Itchy partheniums stand along the banks. Viraal fish create ripples in the water and white-feathered birds wait for them amidst the litter of plastic cups. Some bathers take a dip while a few wash their vehicles. Others defecate on the bunds or come here to dump waste. Unperturbed by it all, a man enjoys his ride in a swan-shaped boat around Naganankulam Tank with two children.
The 25-acre tank, which holds 20 to 30 feet of water throughout the year, impressed the Madurai District Collector, who was passing through the New Natham Road in August 2010. He immediately launched a boating service there in the interest of the tank and residents of the city.
Two decades ago, if Madurai residents wanted to enjoy a boating ride they went as far as Kodaikanal or Ooty. Once in a while, the authorities provided boats at Mariamman or Vandiyur Teppakulams. Most of the time, people missed out because they did not know the boats were there or because they did not want to be caught in the crowd. After some time, the services were dropped for reasons known only to the authorities concerned.
The city corporation does provide a miniature boat facility at the Eco Park. Though the boating rink depth is 15-feet, the water level now is just two-and-a-half feet deep, but visitors seem to enjoy pedaling their boats. “Perhaps the dearth of proper parks and entertainment avenues has forced residents to swarm into theatres just to while away time,” feels Jesuraja, a government employee living in Aathikulam.
Eighty-year-old Pitchai recalls that when the city expanded and villages became urban spaces with concrete structures, the Naganankulam Tank almost faded into oblivion. In fact, the bunds became a cozy place for anti-social elements and drug addicts.
Now, there are five boats: two two-seater pedal boats, two four-seater pedal boats and one rowboat. The Naganankulam Tank is trying to satiate the residents' love for boating and though it doesn't have the chill climate of a hill station, the tank certainly can soothe frayed nerves.
The tank looks mostly deserted during the day and becomes active during the evenings. With a few boats and a new jetty, retirees who come out for a walk find it a good place to meet friends. If properly maintained, the tank that once irrigated fields and gave life to villagers can revive flagging urban residents. Instead of dumping a kid in front of the television or computer, parents can use the boating facility to spend time with their children and enjoy a leisurely ride.
“The tourism department and the district administration should take up the issue of maintaining the lake,” says Kavitha, who takes her five-year-old daughter on a ride. She feels uncomfortable whenever the boat moves around the corner where men defecate in the open.
The tourism department brought used boats from Kodai Lake to start the facility in the tank. Though the boating operations are open to residents from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., people prefer evenings because there is no shelter from the sun. Canopied boats and shaded waiting areas might attract more boaters during the day.
“Though there are about 20 to 30 enquiries, only two or three people opt for boating,” says P. Kumar, assistant acting manager in charge of the boating operations at the tank.
On an average, there are barely half a dozen boaters during weekdays and a few more during the weekends.
The residents in the area are happy as the tank has raised their groundwater level, which was otherwise receding with the increasing number of apartments and houses.
The boating facility is an added attraction, and they wish the authorities would improve it. This tank has escaped urbanization, encroachment and the real estate business, while most other tanks in the city have either shrunk into playgrounds or become government offices.
The District Administration has plans to make the tank a green zone — clean, free from open defecation, and plastic-free. District Collector U. Sahayam says that the administration has sent a proposal to the government to put up fencing around the lake and lay a park and walking area around it.
But announcements and plans still remain on paper, and the residents of Madurai are waiting to see when these visions will materialize.
Eco Park
*13,000 square feet and around 15 feet deep
*Seven boats (two- and four-seater pedal boats and one under repair)
*Rs.20 (adults) and Rs.15 (children) for a few rounds
*10 to 20 riders on weekdays and 100 on weekends
Naganankulam Tank
*25 acres, 30 feet deep in centre and 20 feet deep elsewhere
*Five boats (four pedal boats and one rowboat)
*Rs.50 (two-seater), Rs.100 (four-seater), Rs.150 (rowboat)
*2 to 3 riders on weekdays and 10 on weekends
The District Collector plans to link the boating facility at Naganankulam with his pet project Uzhavan Unavagam on the New Natham Road. He plans to introduce traditional bullock carts and horse carts to transport people from the tank to the Uzhavan Unavagam, where they can enjoy traditional and healthy food items.
