Gopi Talav

Five hundred four years after it was built, Surat's lost lake - Gopi Talav - is all set to regain its glory. Surtis will have to look no further beyond the town for a leisure spot as it will prove to be a family entertainment zone.

Centuries ago, Surat's celebrated 'Gopi Talao' was the object of much global attention. The lake's beauty evoked elaborate chapters penned to describe its magnificence, not only by Indian scholars, but also by European observers in travelogues about their trip to India.

Popular as 'Surat's premier pleasure resort' delightful to the eye, encircled by many gardens and mango orchards, the lake was built circa 1510 AD by the then governor of Surat-Malik Gopi, a prosperous merchant whose contributions towards the city ranged from economical to cultural development. Besotted by its beauty during the siege of Surat castle, Emperor Akbar set up his military base camp on the banks of Gopi Talao in 1573