Sahasralinga Tank, Patan

"Lake of thousand Lingas"

In Amit Tripati's Shiva Trilogy there is an elaborated reason for drying up of mythical Saraswati River. Fictitious Meluhans use Saraswati River's water to prepare Amrita (nector) to keep them immortals. If anyone is wondering why we are talking about a novel, the answer is we were exactly standing on the fabled Saraswati River that is said to have dried up some 4000 years ago. Or that is what our guide made us to believe. The curious thing is he says he has seen flowing river in his childhood. River Saraswati is considered the personification of Goodess Saraswati. It is believed the ancient Rig Veda is written on the banks of this holy river. Triveni Sangama in Prayag (Allahabad) is confluence of real Ganga and Jamuna River and mythological Saraswati . There is small dargah of fakir Farid on the banks. It is just a walking distance from north side of the Sahasralinga Tank in Patan.

Sahasralinga Tank or as the name suggests "lake of thousand linga" was built by Jayasimha Siddhraj (1094-1144 A.D.). He is known for construction of various artificial lakes in Gujarat. This reservoir is the largest and grandest among all. Various small shrines containing Shivalingas placed on the banks. It is a belief of that time that presence of statues of Gods have the power to purify the water, in this case lingas. This was excavated in 1942-1943 by Archaeological Survey of India. The tank used to receive water from a canal of the Saraswati River. It tells a great deal about the planning of water management of that period. 

Notice board says "Near the middle of the eastern embankment are the remains of the old Shiva Temple. Comprising of the basement of the pavilions together with a colonnade of forty eight pillars. It was in good condition until the 16th century".

Legend: King Jayasimha Siddraj was enchanted by the beauty of Jasma Odan and wanted to marry her. But, she was already married to Rooda, of Odh tribe. His profession was pond digging. In fact, she accompanied her husband to Anhilwad Patan where Sahasralinga construction was going on. She refused King's proposal. So, spurned King ordered Jasma's husband to be killed. Before immolating herself she cursed the king to be heirless and Sahasraling to be waterless. Later a human sacrifice reversed the curse resulting in filling of the tank. We couldn't help but compare this legend to our own "Kerege Haara". Jasmadevi temple dedicated to her was built near the Sahasralinga Tank in 12th century by her community. 

Another story is Bairam Khan, Akbar's tutor, while passing through Patan on his way to Mecca, was said to have been murdered after he returned from boating in this tank in 1561."