WHEN LAKE AND SKY BECOME ONE: LONAR LAKE

Dhriti Chopra

WHEN LAKE AND SKY BECOME ONE: LONAR LAKE

India never fails to surprise us with its culture, heritage and architecture. The mesmerising man-made creations are one-of-a-kind that can be only found here. While we obsess over the intricately carved niches, the beautiful hallways adorned with jewels and paintings, we forget that India also has a treasure of nature, equally fulfilling. Let’s embark on a journey to Lonar Lake and see its mesmerising story.

The NASA Satellite view of the Lonar Lake. Image Source: Wikipedia Commons

During the Pleistocene Epoch or what is also known as the Ice Age, a meteoroid tearing through the universal sky with a streak of light crashed into the surface of the Earth. The moment the meteor weighing two million tons entered Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of ninety thousand kilometres per hour, it created a crate inside the Deccan Plateau in present-day Buldhana district in Maharashtra due to the high-velocity impact. The speed and the size of the meteor hitting the surface created a massive depression that is 1.8m wide and 137m deep.

The deep hollow in the middle of this Maharashtrian district eventually got filled with water and led to the creation of the Lonar Lake which is the only lake formed in basaltic rock all over the world. This is one of the four basalt rock craters in the world, with the rest three in the South Brazilian region. According to the geological dating procedures and the Argon-argon dating, scientists have found out that this lake was created around 570,000 years ago.

While the creation of this lake fascinated and shocked people, this is not the end of its interesting personality. This lake uniquely and at the same time bizarrely has the property of both alkaline and saline in its water. The water is a deep rich blue colour that cannot be seen anywhere else. The means through which this lake was created along with the soil, humidity and water has led to the existence of a variety of rare and exceptional flora and fauna in and around this lake.

Historically speaking, the lake has a lot of legends associated with it. The Daitya Sudan Temple, located near the Lonar lake is one of the oldest temples belonging to the Chalukya period. It was built between the 6th and 22nd centuries CE. According to the legend, this temple is associated with Lord Vishnu as the temple depicts him killing and slaying the demon Lonasura. This particular incident is regarded as the reason why this lake is known as the Lonar Lake.

You can find the mention of this lake in various other scriptures including Padma Purana and Skanda Purana. Even the famous Ain-i-Akbari talks about the marvel of Lonar Lake. Abul Faz’l writes, “These mountains produce all the requisites for making glass and soap. And here are saltpetre works which yield a considerable revenue to the State, from the duties collected. On these mountains is a spring of saltwater, but the water from the centre and the edges is perfectly fresh.”

The Buldhana District where you find the Lonar Lake has been a part of various empires including the Maurya Empire, Satavahna Empire, Chalukyas, the Rashtrakutas, and even the Mughals, Yadavs, and the British. The peculiar features of this lake made it quite a prosperous destination for extracting resources and using it for various industries.

This lake is one of the unique destinations in India in terms of its geological history. The rare finds and the reason for its creation have made it one of the four existing Baltic lakes in the world. While the world struggles with climate change and the pollution of various natural resources, it becomes our duty to preserve and create a hospitable environment for our flora and fauna to exist.

Social Media Captions (for all): While we obsess over the intricately carved niches, and the beautiful hallways adorned with jewels and paintings, we forget that India also has a treasure of nature, equally fulfilling. Let’s embark on a journey to Lonar Lake and see its mesmerising story.