Getting ready for competitive exams like SSC and Railway exams can feel tough, but with the right preparation, you can make it easier. One important topic in the geography section is lakes in India. You’ll often find questions about natural and artificial lakes in these exams, so knowing about them is helpful.
In this blog, we’ve made a simple list of 30 famous lakes in India that are often asked about. Some are natural, and others are man-made. These lakes are important because of their location, size, or special features. Knowing where they are and why they are important will help you answer questions more easily in your exam.
We’ve kept the information easy to understand and included key facts about each lake. Whether you’re just starting to study or need a quick revision, this guide will help you remember the details and feel more confident. So, let’s get started and learn about these important lakes to give your preparation a boost!
Important Lakes and Location :
| Sl. No. | Lake Name | Location | Important Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vembanad Lake | Kerala | Largest lake in Kerala and longest lake in India. |
| 2 | Chilika Lake | Odisha | Largest coastal lagoon in India; famous for bird sanctuary. |
| 3 | Wular Lake | Jammu & Kashmir | Largest freshwater lake in India. |
| 4 | Pulicat Lake | Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu | Second largest brackish water lagoon in India. |
| 5 | Loktak Lake | Manipur | Only floating lake in the world; known for its phumdis (floating islands). |
| 6 | Sambhar Lake | Rajasthan | Largest inland saltwater lake in India. |
| 7 | Dal Lake | Jammu & Kashmir | Famous for houseboats and scenic beauty. |
| 8 | Pangong Lake | Ladakh | High-altitude lake, partially in China; famous for its color-changing waters. |
| 9 | Naini Lake | Uttarakhand | Famous natural freshwater lake in Nainital. |
| 10 | Sardar Sarovar Lake | Gujarat | Formed by the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River. |
| 11 | Tsomgo Lake | Sikkim | High-altitude glacial lake; sacred to Buddhists. |
| 12 | Upper Lake (Bhojtal) | Madhya Pradesh | Largest artificial lake in Bhopal, created by Raja Bhoj. |
| 13 | Hussain Sagar | Telangana | Heart-shaped artificial lake in Hyderabad, built during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah. |
| 14 | Pushkar Lake | Rajasthan | Sacred lake in Pushkar, associated with Hindu mythology. |
| 15 | Bhimtal Lake | Uttarakhand | Largest lake in Kumaon region, named after Bhima of Mahabharata. |
| 16 | Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar | Uttar Pradesh | Formed by Rihand Dam, largest reservoir in India. |
| 17 | Dhebar Lake (Jaisamand Lake) | Rajasthan | Second largest artificial lake in India. |
| 18 | Nagarjuna Sagar Lake | Telangana | Formed by the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam on the Krishna River. |
| 19 | Kolleru Lake | Andhra Pradesh | Freshwater lake between the Krishna and Godavari deltas; bird sanctuary. |
| 20 | Renuka Lake | Himachal Pradesh | Largest natural lake in Himachal Pradesh, sacred to goddess Renuka. |
| 21 | Suraj Tal | Himachal Pradesh | One of the highest lakes in India, near Baralacha Pass. |
| 22 | Pichola Lake | Rajasthan | Artificial freshwater lake, famous for the Lake Palace in Udaipur. |
| 23 | Kanwar Lake | Bihar | Asia’s largest freshwater oxbow lake, important for migratory birds. |
| 24 | Lonar Lake | Maharashtra | Only saltwater lake in basaltic rock, formed by a meteorite impact. |
| 25 | Tso Moriri Lake | Ladakh | High-altitude lake in the Rupshu Valley; important wetland. |
| 26 | Nakki Lake | Rajasthan | Artificial lake in Mount Abu, associated with Hindu mythology. |
| 27 | Rabindra Sarobar | West Bengal | Artificial lake, also known as Dhakuria Lake, popular recreational area. |
| 28 | Ashtamudi Lake | Kerala | Known for houseboats and backwater tourism, part of the Vembanad Lake system. |
| 29 | Chembarambakkam Lake | Tamil Nadu | Artificial lake, water source for Chennai city. |
| 30 | Sheshnag Lake | Jammu & Kashmir | High-altitude lake, sacred to Hindus, located en route to Amarnath. |
15 frequently asked questions (FAQs) about important lakes and their locations:
1. Which is the largest freshwater lake in India?
- Answer: Wular Lake (Jammu & Kashmir).
2. Where is Pulicat Lake located?
- Answer: On the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
3. Which is the largest saltwater lake in India?
- Answer: Chilika Lake (Odisha).
4. Which is the highest lake in India?
- Answer: Pangong Tso (Ladakh).
5. What is the location of Sambhar Lake?
- Answer: Rajasthan.
6. Where is Vembanad Lake located?
- Answer: Kerala (it is the longest lake in India).
7. Which is the largest artificial lake in India?
- Answer: Gobind Sagar Lake (Himachal Pradesh).
8. Where is Loktak Lake, known for its phumdis, located?
- Answer: Manipur.
9. In which state is Kolleru Lake situated?
- Answer: Andhra Pradesh.
10. Which lake is known as the “Floating Lake”?
- Answer: Loktak Lake (Manipur).
11. Where is Lonar Lake, a crater lake, located?
- Answer: Maharashtra.
12. Where is Dal Lake, famous for houseboats and shikaras, located?
- Answer: Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.
13. Which lake is located in the Thar Desert?
- Answer: Sambhar Lake (Rajasthan).
14. Where is Suraj Tal (Lake of the Sun) located?
- Answer: Himachal Pradesh (near Baralacha Pass).
15. Which lake is formed due to a dam on the Narmada River?
- Answer: Indira Sagar Lake (Madhya Pradesh).
