Gopi Talav is a holy place located at north of Dwarka city. The Gopi lake has many interesting mythological stories related to it. Gopi Talav is situated at 20 km north of Dwarka.
It is believed that Lord Krishna used to dance the raas with Gopis in Vrindavan. When he moved to Dwarka all the Gopis could not bear the pain of separation. So they united with Krishna at Gopi Lake and danced the raas with him on the night of Sharad Purnima. To be with him forever they offered their lives to the soil of that land and turned into yellow clay, known as Gopi Chandan, and merged with their beloved. The soil of Gopi Talav is still yellow and very soft in texture.
It was built by Malik Gopi in circa 1510 CE. It is believed that a Brahmin merchant, Malik Gopi, settled in Surat and started developing the place. The place got named Gopipura in his honor by the king. The king gave him the title of ‘Malik’.
The place was renovated in 2012 by Surat Municipal Corporation at a budget of around Rs22 crore. The diameter of lake is 212 m and it covers an area of 35,000 square meters. It can hold up to 120,000,000 litres of water. The renovated surroundings have many attractions like fountain plaza or food court and much more.
Gopi Talav is located at 20 km from Dwarka. Gopi Lake can be reach by taking taxi and bus from Dwarka bus stand.