If you’re planning to visit Udaipur, then you can’t miss visiting Menar. This hidden gem is a small village located just 45 km away from Udaipur and is famous for its migratory bird paradise. Menar is a place where you can forget about your daily life stress and just soak in the pure therapy of nature.
Birds, Birds, and More Birds!
If you’re a bird watcher or a wildlife photographer, then Menar is a dream come true for you. This bird village is home to around 150 birds, including migratory and local ones. You can spot birds like the white-tailed lapwing, bar-headed goose, pelican, common teal, green sandpiper, marsh harrier, pintail, Red-wattled Lapwing, and many more. People from all over the country visit Menar to watch the beauty and birds of this place.
Menar has two beautiful lakes named Brahma and The Dhandh. These lakes play a significant role as a host to many migratory bird species every year. The farmers of this village have stopped using lake water for their irrigation facility, and fishing in the lakes is prohibited to save the aquatic lives of water. The community also works to maintain the lake water throughout the year, and when the lakes dry up, they fill them up with water tanks to maintain the water for the migratory birds.
People of Menar
The population of Menar is less than 6000 with almost 1200 houses, and the people of this village are responsible for maintaining the proper ecosystem. They have set up a community named “Pakshi Mitra” to make sure that the lake is properly cleaned and maintained to ensure the bird’s migration is maintained. The community also makes sure that they stop bird poaching with regular patrols. The Menarias, as the population of these people is known, maintain the proper ecosystem for the birds.
Apart from its bird paradise, Menar is also famous for its giant Lord Shiva statue. This statue has a height of 52 feet from the ground and was built by the fellow villager “Prabhulal Joshi” inside the Thakur Ji Temple. The statue was inspired by the original Shiva statue located in Haridwar and has become an idol for the village people and their faith. Hundreds of devotees visit this place to worship this gigantic statue of Lord Shiva.
Menar is soon to be declared as a wetland by the forest department under the state government. This means that local authorities will protect and maintain the nutrients and sediments of Brahma and Dhandh lakes, which are the main water bodies of Menar. As a wetland status, the strength of the lakes will be increased by their growing vegetation of aquatic plants and saving biodiversity.
So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags, put on your walking shoes, and get ready to explore Menar. This place is a perfect getaway from your daily life, and you can enjoy the beauty of nature at its best.