Lonar Crater Lake
Learn about Lonar Crater Lake in Maharashtra, the world's only basaltic saline crater lake, its meteorite origin, changing colours, unique biodiversity, and ancient temples.
In Maharashtra, the water level in reservoirs and lakes is receding, and groundwater levels are depleting. But the most famous Lonar Lake, which is the only saline crater lake in the world, has risen surprisingly up to 12-15 feet. Explore about Lonar Crater Lake in detail, how it was discovered, with trivia facts.
About Lonar Crater Lake
Lonar Lake is a lake of a lagoon, which is also known as Lonar Crater. It is situated in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra state in India.
It is less than 1.6 km in diameter, and it looks like a circular bowl. It is found inside the Deccan Plateau, which is a volcanic basalt rock which is a leftover from an eruption 65 million years ago.
How was Lonar Lake Discovered?
Lonar Lake was discovered by British officer J. E. Alexander. It was formed 52,000 years ago due to a meteorite impact.
It has a diameter of 1.2 kilometres (3,900 ft) and is about 137 metres (449 ft) below the crater rim.
Source: NASA
Do You KnowLonar Lake is the only crater lake in basaltic rock in the world, and it is the only saline crater lake in the world. Its water is seven times saltier than seawater due to the presence of basalt rock. |
Lonar Lake is not special because of its size and water, but also it is surrounded by ancient temples and natural beauty and has rich biodiversity with steep slopes.
This lake also has various vents that release many gases like methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, etc.
Approximately 15 temples are built near the Lonar Lake, but most of them are ruined today, except for the Daitya Sudan at the centre of the Lonar town.
Trivia FactsYou will be surprised to know that this lake keeps changing its colour. Sometimes it is seen in green, and sometimes it appears pink. But why is this lake changing its colour? It all depends on the seasons, water conditions and also on the presence of microorganisms that thrive in the saline and alkaline environments of the lake. |
In the Purans and Ain-i-Akbar, the presence of Lonar Lake is discussed, and many organisations, such as the Smithsonian Institution, the United States Geographic Survey in America, the Geological Society of India, and the Physical Research Laboratory of India, have done a lot of research on this lake.
Prabhat Mishra is a Subject Matter Expert and digital journalist with an extensive background in the competitive exam landscape and over 4 years of experience in education, national and international news, and current affairs. Over his tenure with top knowledge platforms like Mentorship India, IAS BABA, IAS SARTHI, and now Jagran Josh, he has a deep understanding of government exams like UPSC and State PCS, including UP and Bihar, as he has already qualified for the UPPCS 2022 Mains and Bihar 68th Mains. With his core expertise in history, polity, geography & current affairs, he specialises in creating well-researched, aspirant-centric content and simplifying complex topics for competitive examinations.
-1782651785103_t.webp)
