A serene gray-green lake disappearing into a cluster of hazy hillocks, a
fairy-castle-like tourist complex glistening in the sunshine, and carpet
of star-like flowers dotting the lake-this is what Damdama, a
picturesque resort just 64 kilometers from Delhi, is all about. The
Saras Tourist Complex that stands on the bank is a neat little place
with tastefully done-up guest rooms, each with a separate balcony facing
the lake. The colorful camping tents pitched on green slopes nearby are
particularly charming.