A lake is a low-lying part of the Earth’s surface in which rainwater or water from other sources accrues. Whether natural or man made, lakes are major source of water. They are abode for a large variety of aquatic life. Lakes make out the true aspect of one city. The lakes of India are categorized as fresh water and brackish lakes.
The soothing lakes of India exhibit great charisma. Indian states have wonderfully located lakes which take away the breadth of every visitor. Whether you are in Kashmir or in Rajasthan; in the Far East or down south, diversity of India is well reflected in the lakes over here. For a lake expedition one can check out:
Dal Lake: This beautiful Lake lies in the district of Kangra in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located at an altitude of 1,775m. The lake is 6.4 km long and 4 km wide and covers an area 10 square miles. It is one of the most beautiful lakes in India, a natures’ gift to mankind. Dal Lake is connected to other Lakes of the Kashmir Valley. One of the unique attribute of the lake is its Shikaras and wooden Houseboats. The lake is divided into four parts, called Gribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin. The coast of the Lake is embroidered with gardens, parks and hotels. Mountains on three sides encase the lake.
Pushkar Lake: Pushkar is a man made lake located in the state of Rajasthan. It is situated near the Pushkar town. The lake is beautifully surrounded by the deserts and hills from all the sides. It covers the total area of about 5 km. This Lake is the sanctified lake of the Hindus, connected with Lord Brahma. The lake has around 400 temples, 52 palaces and 52 ghats. The lake is mostly known for its religious significance. Every year this sacred lake of Pushkar attracts thousands of pilgrims from all around the world. Devotees congregate here to take a dip in its holy water. It is believed that by taking a bath in the lake one can achieve moksha.
Pichola Lake: Located in the city of Udaipur, the panoramic lake, Pichola is surrounded by hills, palaces, temples and bathing ghats.The Lake at places is tapered and both its banks almost touch each other. There are islands at regular distance on the lake, which have either palaces or pavilions on them. The two most famous island palaces are- Jag Niwas and Jag Mandir. It’s a massive lake with a length of 4kms and 3km wide and a depth of 30 feet. Its beauty is at its best in winters, which counterpart the cool vicinity of Rajasthan. The sunset over this lake is truly idyllic. It is this beauty of the Lake Pichola which attracts a number of visitors every year. In the Southern part of Lake Pichola is the Machhala Magra Hill crammed with huge trees. If one stands here one can see the Eklinggarh Fort. From the Eastern side of the Lake one can see the entire Udaipur City.
Bhimtal Lake: Bhimtal Lake is situated in a small town of Bhimtal in Uttarakhand. It comes in the Nanital district (a famous hill station of Uttarakhand). Being the largest lake of the district and the second largest of Kumaon is situated at an altitude of 1370 meters. The lake derives its name from the Indian epic (Mahabharat).The Bhimtal Lake covers an area of 1701 metres by 265 metres. There is an island situated in the midpoint, which act as an exquisite gem. One can plan a boat sail to the Lake and enjoy the beautiful scenic beauty of the place. Nested amidst the green Kumaoun Hills, Bhimtal Lake is a popular tourist spot.
Hussain Sagar Lake: Hussian Sagar Lake, largest man made lake in Asia is located in the State of Hyderabad. The lake was fabricated to meet the water requirements of the people. This 24 kilometer long lake connects the two traditional cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, popularly known as the twin cities. The place where the lake is constructed is known as Tank Bund. The Dam receives the water from the Balkapur River, which is connected to the Musi. The Bund contains an assortment of 33 statues of the famous personalities of the state. The major attraction of the Lake is a 16 meter tall, 350 tone colossal statue of Buddha that lies in the middle of the lake, on the rock of Gibraltar. This statue is made out of the single piece of stone and is the largest statue in India. Hussain Sagar Lake is surrounded by four major gardens i.e. Indira Park in the east, Sanjeevaiah Park in the north, Lumbini Park in the south and a green belt stretch squeezed in between the Raj Bhavan road and the Necklace Road. One of the interesting facets of this lake is that it offers wonderful time for water friends.
Vembanad Lake: Vembanad Lake lies in Kumarakom, 15 kms away from the Kottayam district of Kerala. It is the largest brackish lagoon in Kerala. It covers an area of two hundred square kilometers and is surrounded by the districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam. Situated at sea level, the lake is separated from the Arabian Sea by a small island. The width of the lake varies from five hundred metres to four kilometers with a depth of one meter to twelve metres. The lake, an enthralling tourist spot and a Backwater Tour destination, provides boating, fishing and sightseeing experiences that are enlivening. Vembanad Kayal, as it is called in the regional language, is a tank that acts against the floods. The local people in their attractive clothing’s are found searching for the tasty Karimeen fish. The Kumarakom Tourist Village offers houseboat cruises and holiday packages. There are houseboats that take one crossways, making one’s trip unforgettable.
Chilka Lake: The Vast and beautiful Chilka Lake is situated on the east coast of Orissa. The lake has been formed at the mouth of the Daya River which flows into the Bay of Bengal. Chilka Lake is also known as the largest brackish water lake in the country. It is 70 km long and 32 km wide. A number of small islands are spread across Chilka Lake; the two important are the Barkul and the Rambha. One of the distinct features of the lake is its rich floral system. It acts as an abode to a large amount of aquatic plants. Apart from this it also holds an exotic wildlife. The Nalabana Island is a popular bird sanctuary, famous by the name Chilka Wildlife Sanctuary. The Lake is also a popular destination for the Eco tourism.
Roopkund Lake: This Lake lies in the Chamoli district of Uttranchal. It falls on the way of the Nanda Jat to Homkung and lies in the lap of mount Trishul. Sited at a height of 5029 m, the Lake is a destination of the Raj Jat Yatra. A famous trekking destination, Roopkund is often called the ‘mysterious lake’ as the ice on its surface begins to melt and presents a ghastly sight in the summers, as roughly three hundred human skeletons can be seen in the waters of the lake. It is a renowned destination for the adventure lovers, since it offers an energetic outdoor for the trekkers and the exciting option for the adventure holidays. The snow covered lake, surrounded by pebbly glaciers and snow clad peaks is a superlative sight.
Kangra Dal Lake: Kangra Dal Lake is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh, about 11 km from Dharamshala. This is a small mid Altitude Lake at 1,775 m above sea level near a very beautiful village “Tota Rani”. The lake is surrounded by deodar trees and is considered blessed as there is a small Shiva mandir (shrine) on its bank. A distinct characteristic of this lake is that it has green water. It is the place from where trekking and excursions in Himachal commence.
Thus India has a large number of lakes spread all over the country, from Kashmir to Kerala and from Rajasthan to Assam. The hundreds of lakes lying in the rich natural surroundings all over the country attract large number of tourists, and serve as hot picnic spots. Be near them to experience the best.
By: Kandpal Chandra Subhash
Posts Tagged ‘Lord Brahma’
Popular Lakes in India
January 26th, 2010Kurukshetra – The Battle Ground of Mahabharata – A Very Less Traveled Destination in India
January 24th, 2010
Kurukshetra is a well known district in Haryana, which is named after the King Kuru of Bharata Dynasty, ancestor of Pandavas and Kauravas. This place is famous as it is believed that this was the battle ground where Kauravas & Pandavas fought for the kingdom of Hastinapur.
There is a Brahma Sarovar here which is huge and very famous. It is believed that Lord Brahma (the Creator as per Hindu mythology) created the universe from the land of Kurukshetra after a huge yagna. The Brahma Sarovar here is believed to be the cradle of civilization. Every year this pond sees lakhs of pilgrims coming from all corners of India to take a holy dip. A sacred shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva also stands within the sarovar and is accessible by a small bridge.
The most famous site in kurukshetra is the “Jyotisar” – ‘Jyoti’ means light and ‘Sar’ means the core meaning. Hence the name of place literally means the ‘core meaning of light’ or ultimately of God. A Vat (Banyan tree) stands on a raised platform. Local traditions say that this tree is an offshoot of the holy Banyan tree under which Lord Krishna delivered the sermon of Bhagavad Gita, the doctrine of Karma and Dharma to his wavering friend Arjuna. It is here that he showed his Virat rupa (Universal form), the terrifying image of Himself as the Destroyer God. A marble chariot depicting Lord Krishna delivering the sermon to Arjuna marks the site of the Srimad Bhagwad Gita. In one secluded section of this center, an old Shiva temple can also be seen.
Another famous tourist attraction of Kurukshetra is the quiet, peaceful and beautiful “Sheikh Chehli ka Makbara” which is a tomb built during Mughal period in remembrance of Sufi Saint Sheikh Chehli, believed to be the spiritual teacher of Mughal Prince, Dara Shikoh.
This place can be visited any time of the year and doesn’t take more than a day to see all the famous spots in the city. And this place boasts of a lot many temples which have their own mythological importance but are much smaller and do not attract many tourists.
When I went there, we drove down in our car from Karnal in the morning and had reached Brahma Sarovar in a couple of hours. It was a beautiful site with cool waters to dip your feet or take a full body dip in. After spending some time at Brahma Sarovar, we went to see the place where Geeta sermon was delivered at the Jyotisar… It was an amazing experience to be at a holy spot like this one. Very calm and quiet! The best part about this place is not many tourists are found every day, so it is well maintained, clean and quiet. After taking a round around the holy Banyan tree, we visited all the temples adjacent to this place. Then we proceeded to see the Sheikh Chilli ka makbara, wow that was another very calm and quiet place. A place where you get the feeling that really someone has been put to rest! After spending a couple of hours visiting all these places and a few more temples, of which I don’t even remember the names we headed back home in late afternoon.
By: Ruchi Chandra
Pushkar Travel Gives You a Glimpse of Indian Hospitality
December 3rd, 2009
India is a country that thrives on diversity and her unity lies in coexisting harmoniously with people of different faiths and beliefs. Among the many pilgrimage destinations that India can boost of, it holds a special place in the heart of every Hindu. Located about 11 kilometers from Ajmer in the colorful land of Rajasthan, this is home to more than 400 temples. Not only a Hindu, but tourists from all over the country and the globe have found a peace and tranquility that is unique to Pushkar. Many stories from ancient Hindu mythology come to life in front of one’s eyes once he sets his foot on the holy land of Pushkar. A travel is guaranteed to make your trip worthwhile and present you with memories that are bound to last a lifetime.
If you have made Pushkar travel plans, it is best to seek the advice and guidance of a local or a person who frequents the place, as it would make your trip around the place much more comfortable and convenient. Starting from an arrangement of vehicles to a place of boarding, a travel itinerary should be well planned in advance. Just a single day visit will not do justice to the beauty of Pushkar and you must travel with sufficient time in your hands. The temples to be included in your planned this travel should definitely contain a visit to the Brahma temple. It is considered to be the only place in the entire country that has a temple dedicated to Lord Brahma, who is believed to be the sole creator according to Hinduism. Mythology speaks of a story wherein the lord Brahma had dropped lotus petals from his hand on a piece of land that we now know as Pushkar. The name is derived from this incident literally wherein ‘pushp’ means a flower in the Sanskrit language and ‘kar’ means a hand.
When you embark on a planned Pushkar travel be sure to include this famous Brahma temple which boosts of unique architecture and was built around the 14th century. Beautiful marble steps lead up to the temple where a silver turtle has been embossed on the floor facing the sanctorum. Hundreds of silver coins are also embedded in the floor which adds to the majestic beauty of this holy place. Images of the Indian national bird peacock and the Goddess Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning and music, adorn the walls of the temple. Saraswati was also believed to be the consort of Lord Brahma and hence she has been featured prominently in the design of the temple. The idol of Brahma is portrayed in a lifelike manner with four heads and four hands, facing the four different directions.
Besides the above mentioned decorations and architecture, there is much more to see and be awed in the temples that should definitely be included in your travel. The famous lakes of it also deserve a visit by anyone who decides to visit Pushkar. So when you draw up your plans to visit Rajasthan, ensure that you check into any of the magnificent resorts in Pushkar and pay a true tribute to this holy pilgrimage site of every Hindu.
By: Rajendra Sharma
