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The Lonar Lake in Maharashtra adds extra interest for the travelers as well as the tourists, with ideally perfect location and serene environment, serving the purpose of a short break from the hibbie-jibbies of modern life. Lonar Lake in Maharashtra is a mysterious weekend getaway with precious national geographical heritage value. The Lonar Crater Lake nestled near the Lonar town in the district of Buldhana is known to be a scientific and ecological treasure. The location is identified as a national geographical heritage site by the GSI (Geographical Survey of India). The place is so unique and regarded as special because the crater is known to have been created by a meteor.
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Historical facts about the Lonar Crater Lake
Lonar claims it global fame not only backed by its origin but also due to the ecological significance that the location beholds. The crater is believed to be related to the ancient Indian texts, which include the holy Ramayana by Valmiki. The Lonar Crater was initially found in 1823 by C.J.E Alexander, who was a British official. It is today considered to be a rich heritage, which attracts several tourists from all across the world. The Lonar Crater is included among one of the five world’s largest craters and is also the third-largest saltwater lake in the world as a whole.
Origin of the Crater Lake in Lonar
The Lonar Crater Lake in Buldhana district of Maharashtra is 50,000 years old, which was created in the Pleiostene Epoch. The origin of the Crater Lake in Lonar is pretty debatable. The geologists are confused about the creation of the Lake due to the round basin-like structure having defined edges portrayed. They doubt its development from a meteor or related to a volcano. For several years, the geologists were quite sure about the volcanic origin theory. Yet, after innumerable researches conducted, it was proved that Crater Lake was created due to the impact of a meteor. That is because a typical glassy material is found around the edges of the Lake, which resulted in the heat generated during the impact was made by a meteor.
Tourist attractions near the Lonar Crater Lake
There are several spots of tourist attractions encasing the Lonar Lake that will keep the travelers hooked. Lonar Lake is not only a serene hub that is best-suited for a weekend getaway. The location boasts several temples of historical importance and consists of different sight-seeing joints. Some of these temples near the Lonar Crater Lake include –Wagh-Mahadev Mandir, the Shankar-Ganesh Mandir, and the Ambarkhana Sun Temple. For the ones avidly interested in studying the temple architecture of ancient times, you will have many such places here beholding historical value.
The temples near the Lonar Lake were built by keeping in mind the Hemandpanthi architectural style, which means they were constructed without the use of any cementing agents. Near the Lonar Lake, several peafowls reside here within the region of the crater, which is a splendid sight for the visitors to have. In the vicinity of the Crater Lake, you will be able to spot some of the wildlife, including –the snakes, fox, mongoose, deer, and monitor lizard.
Mythological relevance with the Lonar Lake
Lonar Lake is not only famous for its aesthetic purposes but also has been related to Indian mythology. In the Ramayana by Valmiki, the Lonar Crater Lake has been referred to as the Panchapsar. Also, the epic poet Kalidas, 16 centuries ago, wrote about the Lonar Crater Lake in his epic poems. He referred to the Lonar Crater Lake as the Panchapsar in one of his famous texts with the title of Raghuvansh. The reason behind the historical name ‘Panchapsar’ denoted to the Lonar Crater Lake is –it was believed to be fed by five different streams.
How to Reach?
The Lonar Lake is nestled at Lonar in Buldhana District 505 km away from Mumbai and is at a 106 km distance from Aurangabad. It will take a little more than four hours of drive from the Ajanta Caves to reach the Lonar Crater Lake.
Nearest Airport: The nearest international Airport for the Lake is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. If you are flying by domestic flights, then the Aurangabad Airport will be the closest that is about 122 km away.
Nearest Railway Station: The major railway station located close to the Lonar Crater Lake is the Aurangabad Railway Station. The Railway station is well connected to various other significant cities in the country.
You can have the entire package of science, religion, and beauty surrounding the mystical land. The water of the Crater lake is saline as well as alkaline, which is not unique in the lands of India but also in the entire world. So what are you waiting for? Take a trip to the Lonar Crater Lake as your next weekend getaway!
