Fox Sagar Lake is the fifth largest lake in India spreading about 2 square kilometres in Hyderabad, which is now the joint capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The local name of Fox Sagar Lake is Jeedimetla cheruvu or Kolla Cheruvu. This lake of prime tourist importance is located in Jeedimetla near Kompally in Hyderabad.
Jeedimetla cheruvu or Kolla Cheruvu is also popular for fishing. Jeedimetla cheruvu or Kolla Cheruvu is famous for its natural beauty. It is known locally that Kolla Cheruvu or Fox Sagar Lake was constructed by the Nizam in Middle Ages.
At that time, it was constructed as a dam on the lake and named it as Fox Sagar in 1897. In the year 1897, Jeedimetla cheruvu or Kolla Cheruvu or Fox Sagar Lake went as part of 31 lakes created for improving water sources for the city of Hyderabad, which was previously known as Princely State of Hyderabad. A pump house was built on the bund, constructed in a typical Nizam architecture, which adds the beauty. At that time, Fox Sagar Lake provided the drinking water and irrigation for nearby villages.
Jeedimetla cheruvu or Kolla Cheruvu is well spread out over 2 square kilometres. It is home to many birds like flamingos, Yellow-billed Stork, Osprey, Grey Heron, Great Cormorant, Kingfisher, Baya Weaver, Garganey. Hence this area (Jeedimetla cheruvu or Kolla Cheruvu or Fox Sagar Lake) is visited by bird watchers. Jeedimetla cheruvu or Kolla Cheruvu is the paradise for the ornithologists and the photographers.
Jeedimetla cheruvu or Kolla Cheruvu "lake" or Fox Sagar Lake is the perfect place for the fishermen. Now, it is open to all the tourists of the country. The local and exotic birds allure the foreign tourists also.
Fox Sagar Lake is a relatively large lake and an active hub for fishing. A make shift shop here has brisk end-to-end fishing business. A couple of boys go out in the lake and fish and a small shop by the lake sells the fish. The colourful plastic roof of this shop provides the vibrancy to the blue and green landscape. All these scenes are common in Jeedimetla cheruvu or Kolla Cheruvu "lake" which is better known as Fox Sagar Lake.
