School series lake 24

Lakes of India — 2

Loktak — The Lake That Floats

In the north-eastern state of Manipur lies a lake that seems to defy nature.

Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the north-east of India. But its real wonder is not its size.

It floats.

Scattered across its surface are enormous floating masses called phumdis. They are made of vegetation, soil and organic matter held together naturally. Some are small, while others are large enough to support vegetation, houses and human activity.

And then comes the extraordinary part.

One of these floating formations is home to Keibul Lamjao National Park—the world's only floating national park.

It is also the last natural refuge of the sangai, the endangered brow-antlered deer found only in Manipur.

So here is a lake where:

The land floats.

The forest floats.

A national park floats.

And a rare deer walks upon floating earth.

Nature does not always make its wonders obvious.

Sometimes, even the land refuses to stay still.

Loktak — a lake where the impossible seems perfectly natural.