Kankaria

Kankaria Lake
Kankaria Lake during the Kankaria Carnival in Ahmedabad
Location	Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Coordinates	23°00′22″N 72°36′04″E / 23.006°N 72.6011°E / 23.006; 72.6011Coordinates: 23°00′22″N 72°36′04″E / 23.006°N 72.6011°E / 23.006; 72.6011
Lake type	Artificial lake
Basin countries	India
Shore length1	3.15 km (1.96 mi)
Islands	Nagina Wadi
Settlements	Ahmedabad
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Kankaria Lake, formerly known as Hauz e Qutub, is the second largest lake in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is located in the south-eastern part of the city, in the Maninagar area. A lakefront is developed around it, which has many public attractions such as a zoo, toy train, kids city, tethered balloon ride, water rides, water park, food stalls, and entertainment facilities. The lakefront was revamped in 2008. Kankaria Carnival is a week-long festival held here in the last week of December. Many cultural, art, and social activities are organised during the carnival.

Kankaria Lake was built by Sultan Qutbuddin in the 15th century. The work was completed in 1451 CE and was known as "Qutb Hauz" or "Hauz-i-Qutb". It was used for bathing by the kings. It had a water purification system but it has been lost with the time. At one point of the circular lake, there opens a walkway which later merges into a garden called Nagina Wadi (which means beautiful garden in Urdu) that is located in the centre of the lake. With an approximate circumference of 3 miles (4.8 km), it represents the regale history of Ahmedabad. It is a 34-sided polygon having steps which leading down to water level.

The central garden and the walkway had been revamped and utilities are enhanced. Upon completion of the renovation the lake was officially inaugurated in a week long event known as "Kankaria Carnival". The inauguration ceremony for renovated Kankaria lakefront was held on 25 December 2008.

Kankaria Zoo, officially Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden, was established by Rueben David in 1951 spread over 21 acres. It was rated the best zoo in Asia in 1974. They are 450 mammals, 2,000 birds, 140 reptiles in a 31-acre zoo. It is a treasure of wild animals like tigers, lions, python, anaconda, snakes, elephant, albinos (white), like the rhesus monkey, spotted deer, white blackbuck, chinkara, elephants, emu, jungle babbler, bush-quail and common palm civet. Kankaria Zoo has also records in breeding of rare species in Zoo like pythons, crocodiles, bearcats and wild asses. Reuben David was awarded Padma Shri in 1974 for it.

It is a children's park named after Jawaharlal Nehru. Balvatika has a boat house, playroom, butterfly and weapon displays, mirror house, toy house and planetarium.Presently most part of the park is under renovation. New rides will be introduced soon.

Netherlands based company installed five rides in the amusement park in 2014. It includes the Boomerang Roller Coaster, the Flipping Arm, the Torching Tower, Disk 'O' pendulum and the merry-go-round. It will also have a kids play zone for computer games.