Manasbal Lake

Manasbal Lake is the deepest freshwater lake found in the Safapora area of Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Named after the sacred Manasarovar. The lake is encircled by four villages, viz., Jarokbal, Kondabal, Nesbal (situated on the north-eastern side of the lake), and Gratbal. It's renowned for its lotus blooms (Nelumbo nucifera) at the periphery of the lake (blooms during July and August) adds to the beauty of the clear waters of the lake. The Mughal garden, called the Jaroka Bagh (meaning bay window), built by Nur Jahan, overlooks the lake.

The lake is a good place for birdwatching as it is one of the largest natural spawning grounds of Aquatic birds in Kashmir and has the epithet "supreme gem of all Kashmir Lakes". The rootstocks of the lotus plant, which grows extensively in the lake, are harvested and marketed, and also eaten by the local people.

The lake is approached from Srinagar by a 30-kilometre (19 mi) road via Shadipora, Nasim, and Ganderbal. The road to Wular Lake, the largest lake in Kashmir, passes through this lake via Safapora. It is also easy to reach Manasbal from Sonmarg via Ganderbal.

It is believed to be an ancient lake by locals, but exact dating is yet to be done. Close to the northern shore of the lake are the ruins of a 17th-century fort, called the Jharokha Bagh, built by the Mughals, used in the past by caravans traveling from Punjab to Kashmir.

The lake is surrounded by the Baladar mountains on the east, by an elevated plateau known as 'Karewa' comprising lacustrine, fluviatile, and loessic deposits on the north, and bounded by the Ahtung hills in the south, which are used for limestone extraction.

Along the course of the Jhelum River, the Manasbal Lake falls under the third series of high altitude lakes of the Himalayas (designated concerning their origin, altitudinal situation and nature of biota they contain) as the valley lakes (Dal, Anchar Lake, Manasbal etc.) situated at the altitudinal zone of 1,585–1,600 m (5,200–5,249 ft); the other two types being the high altitude wetlands (altitude 1,585–4,000 m or 5,200–13,123 ft amsl) of the second series of lakes (Nilnag) in the lower fringes of Pir Panjal ranges right amid pine forests, and the glaciated lakes of the first series situated on the inner Himalayas between 3,000–4,000 m (9,800–13,100 ft) amsl (Alipathar, Sheshnag, Kounsarnag, Tar Sar, Marsar, Vishansar, Gangbal, Kishan Sar, Kyo Tso, Pangong Tso, etc.) which have probably originated during the third Himalayan glaciation. A fissure is reported to be running from east to west at the centre of the lake.

Important vegetation in the catchment of the lake comprises Orchards (apple, mulberry), some Platanus (Chinar trees), and Salix trees. Safar, adjacent to Safapur, contains an extensive grove of Chinar trees, known as Badshah Boni, royal Chinar, and was planted in imitation of the Nasim Bagh in Srinagar. Maize, mustard, and wheat are generally the main crops grown in the agricultural lands of the catchment. In recent years, land use patterns have changed with more land used for horticulture and also diversion of land for construction purposes.

The drainage basin for the lake, covering an area of 10 km² (3.9 sq mi), has no major inlet channels and is thus fed mainly by precipitation (rain and snow fall) and springs (more than 1,200 springs). Lake water outflows to the Jhelum River through a regulated outflow channel. The lake is the source of water for fishing and for obtaining food and fodder plants.