Kolayat Lakeकोलायत झील
A desert pilgrim lake with fifty-two ghats, at its best on Kartik Purnima.
See what is open on your dateOpen in Google MapsWhereBikaner, Rajasthan
Bikaner & Thar
Bikaner & Thar
Best time to visit15 October to 15 March
Good seasonsPost-monsoon (October to November), Winter (December to February)
DifficultyEasy
Time needed2 hrs
Base and nearbyKolayat, Kolayat
EntryFree
About Kolayat Lake
Sage Kapil Muni, the founder of Sankhya philosophy, is said to have meditated here, and the lake is ringed by fifty-two ghats and a cluster of temples, 50 km south-west of Bikaner. Most of the year it is quiet. On Kartik Purnima, in November, tens of thousands come to bathe and float lamps on the water, and a big cattle and camel fair runs alongside for several days.
What to see and do
- Kapil Muni temple and the ghats
- Kartik Purnima fair and lamps on the water
- Camel and cattle fair
- Evening aarti at the lake
- Gajner on the way back
Opening status, best time and closures here are estimates from usual seasons and past patterns, not live information. Confirm with the local authority before you go. Terms of use
More places in Bikaner
- Karni Mata Temple, DeshnokBikaner, Rajasthan · Temples & ShrinesThe rat temple. Twenty thousand kabas, and a white one if you are lucky.
- Bhandasar Jain TempleBikaner, Rajasthan · Temples & ShrinesA 1514 Jain temple painted in gold leaf, with a legend of ghee in the mortar.
- Gajner Palace and SanctuaryBikaner, Rajasthan · Palaces & HavelisA viceregal shooting lodge on a desert lake, with sandgrouse and blackbuck at the water.
- Devi Kund SagarBikaner, Rajasthan · Monuments & HeritageThe royal cenotaphs of Bikaner, red sandstone and marble, 8 km out of town.
- Junagarh FortBikaner, Rajasthan · FortsA fort on the flat that was never taken, with the finest painted palaces in Bikaner.
- KatariasarBikaner, Rajasthan · Villages & Hidden GemsDunes, chinkara and a fire dance 45 km from Bikaner. The easy desert night.
- Lalgarh PalaceBikaner, Rajasthan · Palaces & HavelisGanga Singh's red sandstone palace, the Sadul museum in one wing and a hotel in the other.
- National Research Centre on CamelBikaner, Rajasthan · Eco TourismThe camel farm on the edge of Bikaner. Go at four, eat the ice cream.
All places in Bikaner · All places in Rajasthan
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Jagah Pedia is a free travel guide by Santosh Pandey. Status, timings and closures are estimates from usual patterns, so confirm locally before you travel.