The man-made Gadisisar Lake on the outskirts of Jaisalmer was once the city’s main water supply. A shadow of its former self, the lack of rain has reduced it to not much more than a large pond. We are lucky to see it with any water at all; only a few days ao it was almost completely dry and hundreds of catfish that live in it had to be culled. Fortunately recent rains in the desert have replenished it somewhat and the enourmous and rather ugly catfish are much in evidence in its murky waters. There are several temples and shrines around the lakeside as well as some that, under different circumstances, would be in the middle of the lake. Ghats run down to the water and there is even boat hire available, although business is slow today. Despite the prevailing breeze there is a peace and stillness to this place on the edge of the desert. The pleasing Tilon-ki-Pol gate which straddles the path leading to the ghats was built, legend has it, by a wealthy coutesan.
In the evening we visit the Desert Culture Centre and Museum for a traditional puppet show. We arrive 30 minutes early, which gives us the opportunity to wander round the small museum which is the personal collection of the elderly man who introduces himself at the door. The displays are a bit moth-eaten and dusty, but there are extensive explanations in Engish. The audience for the performance consists of us and four other pepole and we are treated to a series of puppet dances accompanied by three musicians one of which is an absolutely brilliant and and rather theatrical player of a pair of precussion instruments very similar to Spanish castanets. The show though doesn’t quite live up to expectations and is certainly not as good as the short taster we had during our visit to the fort above Amber.