Shagun Chauhan, student of Saksham Sanchar Foundatio shared her experience to visiting to Sambhar Lake, Rajasthan.
Sambhar town is a small locality in Western Rajasthan, it’s major tourist attraction is the Sambhar lake (which is named after the town) the lake is a seasonal water-source. It’s water flow fluctuate from 60 centimetres (in dry season) to 3 Meters( (in monsoon) this lake spread in an area of 30 square kilometres from a distance of huge mounds of salt in and on the banks of this lake. This resembles powdered snow especially during dry seasons and tourist footfall in this region is high during monsoon because many wildlife enthusiasts flok the region with the flamingos that use it as a migration base but not many people visit during summers due to the scorching heat. A lot of people are employed due to this lake. They run hotels and tour trains for vistors at the rate of ₹700 per person.
It is best time to visit this place during monsoon as it is the usual tourist season and temperature is low enough to not ruin your vacation.
Find spiritual solace at the temple of Mata Shakambri
The shakambari mata temple was established by Vasudev, the same chauhan king that founded the city of Sambhar in 551 AD, 6th century. Shakambri also known as Asavari or Ashapura is the family goddess of the Chauhan ruling clan, it is believed that when the demon Durgam Asura brought extreme draught to earth and made the sages forget the vedas. The sages worshipped goddess Lakshmi for help and she came in the form of Shakambri bearing lotus, bow-arrow, fruits, vegetables and roots in her four hands her thousand eyes shed tears when she saw the condition of the sages and the tears turned into river. She is also called the Goddess of nutrition. The temple is a fairly large structure, an example of dome-style architecture you can spot four to five saffron-clad priests, there were no crowds when we went there but usually there are a lot of local people who have deep faith in the goddess. On entering one can see on the wall adjacent to the beautiful and spellbinding ideal of the deity is a white board on which the main prayer(arti) of the goddess scripted in big red letters. There is a big donation box in front of the idol( you can pay as you can afford).
It is advised to visit it anytime except for Navratri because in navratri festivals it’s very overcrowded.