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Rasiya Balam | |
|---|---|
| Born | Patan, Gujarat |
| Died | Mount Abu, Rajasthan |
| Monuments | Rasiya Balam temple |
| Other names | Balam Rasiya |
| Occupation | Sculptor |
| Known for | Excavation of Nakki Lake with his fingernails[1] |
| Spouse | Princess Kunwari Kanya (legendary)[2] |
Rasiya Balam or Balam Rasiya is legendary figure in the folklore ofMount Abu,Rajasthan, India, traditionally credited with excavatingNakki Lake in a single night using only his fingernails. He is described as a sage and a master sculptor attached to theDilwara Temples and, in some accounts, is regarded as an incarnation ofLord Shiva.[3][4]
According to local tradition, the king of Mount Abu vowed to give the hand of his daughter, Princess Kunwari Kanya, to anyone who could dig a water reservoir overnight. Rasiya Balam accepted the challenge and is said to have carved out the basin of what became Nakki Lake before dawn, using only his nails—hence the Hindi nameNakki, fromnakh (“nail”).[5][6]
Despite completing the Herculean task, the royal promise was reneged by the king’s wife, who refused to allow the marriage. In certain retellings, Rasiya Balam’s heartbreak is framed as the withdrawal of a divine mission, marking his vanishing or death in sorrow.[7][8][4]
Directly behind theDilwara Jain Temples stand two small shrines—one dedicated to Rasiya Balam and the other to Princess Kunwari Kanya—believed to mark the legendary site of the lake’s completion.[9][10][11] Devotees often honor Rasiya Balam’s sacrifice by tossing symbolic nails into the lake’s shallows.[12]
Nakki Lake remains Mount Abu’s principal attraction, drawing pilgrims and tourists who are reminded of Rasiya Balam’s tale of devotion and loss. The legend has been dramatized in regional theatre, referenced in local poetry—such as the poem “Lost Love”—and is commemorated in annual rituals by the localGarasia tribe. He is honored in numerous Rajasthani songs.[13][14][15]