Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan is also known as ” Salt Lake of Rajasthan” is the largest inland salt lake in India. Spread in the 22.5 km area, this India’s largest inland salt lake also regarded as a ‘Gift from Thar desert’. This saline lake is divided by a 5.1 km long dam which helps in salt making. The water is fed to the lake mainly from river Mendha and Runpangarh. Salt laboratory and the Salt museum are some worthy places to visit nearby the lake.
Sambhar Lake History
According to the mythology, during Mahabharata period demon priest Sukracharya lived here and he married his daughter Devayani to the King Yayati, the emperor of India.
Devayani temple is situated here till now. During excavation a large number of terracotta figurines, stoneware, and decorated discs were found which are now kept in Albert Museum in Jaipur.
Sambhar Lake Ecology
Sambhar lake has been also designated as a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance) as the wetland is the home of Flamingos and other birds which migrate from Northern Asia. Beautiful pink flamingos, storks, pelicans, redshanks, sandpipers and black-winged stilts are worth a vision.
Sambhar lake produces 196000 tons of clean salt every year. Salt production is managed by Shambar Salts Ltd.(SSL), a joint venture of the Hindustan Salts Ltd. and the state government.
Sambhar lake is situated at 60 km from Jaipur and 82 km from Ajmer. Regular buses are available and Sambhar also has a railway junction.
Points
- The Sambhar Salt Lake is India’s largest inland saltwater lake.
- It is a key wintering area for tens of thousands of flamingos.