Interesting facts and details of 25 major lakes in India
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Water has a very soothing and charming effect. If you feel down and go and sit on the shore of a body of water, you will surely forget all your sadness and be fascinated by the water. Ripples of water have a magical effect on your mind and body. India is a land of bodies of water and the lakes in India are not only beautiful but are truly enchanting. Check out the 25 best lakes you should visit in India here.
List of famous lakes in India:
1. Lake Chilica:
Lake Chilica is India’s largest coastal lagoon, second only to New Caledonia’s New Caledonia Barrier Reef that flows into the Bay of Bengal. The area of this lake is more than 1100 square kilometers. This Indian lake is also the largest wintering ground for migratory birds from the Indian subcontinent and home to numerous plant and animal species, including threatened species.
- Lake name: Chilica Lake
- River name: To the north is Mahanadi, to the west are 52 different rivers and to the east is the Bay of Bengal.
- Lake Type: salty
- Water Type: Alkaline
- Surface area: Min – 900km², Max – 1165km²
- Place: Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts
- State name: orissa
Important Lake Facts:
- Lake Chilika was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance in 1981.
- It provides livelihoods for more than 150,000 fishermen living in 132 villages on the coast and nearby islands.
- The 15-square-kilometer Narapan Island is a beautiful bird sanctuary that disappears in the monsoons and rejoins after the monsoons.
2. Dal Lake:
This lake in Srinagar is the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the second largest lake in Johnson & Johnson after the Ural Lake. This lake is also known as “Kashmir’s crown jewel”.
- Lake name: Dal Lake
- River name: jhelum
- Water Type: warm monotone
- Surface area: 18-22km²
- Place: Srinagar
- State name: Jammu and Kashmir
Important Lake Facts:
- The shoreline of the lake is surrounded by Mughal gardens, houseboats, parks and hotels.
- July and August are the best times to visit this lake, where lotus flowers bloom, giving a floating garden experience
- Sona Lank and Rupa Lank (Char Chinar) are 2 islands formed by Dal Lake.
- Shankaracharya Temple, Hari Parbat, Hazratbal Shrine, Mazar-e-Shura Cemetery, Kashmir Houseboats and Shikara are some of the important tourist attractions near Dal Lake.
3. Leda Lake:
Loktak Lake in Manipur is the largest freshwater lake in northern India. The lake plays a vital role in the economy of Manipur and is the main source of water. More than 100,000 people live in 55 small rural and urban villages and depend on the lakes for their livelihoods, putting enormous pressure on the lake ecosystem and leading to severe degradation.
- Lake name: Lake Leda
- River name: Manipur River and various small streams
- Water Type: freshwater
- Surface area: 287 square kilometers
- Place: Mo Iran
- State name: Manipur
Important Lake Facts:
- It is the largest freshwater lake in northeastern India.
- It is known for its phumdis (heterogeneous bodies of vegetation, soil and organic matter in different stages of decomposition)
- The Keibul Lamjao National Park is located in this tent and is the only floating national park in the world.
- This park is also the last natural habitat of the endangered Sangai in Manipur.
- The lake is a major source of drinking water, irrigation water and electricity generation.
[See More: Rivers of India]
4. Ural Lake:
In India, Ural Lake is the largest freshwater lake and one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia. However, much of the lake has been drained due to willow plantations built on the coast in the 1950s.
- Lake name: Ural Lake
- River name: jhelum
- Water Type: freshwater
- Surface area: 31-259km²
- Place: Bandibora District
- State name: Jammu and Kashmir
Important Lake Facts:
- This lake basin was formed due to the tectonic activity of the Jhelum River.
- It is one of 26 wetlands designated as Ramsar wetlands in India
- It is an important fish habitat and a major source of diet for thousands of people living on its coasts and even in the valleys of Kashmir.
- An important fish habitat that provides livelihoods for thousands of fishermen who live on the coast and rely solely on fishing.
- To restore the Urals, nearly 2 million trees will be felled, and more than 4 million trees will be spent over a 5-10 year period from December 2011.
5. Vembanard:
Vembanad in Kerala is famous for being the longest lake in India. It is also the largest lake in Kerala. Various cities in Kerala call this lake by different names. For example – in Kottayam it is called Vembanad Lake, in Kutanad it is called Punnamada Lake and in Kochi it is called Kochi Lake.
- Lake name: wembanard l.
- River name: Achenkovil, Manimala, Meenachil, Muvattupuzha, Pamba and Periyar
- Water Type: Part perennial saltwater and part freshwater
- Surface area: 2033 square kilometers
- Place: Kottayam, Kutanad, Kochi
- State name: Kerala
Important Lake Facts:
- This is where the Nehru Cup regatta takes place.
- This is the largest wetland system in India, covering an area of 2,033 square kilometers.
- The village of Kumarakoram on the east coast of Vembanad has the Kumarakoram Bird Sanctuary
- The Thanneermukkom saltwater barrier divides the lake into two parts – one with perennial saltwater and the other with freshwater.
- Located in the heart of Kerala’s backwaters, Vembanad Lake is a major tourist attraction in Kerala.
6. Left of Pangong:
Pangong Tso is an inner lake located in the Himalayas, with a total length of 134 kilometers and an altitude of 4,350 meters. The lake stretches from India to China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.
- Lake name: Pangong wrong
- River name: Indus River (previously before natural damming)
- Water Type: Soda Lake, Dimictic Lake (fresh water) – East Basin, Lengdan Lake (salt water) – West Basin
- Surface area: 700 square kilometers
- Place: Ladakh
- State name: Jammu and Kashmir
Important Lake Facts:
- 60% of lakes are located in the Tibet Autonomous Region
- At its widest point, the width of the lake is 5 km.
- Despite being salty water, it freezes completely in winter.
- The Indian side of the lake has no aquatic life, not even fish.
- Harsh environmental conditions and the salinity of the water are the two main reasons for the lake’s low biodiversity.
- The picturesque location of this lake has been used to depict many Bollywood songs and climactic scenes.
7. Gurudong Mar Lake:
At 17,800 feet, Gurudongmar Lake is the tallest lake in India and one of the tallest in the world. The lake is named after the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, Guru Padmasambhava, who visited the site in the 8th century.
- Lake name: guru east mar lake
- River name: Tista
- Water Type: freshwater
- Surface area: 118 hectares (290 acres)
- Place: North Sikkim
- State name: Sikkim
Important Lake Facts:
- It is said that the lake was blessed by the Sikh spiritual teacher Guru Nanak when it passed through the area in the 15th century.
- In winter, from November to May, the lake is completely frozen
- The size of the lake appears to be much smaller than its actual size as the main part of it is invisible due to its hilly terrain.
- The lake, which was once so clear that the lakebed could be seen even from the middle of the lake, has become cloudy in recent years by pollution, turning white and blurry visibility.
8. Lake Pichola:
This is an artificial freshwater lake built in 1362 AD. It is one of the successive lakes that have developed in and around Udaipur city over the past few centuries. Due to intensive development activities on the lakeshore and the municipality’s discharge of untreated domestic sewage into the lake, the lake water contains large amounts of sodium and bicarbonate.
- Lake name: Lake Pichola
- River name: kotra
- Water Type: freshwater
- Surface area: 696 hectares (1720 acres)
- Place: Udaipur
- State name: Rajasthan
Important Lake Facts:
- The lakes here mainly meet the needs of drinking water and irrigation water through the construction of dams.
- There are 4 islands around the lake, two of which have palaces and lake views.
- Jag Mandir and Jag Niwas are two islands with two palaces located in the lake named Pichola Palace and Jag Niwas Palace.
- The King will enjoy Gangaur celebrations from Mohan Mandir Island.
- Another small palace, the Isle of Arcy, is mainly used as an ammunition depot.
- Easy access by road from Udaipur.
9. Boital:
Boitar, formerly known as Upper Lake, is located on the west side of Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh. It was named Bhojtal in honor of Raja Bhoj, the great king of Bhopal.
- Lake name: Boital
- River name: Colance River
- Water Type: freshwater
- Surface area: 31 square kilometers
- Place: Bhopal
- State name: Madhya Pradesh
Important Lake Facts:
- The lake is a major source of drinking and irrigation water, supplying nearly 30 million gallons of water daily, serving nearly 40 percent of Bhopal’s population.
- The lake also provides livelihoods for more than 500 fishermen’s families who live near the lake.
- Together with Chhota Talaab, Bada Tallab formed the Bhoj Wetland, which is now part of the Ramsar Wetland.
- Van Vihall National Park is located to the south of the lake, with human settlements to the east and north, and farmland to the west.
- About 100 to 120 Sarus Cranes can be seen on this lake, India’s largest bird known for its size, lifetime pairing and majestic flight.
- More than 200 species of flora and fauna, including endangered species, are found here.
10. Sambal Salt Lake:
Sambal Lake is the largest saltwater lake in India. It is a vast saline-alkali wetland with a depth of only 60 cm in summer and about 3 meters at the end of the monsoon. The oval-shaped lake is 35.5 kilometers long and 3 to 11 kilometers wide.
- Lake name: sambal lake
- River name: Medtha, Samaod, Mantha, Rupangarh, Khari and Khandela
- Water Type: brine
- Surface area: 190-230km²
- Place: It is 80 kilometers southwest of Jaipur and 64 kilometers northeast of Ajmer.
- State name: Rajasthan
Important Lake Facts:
- The lake is surrounded by the historic Sambal town
- The lake is divided into east and west by a 5.1 km long sandstone dam.
- When the brine reaches the required concentration, it is discharged from the west side of the dam to the east side, where there are multiple salt evaporation ponds. Salt has been grown here for over 1000 years.
- The temperature here varies from 5°C to 40°C.
- It is the largest salt producing unit, producing more than 196,000 tons of clear salt annually, accounting for more than 9% of India’s total production.
11. Pelicat Lake:
This is the second largest saltwater lagoon in India, the first being Chilika Lake. It is one of 3 important wetlands that attract rainwater to Tamil Nadu, and the main part of the lake is located in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.
- Lake name: pulicat l.
- River name: Arani, Kalangi and Swarnamukhi rivers
- Water Type: brackish to salty
- Surface area: 250-450km²
- Place: Coromandel Coast
- State name: Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
Important Lake Facts:
- The lake includes the Pelicat Lake Bird Sanctuary.
- The lagoon has a rich and diverse flora and fauna that greatly supports commercial fishing.
- The endangered green sea turtle has been spotted on Shrihari kota beach on the shores of this lagoon.
- Buckingham Canal is on the west side of the lagoon. The canal is the navigation route for passenger ships and goods through the lake.
12. Cao Morili:
Lake Tso Moriri is located in…