Largest Lakes in India
India boasts a diverse array of lakes, each playing a significant role in its ecological and cultural landscape. From the vast brackish waters of Chilika Lake to the scenic beauty of Vembanad Lake, these significant bodies of water contribute to regional biodiversity, support local economies, and offer vital resources. Exploring the largest lakes in India reveals their immense importance and unique characteristics that make them integral to the country’s natural heritage.
Vembanad Lake is the biggest lake in India and the largest in Kerala. It covers a large area of 230 square kilometers and stretches for about 96.5 kilometers in length. The lake spreads across three districts in Kerala, where it is known by different names. In Kottayam and nearby areas, it’s called Vembanad Lake. In Alappuzha, it is referred to as Punnamada Lake, and in Kochi, it’s known as Kochi Lake.
This huge lake is surrounded by many small islands, such as Vypin, Mulavukad, Maradu, Udayamperoor, Vallarpadam, and Willingdon Island. The famous Kochi Port is located near Willingdon and Vallarpadam islands. The lake is not only important for its size but also for its role in the lives of the people around it, supporting fishing, tourism, and transportation.
Vembanad Lake is the largest lake in India and the biggest in Kerala. It is known by different names in various regions, including Vembanad Lake, Punnamada Lake, and Kochi Lake, depending on the nearby district.
Location: The lake is located in the state of Kerala, spreading across three districts: Kottayam, Alappuzha, and Kochi. In these areas, it is called different names like Vembanad Lake in Kottayam, Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha, and Kochi Lake in Kochi.
Area: Vembanad Lake covers a huge area of 230 square kilometers, making it the largest lake in India. The lake is very long, stretching about 96.5 kilometers, and includes many small islands around it, especially near Kochi.
Chilika Lake is the second largest lake in India and the biggest brackish water lagoon in Asia. It covers more than 1,100 square kilometers in size. The lake is located in Odisha, across the districts of Puri, Khordha, and Ganjam, on India’s eastern coast. Chilika is situated where the Daya River meets the Bay of Bengal, allowing a mix of freshwater and seawater.
Wular Lake is the biggest freshwater lake in India, found in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir. The lake is quite large, covering an area between 30 to 260 square kilometers. It was created by natural movements in the Earth’s crust and gets its water mainly from the Jhelum River.
Wular Lake is rich in wildlife, especially fish. Some common fish found here include carp, rosy barb, mosquito fish, and different types of local species. It’s known as one of India’s most beautiful natural places and is considered a valuable natural heritage site. Other well-known freshwater lakes in India are Loktak Lake in Manipur and Barapani Lake in Meghalaya.
Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar, also known as Rihand Dam, is the largest man-made lake in India. It is located in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, near the border with Madhya Pradesh. The lake covers an area of 480 square kilometers, with a reservoir area of 130 square kilometers.
The main purpose of the lake is to provide water for irrigation and to generate hydropower. Construction of the dam started in 1954 and was finished in 1962. The second largest man-made lake in India is Dhebar Lake, also called Jaisamand Lake, which is found in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan.
India’s diverse landscape features numerous significant lakes, each with ecological, cultural, or economic importance. From the serene Dal Lake in Kashmir to the vast Chilika Lake in Odisha, these lakes play crucial roles in the country’s biodiversity and heritage. Here is the list of important lakes in India.
| Lakes in India | State | Type of Lake |
| Pulicat | Andhra Pradesh | Brackish Water |
| Korlleru Lake | Andhra Pradesh | Freshwater |
| Nagarjuna Sagar | Andhra Pradesh | Freshwater |
| Haflong Lake | Assam | Freshwater |
| Deepor Beel | Assam | Freshwater |
| Son Beel | Assam | Freshwater |
| Chandubi | Assam | Oxbow |
| Kanwar | Bihar | Oxbow |
| Hamirsar | Gujarat | Artificial |
| Kankaria | Gujarat | Artificial |
| Narayan Sarovar | Gujarat | Artificial Freshwater |
| Thol Lake | Gujarat | Lentic Lake |
| Vastrapur | Gujarat | Freshwater |
| Badkhal | Haryana | Freshwater |
| Blue Bird Lake | Haryana | Freshwater |
| Brahma Sarovar | Haryana | Freshwater |
| Damdama Lake | Haryana | Freshwater |
| Karna | Haryana | Freshwater |
| Tilyar | Haryana | Freshwater |
| Chandra Taal | Himachal Pradesh | – |
| Suraj Taal | Himachal Pradesh | Freshwater |
| Maharana Pratap Sagar | Himachal Pradesh | Freshwater |
| Prashar Lake | Himachal Pradesh | Holomitic |
| Dal Lake | Jammu Kashmir | – |
| Wular Lake | Jammu Kashmir | – |
| Agara | Karnataka | Freshwater |
| Ulsoor | Karnataka | Stale Water |
| Kukarahalli | Karnataka | Freshwater |
| Honnamana | Karnataka | Freshwater |
| Pampa Sarovar | Karnataka | Freshwater |
| Ashtamudi Kayal | Kerala | Brackish Water |
| Kuttanad | Kerala | Brackish Water |
| Vembanad | Kerala | Brackish Water |
| Sasthamkotta | Kerala | Freshwater |
| Bhojtal | Madhya Pradesh | Freshwater |
| Salim Ali | Maharashtra | Freshwater |
| Shivsagar | Maharashtra | Freshwater |
| Lonar | Maharashtra | Crater Lake |
| Loktak | Manipur | Lenticular Freshwater |
| Umiam | Meghalaya | Freshwater |
| Tam Dil | Mizoram | Freshwater |
| Chilika Lake | Odisha | Brackish Water |
| Harike | Punjab | Freshwater |
| Kanijli | Punjab | Freshwater |
| Sambhar Lake | Rajasthan | Saltwater |
| Rajsamand | Rajasthan | Freshwater |
| Tsomgo | Sikkim | Freshwater |
| Khecheoplari | Sikkim | Freshwater |
| Ooty Lake | Tamil Nadu | Freshwater |
| Chembarambakkam | Tamil Nadu | Artificial Lake |
| Hussain Sagar | Telangana | Artificial Lake |
| Badrakali Lake | Telangana | Freshwater |
| Govind Bhallabh Pant Sagar | Uttar Pradesh | Man-Made Lake |
| Belasagar | Uttar Pradesh | Freshwater |
| Bhimtal | Uttarakhand | Freshwater |
| Kaliveli | Tamil Nadu | – |
| Lakes in UTs | State/UT | Type of Lake |
| Chandigarh | Sukhna Lake | Reservoir |
| Ladakh
| Tso Moriri | Brackish |
| Tso Kar | Fluctuating Salt Lake | |
| Pangong Tso | – | |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Dal Lake | Warm Monomitic |
| Nageen Lake | Eutrophic Lake | |
| Pangong Tso | Endorheic Lake | |
| Wular Lake | Tectonic Lake | |
| Tso Moriri | Saltwater | |
| West Bengal | East Calcutta Wetlands | Brackish Water |
| Puducherry | Bahour Lake | – |
| Ousteri lake | Man-made Lake | |
| Velrampet Lake | – | |
| Nallambal Lake | Artificial |
Vembanad Lake is the largest lake of India in terms of area with an area of 2033 square kilometers, followed by Chilika Lake, Shivaji Sagar Lake and Indira Sagar Lake.
Here is the list of top-10 largest lakes in India:
| Largest Lakes in India | State | Area |
| Vembanad Lake | Kerela | 2033 sq km |
| Chilika Lake | Odisha | 1165 sq km |
| Shivaji Sagar Lake | Maharashtra | 891.7 sq km |
| Indira Sagar Lake | Madhya Pradesh | 700 sq km |
| Panong Lake | Ladakh | 627 sq km |
| Pulicat Lake | Andhra Pradesh | 450 sq km |
| Sardar Sarovar Lake | Gujarat | 375 sq km |
| Nagarjuna Sagar Lake | Telangana | 287 sq km |
| Loktak Lake | Manipur | 285 sq km |
| Wular Lake | Jammu and Kashmir | 260 sq km |
A lake is a large body of water surrounded by land and often serves as a habitat for various aquatic species while providing recreational and aesthetic benefits to humans.
India's largest freshwater lake is Wular Lake, located in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Yes, Chilika Lake is both the largest saltwater lake in India and the second largest lake by area, covering 1,165 square kilometers across the districts of Puri, Ganjam, and Khurda.
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