Loktak lake – It Has Been A Natural Wealth Of Amazing Flora And Fauna By Floating Water Forever

LOKTAK LAKE

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BISHNUPUR

Loktak lake is situated in the BishnuFpur District of Manipur state of India. One of the most enchanting and biggest fresh-water lakes in the north-east is the Manipur's Loktak Lake.Loktak Lake of Imphal is the world’s only Floating Lake and seems like an entire ecosystem in itself. There is a varied collection of flora and fauna around this freshwater lake. 

The most important feature of the Lake are the ‘phumdis’ or the floating organic matter including soil can be seen floating on the Lake, giving the impression, of land floating on water.You can also find a diverse species of flora and fauna here. About, 116 species of birds and 233 species of fauna have been observed here. This rich biodiversity and combined with breathtaking scenic beauty has popularized this Lake among the visitors!

The Sendra Island Tourist Bungalow offers dazzling views of the lake, its rich plant and avian life and the intriguing floating weed, shallow bowl-like islands (Phumdi) and the fishermen who live on them harvesting water chestnuts.

Situated in the middle of the lake, the tourist home has a cafe and makes an ideal look¬out. Boating has been introduced along the lake's labyrinthine waterways.Also on the southern part of the lake is the world's only floating national park,

Loktak Lake has also earned the laurel of being ‘the wetland of international importance’ under the Ramsar Convention on March 23, 1990. The lake is spread over an area of 286 sq km and is located at a height of 768.5 m.

This Lake also serves as the source of irrigation, hydro power generation and also solves the problem of drinking water in the vicinity. This ancient lake plays an important role in the economy of Manipur. It serves as a source of water for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water supply. 

The lake is also a source of livelihood for the rural fisherman who live in the surrounding areas and on phumdis, also known as “phumshongs”. Phumdis are used by the local people for constructing huts, for fishing and other livelihood uses. 

The villagers create artificial circular enclosures out of phumids for fish farming. These are the structures you see in the picture below. Nearly 100,000 people depends on the lake for their livelihood.

Loktak lake is located 39 km from Imphal, the capita city of Manipur which is well connected by road and air. The lake is a unique destination for tourism, offering visitors excellent opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the lake and its several islands of floating phumdis of different geometrical shapes

By Air 

The nearest airport is Imphal

By Train

Dimapur (in Nagaland) is 215km.

By Bus 

National Highway 39 links Imphal with Guwahati via Dimapur and National Highway 53 with Silchar. But, for the tourists, it is best to fly in.

Some Noteworthy World Heritage Destinations In India

SIGNIFICANT WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN INDIA

India’s first two sites inscribed on the list at the Seventh Session of the World Heritage held in 1983 were the Agra Fort and the Ajanta Caves. Of these 35 sites, 27 are cultural sites,7 are natural sites and one is a mixed site.

Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam

Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Northeastern state of Assam in the flood plains of the Brahmaputra River’s south bank, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 for its unique natural environment. The park, which covers an area of 42,996 hectares (106,250 acres), has the distinction of being home to the largest population of the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros. There are many other mammals and birds species in the sanctuary.

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the northeastern state of Assam covers an area of 50,000 hectares (120,000 acres) in the plains of the Manas River in the foot hills of the Himalayas, on the border with Bhutan (contiguous with the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan). It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 for its unique natural environment. The sanctuary is the habitat of several species of plants, 21 most-threatened species of mammals (out of 55 mammal species in the sanctuary), 36 reptile species, 3 amphibians and 350 species of birds. Endangered species include tiger, pygmy hog, clouded leopard, sloth bear, Indian rhinoceros, wild buffaloes (the only pure strain of buffalo in India), Indian elephants, golden langur and Bengal florican.

Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar

Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (Buddha Gaya), spread over an area of 4.86 hectares (12.0 acres) was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List i as a unique property of cultural and archaeological importance. The first temple was built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC (260 BC) around the Bodhi Tree Ficus religiosa (to the west of the temple). However, the temples seen now are dated between 5th and 6th centuries AD. The structures have been built in bricks. Revered and sanctified as the place where Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was enlightened in 531 BC at age 35, and then propagated his divine knowledge of Buddhism to the world, it has been the ultimate temple for reverential worship, over the last several centuries, by Buddhists of all denominations, from all over the world who visit on pilgrimage.

Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi

Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi, the first tomb built with several innovations, set at the centre of luxurious gardens with water channels, was the precursor monument to the Taj Mahal (built a century later). It was built in 1570 and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Monument in 1993 for its cultural importance. It was built in 1569–1570 by the second Mughal Emperor Humayun’s widow Biga Begum (Hajji Begum). Its architecture is credited to Mirza Ghiyath and its Mughal architectural style has been acclaimed as the “necropolis of the Mughal dynasty” for its double domed elevation provided with Chhatris. Apart from the tomb of Humayun, the funerary also has 150 tombs of various members of the royal family.

Gravity Defying Palace – Twenty Two Thousand Employees Worked To Finish The Construction Of Palace

GRAVITY DEFYING PALACE

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LUCKNOW

Gravity Defying Palace is located at lucknow the capital city of Uttar Pradesh state of India. The Palace is the Bara Imambara – bar meaning big and imambara meaning a shrine.  It was built by the fourth Nawab, Barak Imambara Asaf-ud-Daula, in the year 1784 and is a blend of Arabic and European architecture.

This structural miracle goes back to the eighteenth CE. Nawab Asaf Ud Daulah made this wonder, mixing European and Arabic design in flawless amicability.

The focal curved corridor is 50 meters in length and around three stories high, hanging without the backing of any columns or bars! The principle lobby is known for the engineering of the maze or bhul-bhulaiya, with more than 1000 restricted staircase entries.

The Imambara complex additionally houses lavish greenhouses, a stupendous mosque and a baoli.The surrounding of the palace also includes a mosque and a step-well – bowli. The palace, housing the tombs of Asaf-ud-Daula and his family, is also believed to hold riches.  This is one of the most significant monuments in Uttar Pradesh.

What is special about this palace is the central hall, which as described above, is about 50 metres long and 15 metres wide, and is suspended without any pillars or beams supporting it.

The hall has been constructed only through interlocking brickwork.  There are eight chambers of different roof-heights surrounding the hall. What makes it even more interesting is the whispering sounds that one encounters in the balcony across the hall. This is one of the largest arched constructions in the world.

History has it that the Nawab had conceived the construction of this monument to generate employment to counter a devastating famine that had hit the region. The construction employed about 22,000 people.

It is rumoured that while ordinary people worked during the day at the construction site, noble men and courtiers, to make ends meet, worked in the nights so that they would not be identified.  Approximately about a million rupees is supposed to have been spent in the construction of this palace, and its annual maintenance amounted to about five hundred thousand rupees.

By Air

Lucknow travel can be made easier when traveling through the air. That dismisses the question of how to reach Lucknow faster. Lucknow airport is located 14km away from the city centre. Flights to Lucknow are regularly available all major metros. Regular flights are available from cities like Delhi and Mumbai. Booking of tickets for flights to Lucknow should be done at the earliest to enjoy the best rates.

By Train

The Lucknow City centre and Charbagh are the two main railway stations in this city. Travellers can board a train to Lucknow from almost any part of the country. There are a number of Lucknow trains connecting even the farthest place in India. So travellers need not worry about how to go to Lucknow because of its excellent connectivity to other cities in India.

By Bus

The major highways passing through Lucknow are NH 2 and NH56. When you are looking for a Lucknow trip by bus, check out the latest timings and fares before you make a decision. Go on a Lucknow trip by bus to understand the culture and heritage of this place. If you are a backpacker, Lucknow visits by bus can be an amazing experience.