The Bhupinder Sagar Lake is still alive on paper, but a visit reveals that fields are ploughed where the Maharaja of Patiala's hunting ground once was.Named after the erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala, the Bhupinder Sagar Lake in Sangrur district, which was once popular for its stature as the favourite hunting spot of the late Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, has altogether vanished. The lake was once spread over an area of about 1,280 hectare and the forest near it was spread on almost 15 acre around it.Maharaja Bhupinder Singh used to visit it often and hunting was a common practice in the region, something the Maharaja loved. An exotic and wide array of migratory birds also visited the place. "He had once taken the Viceroy of India there for hunting and he had loved the place," said a close friend of Malvinder Singh, the great grandson of Bhupinder Singh.According to records available with the Forest Department, the wetland was notified on February 28, 1952, by the Punjab government. "It was bought from the local people in 1954 for a lump sum amount of Rs 2,000," reads a torn piece of document available with the Forest Department. Records suggest that numerous fish were found in the pond at Bhupinder Sagar and the annual contract for fishing was always given at high rates.The land is located in Patran, surrounded by Dogaal, Hariau Jattan, Dhoorh, Jhingna, Khangnewala and Sehelwala villages. According to Divisional Forest Officer K S Jattana, migratory birds including ducks, geese of various kinds, including the famous bar-headed goose, cobbed duck, flying cock and cranes were regularly sighted at the wetland. "Great crested grebe, white-necked stork, adjutant stork, glossy ibis, pintail, gadwall, eastern purple heron, coot, tailor bird, peafowl and ruddy sheduck were also found in abundance", he said.Septuagenarian Patiala resident Raghubir Singh, who earlier served at the wetland when he was in the Government Consolidation Department, said the villagers used to pay a rent of 25 paise to cross the wetland. "Now it is totally lost and the entire area is taken over by farmers and villagers and sadly there is no sight of the wetland," he rued.
