🗂️ Classification of Lakes
Formed by tectonic activity — e.g. Wular Lake (J&K)
Coastal saline/brackish — e.g. Chilika, Vembanad,
Pulicat
High altitude — e.g. Kedartal, Tsomgo, Roopkund, Gurudongmar
Erosion by wind — e.g. Sambhar, Didwana, Pachpadra
(Rajasthan)
Volcanic/Meteorite — e.g. Lonar Lake (Maharashtra)
Dams & reservoirs — e.g. GB Pant Sagar, Govind Sagar
🏆 "Largest / First" Rankings — Most Asked
| Superlative |
Lake |
State |
| Largest Freshwater Lake in India |
Wular Lake |
J&K (Bandipora) |
| India's Largest Brackish Water Lake (Lagoon) |
Chilika Lake |
Odisha |
| India's 2nd Largest Brackish Water Lake |
Pulicat Lake |
AP + TN border |
| India's Longest Lake |
Vembanad Lake |
Kerala |
| Largest Inland Saline Lake |
Sambhar Lake |
Rajasthan |
| NE India's Largest Freshwater Lake |
Loktak Lake |
Manipur |
| India's Largest Artificial Lake |
Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar |
UP (Rihand River) |
| High-altitude lake |
Cholamu Lake |
Sikkim |
| Largest Ox-bow Lake |
Kanwar Taal |
Bihar |
| Smallest Ramsar Site in India (20 ha) |
Renuka Lake |
Himachal Pradesh |
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Wular is India's largest freshwater lake, while Chilika is its largest brackish-water lagoon; the categories are different.
- Lonar Lake was formed by a meteorite impact in basaltic rock; it is not a volcanic crater.
- Sambhar = India's largest inland saline lake — NOT largest overall
- Kanwar Taal (Bihar) = largest ox-bow lake — BPSC important!
🌊 Tectonic Lakes
- Location: Bandipora district, J&K
-
Largest Freshwater lake in India
- Located on river Jhelum
- At foothills of Harmukh mountain
- Result of tectonic activities
- Ramsar Convention: 1990
🌊 Lagoon / Backwater Lakes
- Location: Puri, Khordha and Ganjam districts, Odisha
- India's largest brackish water lagoon
- Area: 1165 km²
- UNESCO Tentative World Heritage Site: 2014
- Ramsar Site: 1981 (Chilika and Keoladeo were India's first two Ramsar Sites)
- Location: Kottayam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam border
- India's longest lake
- Famous boat race held annually
- Major inflows include Pamba, Meenachil, Achankovil and Manimala
- Two islands: Vallarpadam + Wellington
- Also called Kayal (Kerala backwater)
- Location: AP-Tamil Nadu border
- India's 2nd largest brackish water lake
- Mangrove forests on shore
- Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary here
- Largest inland saline lake
- Migratory birds: Pink Flamingo in winter
- Ramsar: 1990
- Shallow inland saline depression in an arid basin; seasonal-stream inflow
🧊 Glacial Lakes
| Lake |
Location |
Special |
| Kedartal |
Garhwal, Uttarakhand |
— |
| Tsongmo (Tsomgo) |
Sikkim |
High altitude |
| Roopkund |
Uttarakhand |
Altitude ~5,029 m; oval-shaped; mystery lake (skeletal remains) |
| Ghepang Nath |
Himachal Pradesh |
High altitude; Chandra Basin |
| Dal Lake |
Jammu & Kashmir |
Famous for houseboats & shikaras |
- Formed by meteorite impact (NOT volcanic)
- Caldera = expanded volcanic crater (general definition)
- Lonar = saline meteorite-impact crater lake in basaltic terrain
-
Sambhar Lake — Rajasthan (largest inland saline)
-
Didwana — Rajasthan
-
Pachpadra — Balotra district, Rajasthan
- Playa = flat-floored arid-basin depression; may hold temporary saline water
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Chilika Ramsar = 1981 (with Keoladeo among India's first two Ramsar Sites)
- Sambhar Ramsar = 1990 | Wular Ramsar = 1990
- Lonar = meteorite crater (NOT volcanic!) — Maharashtra
- Vembanad = India's longest lake (NOT largest area)
🏗️ Major Man-made / Artificial Lakes
| Lake |
River |
State |
Note |
| Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar |
Rihand River |
Uttar Pradesh |
India's largest artificial lake |
| Govind Sagar |
Sutlej River |
Himachal Pradesh |
Bhakra Dam reservoir |
| Stanely Reservoir |
Kaveri River |
Tamil Nadu |
— |
| Nagarjuna Sagar |
Krishna River |
AP + Telangana border |
— |
| Gandhi Sagar |
Chambal River |
Madhya Pradesh |
— |
| Rana Pratap Sagar |
Chambal River |
Rajasthan |
— |
| Jawahar Sagar |
Chambal River |
Rajasthan |
— |
| Bhojtal (Upper Lake) |
— |
Madhya Pradesh |
Bhopal's famous lake |
| Ukai Lake |
Tapi River |
Gujarat |
— |
| Sur Sarovar (Keetham) |
Yamuna River |
UP (Agra) |
Ramsar site |
⚡ QUICK RECALL — Chambal River Lakes
Chambal on
3 major lakes: Gandhi Sagar (MP) → Rana Pratap Sagar (RJ) → Jawahar Sagar (RJ)
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- India's largest artificial lake = Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar (Rihand River, UP)
- Govind Sagar = Sutlej River (HP) — Bhakra Dam reservoir
- Nagarjuna Sagar = Krishna River (AP-Telangana border) — NOT Godavari
- Sur Sarovar = Keetham Lake = Yamuna River, Agra (UP)
📍 State-wise Lake Directory
Wular Lake ★
Dal Lake
Verinag Lake
Sheshnag Lake
Manasbal Lake
Pangong Tso (Aksai Chin)
Tso Moriri (Ladakh)
Roopkund Lake ★
Kedartal
Sattal
Malatal
Devtal
Khurpatal
Suryadhar
Naukuchiatal
Sambhar ★ (saline)
Didwana
Pachpadra
Pushkar (Ajmer)
Rajsamand
Pichola
Lunkaransar
Jaisamand
Vembanad ★ (longest)
Ashtamudi
Periyar Lake
Kayals = lagoon lakes of Kerala
Cholamu ★ (high-altitude lake, Sikkim)
Tsongmo (Sikkim)
Loktak (Manipur) ★
Chapnala (Assam)
Chandubi (Assam)
Umiam (Meghalaya)
Chilika ★ (Odisha)
Pulicat (AP+TN) ★
Hussain Sagar (TG)
Osman Sagar (TG)
Kolleru Lake (AP)
Veeranam (TN)
Kodaikanal (TN)
Lonar (MH) ★
-
Kanwar Taal — Bihar's largest ox-bow lake
- Largest ox-bow lake in India
- Located in Begusarai district, Bihar
⚡ QUICK RECALL
Kanwar Taal =
Begusarai = Largest ox-bow lake of India = Important Ramsar site
Renuka (HP) — smallest Ramsar
Bhushi (MH)
Parsuram Kund (Arunachal Pradesh)
Pangong Tso (Ladakh)
- Water conservation:
- Rajasthan → Kund / Tanka
- Andhra Pradesh → Neeru-Meeru Program
- Jaisalmer → Khadin system
💦 India's Key Waterfall Rankings
Kunchikal
Highest Waterfall (455 m) — Karnataka
Nohkalikai
Plunge waterfall (~340 m) — Meghalaya
Shivanasamudra
Gaganachukki + Bharachukki — Karnataka
Chitrakoot
India's Niagara — CG (about 30 m)
Jog
Gersoppa / Jogada Gundi (~253 m) — KA
📊 State-wise Waterfalls Table
| Waterfall |
River |
Height |
| Kunchikal ★ |
Varahi River |
455 m (Highest in India) |
| Barkana |
Sita River |
About 260 m |
| Jog (Gersoppa) |
Sharavati River |
253 m |
| Shivanasamudra |
Kaveri River |
Gaganachukki ~90 m; Bharachukki ~69 m |
| Gokak |
Ghataprabha River |
90 m |
| Waterfall |
Height |
| Nohkalikai ★ |
340 m |
| Weinia |
339 m |
| Lang Shiang |
337 m |
| Kynrem |
305 m |
| Waterfall |
River |
Height |
| Barehipani ★ |
Budhabalanga |
399 m |
| Khandadhar |
— |
244 m |
| Duduma |
Machkund (Madhukunda) |
157 m |
| Joranda |
— |
181 m |
| Waterfall |
River |
Height |
| Budhaghagh |
Budhi River |
145 m |
| Hundru |
Subarnarekha |
98 m |
| Dassam |
Kanchi River |
About 44 m |
| Waterfall |
River |
Height |
| Yenna (Mahabaleshwar) |
Yenna River |
~183 m; Maharashtra (see state note) |
| Chachai |
Beehad River |
About 130 m |
| Kapildhara |
Narmada |
About 30 m (100 ft) |
| Kevti |
Mahana River |
98 m |
| Dhuandhar |
Narmada |
About 9 m |
| Waterfall |
State |
River / Height |
| Dudhsagar |
Goa |
Mandovi River — 310 m |
| Chitrakoot ★ |
Chhattisgarh |
Indravati — about 30 m — India's Niagara |
| Thalaiyar |
Tamil Nadu |
297 m |
| Courtallam |
Tamil Nadu |
160 m |
| Kakolat |
Bihar ★ |
— |
| Purwa Falls |
Madhya Pradesh |
Tons (Tamsa) — about 67–70 m |
| Bhambavali |
Maharashtra |
— |
| Shirki |
Arunachal Pradesh |
— |
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Highest waterfall = Kunchikal (455 m) — Karnataka, Varahi River
- Jog Falls = Gersoppa / Jogada Gundi — Sharavati River
- Shivanasamudra = Gaganachukki + Bharachukki on the Kaveri
- India's Niagara = Chitrakoot (Indravati River, CG)
- Kakolat is a notable waterfall in Bihar and is frequently tested in BPSC examinations.
- Hundru = Jharkhand — Subarnarekha River
⚡ Ramsar Sites — Quick Reference
| Lake |
State |
Ramsar Year |
Category |
| Chilika Lake |
Odisha |
1981 (with Keoladeo among India's first two) |
Brackish lagoon |
| Sambhar Lake |
Rajasthan |
1990 |
Inland saline |
| Wular Lake |
J&K |
1990 |
Freshwater (tectonic) |
| Vembanad Lake |
Kerala |
Ramsar listed |
Lagoon / backwater |
| Renuka Lake |
Himachal Pradesh |
Ramsar listed |
Smallest Ramsar |
| Sur Sarovar (Keetham) |
UP (Agra) |
Ramsar listed |
Man-made |
| Kanwar Taal |
Bihar (Begusarai) |
Ramsar listed |
Ox-bow lake |
🏆 Master Rankings — All Superlatives
- Largest Freshwater → Wular Lake (J&K)
- Largest Brackish Lagoon → Chilika (Odisha)
- 2nd Largest Brackish → Pulicat (AP+TN)
- Longest Lake → Vembanad (Kerala)
- Largest Inland Saline → Sambhar (RJ)
- NE Largest Freshwater → Loktak (Manipur)
- High-altitude lake → Cholamu (Sikkim)
- Largest Artificial → GB Pant Sagar (UP)
- Largest Ox-bow → Kanwar Taal (Bihar)
- India's smallest Ramsar Site → Renuka, HP (20 ha)
- Highest → Kunchikal (455 m, KA)
- 2nd Highest → Barehipani (399 m, Odisha)
- 3rd Highest → Nohkalikai (340 m, Meghalaya)
- Shivanasamudra → Gaganachukki + Bharachukki (KA)
- India's Niagara → Chitrakoot (CG)
- Jog = Gersoppa = MG Waterfall
- Important waterfall of Bihar → Kakolat
- Jharkhand → Hundru (Subarnarekha)
| Region |
Method |
| Rajasthan |
Kund / Tanka — water storage |
| Jaisalmer, Rajasthan |
Khadin system |
| Andhra Pradesh |
Neeru-Meeru Program |
⚡ MASTER QUICK RECALL — Ch05
- Chilika + Keoladeo = India's first two Ramsar Sites (1981) | Wular + Sambhar = 1990
- Largest Freshwater = Wular | Largest Brackish = Chilika | Longest = Vembanad
- Highest WF = Kunchikal (KA, 455m) | India's Niagara = Chitrakoot (CG)
- Jog = Gersoppa / Jogada Gundi | Shivanasamudra = Gaganachukki + Bharachukki
- Lonar = meteorite crater | Sambhar = arid inland saline depression | Playa = flat-floored arid basin
- Bihar → Kanwar Taal (ox-bow, Begusarai) | Kakolat waterfall
🚨 FINAL EXAM TRAP COMBO
- Loktak Lake (Manipur) = NE India largest freshwater — NOT India's largest
- India's largest freshwater = Wular (J&K)
- GB Pant Sagar = largest artificial lake (Rihand River, UP) — Govind Sagar ≠ GB Pant Sagar
- Kunchikal = highest WF (455m) | Jog = NOT highest but most famous
- Barehipani Falls in Odisha, about 399 m high, is commonly listed as India's second-highest waterfall and is frequently tested.