AnangTal’s cleaning up and beautification to begin next week.

What is the News?

The government is going to restore the 11th CE grand water reservoir Anang Tal, Delhi.

Note: Excavations at Anang Tal were taken up in 1993 by ASI.

About the Anang Tal Lake

It is a water reservoir built by the founder King of Delhi, Anang Pal Tomar in 1052 CE.

Location: Built behind the famous 27 Hindu-Jain temples in the Mehrauli area.

The Vishnu Garud Dhwaj (popularly known as the Iron pillar) was a dharmic flag standard in front of Anang Pal’s VishnuTemple.

Later these temples were razed to the ground by Qutubuddin Aibak and the ruins were used to build Jami mosque, which later became known as Quwwatul Islam mosque.

Significance: The detailed survey map of the area reveal the information regarding the beautiful staircase leading to the Tal and its precise measurements. The millennium-old Anang Tal signifies the beginning of Delhi.

What is the present condition of Anang Tal?

A detailed survey of the area found several encroachments besides sewage drains emptying in the 1200-year-old historic mini-lake.

About Anangpal Tomar

Anangpal II was popularly known as Anangpal Tomar. He belonged to the Tomar dynasty. He was the founder of Dhillika Puri, which eventually became Delhi.

This is revealed by the stone inscriptions excavated by Lord Cunningham. The inscriptions and coins suggest that Anangpal Tomar was the ruler of present-day Delhi and Haryana between the 8th-12th centuries.

He was succeeded by his grandson Prithviraj Chauhan.

Source: The post is based on the article “AnangTal’s cleaning up and beautification to begin next week” published in PIB on 21st May 2022.