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 Lakes of India — 10

Kolleru — The Lake Between Two Great Rivers

In Andhra Pradesh lies Kolleru Lake, one of India's largest freshwater lakes.

What makes its location remarkable is that it lies between the Krishna and Godavari river deltas.

It is a natural freshwater lake, fed by several streams and seasonal channels, and acts as an important flood-balancing system for the surrounding region.

But Kolleru's greatest spectacle arrives with the birds.

During the winter months, thousands of migratory and resident birds gather here. Pelicans, painted storks, herons, egrets and many other waterbirds make the wetlands their seasonal home.

For centuries, the lake and its surrounding wetlands have also supported fishing and agriculture, making it important to the lives of local communities.

Kolleru therefore sits at a fascinating geographical crossroads:

Krishna on one side.

Godavari on the other.

A great freshwater lake between them.

And thousands of birds above it.

It is a reminder that wetlands are not empty spaces between rivers.

They are living ecosystems—storing water, supporting wildlife and sustaining people.

Kolleru: a lake between two rivers, but a world of its own.

I have selected just a hand full from 1000s of lakes of India. 

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 Lakes of India — 9

Roopkund — The Mysterious Skeleton Lake

High in the Himalayas of Uttarakhand, at an altitude of more than 5,000 metres, lies a tiny, frozen lake with a haunting secret.

Roopkund is popularly called the “Skeleton Lake.”

When the snow and ice melt, human skeletal remains can sometimes be seen around its edges. The discovery created a mystery that puzzled scientists for decades.

Who were these people?

For a long time, one popular explanation was that an entire group of pilgrims had been caught in a sudden hailstorm, and the injuries caused by the enormous hailstones killed them.

But modern scientific investigations, including DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating, have revealed a much more complicated story.

The remains belonged to different groups of people who died at different times, separated by centuries. Some individuals had South Asian ancestry, while others had ancestry linked to the eastern Mediterranean region.

So Roopkund's mystery has become even more fascinating.

It is not simply the story of one unfortunate group.

Different people.

Different centuries.

One remote Himalayan lake.

And a mystery that nature preserved in ice.

Roopkund reminds us that sometimes the Earth keeps its history hidden—and reveals it only when the ice melts.

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 Lakes of India — 8

Vembanad — Where Water Becomes a Way of Life

In Kerala lies Vembanad Lake, the longest lake in India and the heart of Kerala's famous backwaters.

But Vembanad is more than a beautiful stretch of water.

Here, water shapes the way people live.

Houseboats glide through the backwaters. Fishing boats move between villages. Coconut palms line the waterways, and narrow canals connect homes and fields.

And then comes one of its most remarkable features.

Around Vembanad lies Kuttanad, a farming region famous for cultivating rice in land that in places lies below sea level.

Think about that:

A farmer growing rice below the level of the sea!

The lake is also the setting for Kerala's spectacular snake-boat races, where long traditional boats carrying dozens of rowers cut through the water in perfect rhythm.

So Vembanad is not merely a lake.

It is a road.

It is a workplace.

It is a source of food.

It is a sporting arena.

It is part of people's everyday lives.

Perhaps that is the magic of Kerala's backwaters:

Here, water is not something that separates people.

Water connects them.

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 Lakes of India — 7

Wular — The Lake That Helps Control a River

In the Kashmir Valley lies Wular Lake, one of India's great freshwater lakes.

But Wular has a job that makes it special.

It acts as a natural flood reservoir for the Jhelum River. When heavy rains or snowmelt send large quantities of water downstream, Wular can absorb and store some of that excess water, helping reduce the severity of floods in the valley.

It is also one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in India and is an important wetland for many species of birds and fish.

The lake has another interesting connection with Kashmir's geography. It was formed in a tectonic depression, created by movements of the Earth's crust, and the Jhelum flows through it.

So Wular is not simply sitting quietly in the valley.

A river enters.

The lake receives it.

The lake stores its excess.

The river continues its journey.

In a sense, Wular is nature's own water-management system—a giant reservoir created without a dam.

And perhaps that is its most beautiful lesson:

Sometimes nature builds the infrastructure long before humans learn that it is needed.

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 Lakes of India — 6

Dal — The Lake That Has a Life of Its Own

In the heart of Srinagar lies Dal Lake, perhaps one of India's most familiar lakes. Yet there is much more to it than its famous shikaras and houseboats.

Dal is almost a world of its own.

People live on the lake in houseboats. Shikaras serve as boats, taxis and even floating shops. Early in the morning, the lake comes alive with the floating vegetable market, where farmers bring their produce by boat. We did spend one evening and night in the boat house during our trip to Srinagar in 2018_ 19. It's an amazing experience.

There are also floating gardens, where vegetables are cultivated on specially prepared masses of vegetation and soil.

And then there is the reflection.

The surrounding mountains, sky, trees and houseboats are mirrored in the still waters, making the lake appear to become part of the landscape itself.

In winter, the character of the lake changes again. Mist settles over the water, the mountains become hazy and the famous Kashmir atmosphere takes on an almost dreamlike quality.

Perhaps that is what makes Dal different.

It is not merely a lake to look at.

It is a lake to live on.

Boats move, vegetables are sold, gardens float, people travel and life goes on—all upon the water.

One lake. A floating neighbourhood. A floating market. A floating way of life.

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 Lakes of India — 5

Sambhar — The Lake That Makes Salt

In the dry landscape of Rajasthan lies Sambhar Lake, India's largest inland salt lake.

At first glance, it may look like an enormous sheet of water. But Sambhar has a remarkable secret:

It makes salt.

Several seasonal streams bring water into the lake. The intense heat of Rajasthan causes much of the water to evaporate, leaving behind the salt. For centuries, people have harvested this natural salt.

The lake also becomes a spectacular destination for migratory birds. Flamingos and many other waterbirds arrive here, turning the stark landscape into a scene full of life.

And there is something fascinating about its appearance.

The lake does not always look like a conventional lake. During the dry season, vast salt pans and glistening white surfaces can stretch across the landscape.

So Sambhar is not simply a lake holding water.

Water enters.

The sun takes the water away.

Salt remains.

Birds arrive.

People harvest.

Nature has created, right in the middle of Rajasthan's arid landscape, a giant natural salt-making factory.

One lake. One sun. One extraordinary natural process.

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 Lakes of India — 4

Pangong Tso — The Lake of Changing Colours

High in the mountains of Ladakh, at about 4,225 metres above sea level, lies one of India's most spectacular lakes.

Pangong Tso is an extraordinary sight—not only because of its stark beauty, but because its waters can appear to change colour.

Depending on the sunlight, weather, time of day and viewing angle, the lake may appear deep blue, turquoise, greenish or even grey.

But there is another remarkable fact.

Pangong Tso is not entirely in India. About one-third lies in India and the rest extends into Tibet, under Chinese control.

It is also a saline lake, despite being surrounded by some of the world's highest mountains.

In winter, its surface can freeze completely, turning the brilliant blue lake into a vast sheet of ice.

There is something almost surreal about the scene:

Blue water.

Brown mountains.

A cloudless sky.

No trees.

And an immense silence.

Pangong teaches us something simple:

Nature does not need colour to be ordinary—or silence to be empty.

One lake. Two countries. Many colours. One unforgettable landscape.

And Pangong is not alone in changing colour.

The mountains around Ladakh have colours of their own. Golden in one light, brown in another, black, grey or even reddish elsewhere. Some appear to glow in the morning sun and turn almost silver towards evening.

There are no lush forests to soften the landscape. Instead, there are bare mountains, deep blue skies, shimmering waters and an extraordinary silence.

It is a landscape painted without a painter.

Perhaps that is Ladakh's greatest magic: nothing seems to be there, yet everything is there.

Colour. Light. Space. Silence. And a beauty that is difficult to describe.