A look at most picturesque heritage lakes in India

India is a beautiful country steeped into history and culture. The place is home to some spectacular sights which are old and have existed since time unknown. Among such attractions are some lakes that have existed ever since! The nation is sprinkled with some breathtakingly beautiful lakes which are noted for their historical importance and nature of existence. These lakes are more than just a pretty sight or tourist attraction as they have immense heritage value.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the most picturesque heritage lakes in India:

For those who don’t know, Wular Lake in Bandipora district of Jammu & Kashmir is one of the oldest lakes in India. This breathtakingly beautiful waterbody is also among the largest freshwater lakes in Asia. Fed by the Jhelum River, the lake is an important fish and bird habitat. One can enjoy boating and watersports in the lake.

The largest lake in Kerala, Vembanad Lake is renowned for hosting historic snake boat race events every year! Popularly known as Punnamada, it is also the longest lake in the country. This scenic lake hosts a wide variety of migratory birds in the season and is home to more than a 100 native birds.

Also known as Bhojtal, Upper Lake is one the largest artificial lakes in India located in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. It is a major source of drinking water in the city. Bada talaab (big lake) and Chhota talaab (small lake together constitute Bhoj Wetland, which is now a Ramsar site.

It is counted among the oldest heritage lakes of India. Set in the town of Pushkar in Rajasthan, Pushkar Lake has immense religious importance for Hindus. There are nearly 52 bathing ghats and as many as 500 small and big Hindu temples surrounding this beautiful lake.

The only floating lake in the world, Loktak in Manipur is a unique sight to behold. It is also the largest freshwater lake in India. The lake is known for floating phumdis (heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and organic matter at various stages of decomposition) which are the only natural habitat of the endangered sangai (brow-antlered deer). It’s one of the must-visit natural heritage sites in India.