Lakes and Lagoons of India

Every place on this map

1. Wular LakeJammu & KashmirIndia's largest freshwater lake; the Jhelum flows through it (UPSC 2010, 2023).
2. Dal LakeJammu & KashmirSrinagar's lake of houseboats and floating gardens (rad).
3. Hokera (Hokersar) WetlandJammu & KashmirRamsar wetland near Srinagar; a winter stop for birds from Siberia. Trap: it is not in Punjab (UPSC 2022).
4. Pangong TsoLadakhLong, brackish high-altitude lake; about a third lies in India, the rest in Tibet, along the LAC.
5. Tso MoririLadakhBrackish high-altitude lake of the Changthang; a Ramsar site known for bar-headed geese.
6. Tso KarLadakhSaline lake of the Changthang; a Ramsar site since 2020.
7. ChandratalHimachal PradeshCrescent-shaped glacial lake in Lahaul-Spiti near the source of the Chandra; a Ramsar site.
8. Renuka LakeHimachal PradeshLargest natural lake of Himachal Pradesh, in Sirmaur; a Ramsar site. UPSC 2018 and 2022 tested it as the non-artificial lake and its state.
9. Naini LakeUttarakhandKidney-shaped natural lake of the Kumaon lake district (with Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal, Sattal). UPSC 2018 listed it among non-artificial lakes.
10. RoopkundUttarakhandHigh glacial lake in Chamoli famous for hundreds of ancient human skeletons.
11. Harike WetlandPunjabMan-made wetland at the Beas-Sutlej confluence; a Ramsar site (UPSC 2014).
12. Sambhar LakeRajasthanIndia's largest inland saline lake (UPSC 2009); nearest city Jaipur (UPSC 2004).
13. Didwana LakeRajasthanOne of Rajasthan's salt lakes (Nagaur); salt mining here was asked in UPSC 1998 and 2021.
14. Pushkar LakeRajasthanSacred lake with the Brahma temple, in the Aravalli near Ajmer. Trap: not in the Mahadeo hills (UPSC 2015).
15. Nakki LakeRajasthanLake at Mount Abu in the Aravalli (UPSC 1988).
16. Jaisamand (Dhebar) LakeRajasthanBuilt in the 17th century by damming the Gomati near Udaipur; one of Asia's largest old artificial lakes (UPSC 2006).
17. Nal SarovarGujaratShallow lake near Ahmedabad; a Ramsar site for flamingos and pelicans.
18. Kanwar Jheel (Kabartal)BiharOx-bow lake of the Burhi Gandak in Begusarai; a Ramsar site. UPSC 2023: it was NOT formed by the meandering of the Gandak.
19. Bhoj Wetland (Upper + Lower Lake)Madhya PradeshBhopal's Upper Lake was made by Raja Bhoj in the 11th century; a Ramsar site.
20. Lonar LakeMaharashtraSaline, alkaline lake in a crater formed by a meteorite striking the Deccan basalt, in Buldhana; a Ramsar site.
21. Hussain SagarTelanganaMade in 1562 under the Qutb Shahis at Hyderabad; the Buddha statue stands in its middle.
22. Kolleru LakeAndhra PradeshFreshwater lake between the Krishna and Godavari deltas; a Ramsar site. Asked repeatedly: the Krishna does not directly feed it (UPSC 2010, 2014, 2023).
23. Pulicat LakeAndhra PradeshIndia's second-largest brackish lagoon, spread over Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (UPSC 2017); Sriharikota island shuts it off from the sea. UPSC 2002: it is a lagoon.
24. Chilika LakeOdishaIndia's largest brackish-water lagoon (UPSC 1988, 2002); a Ramsar site since 1981.
25. East Kolkata WetlandsWest BengalTreats Kolkata's wastewater through fish ponds and farms, a model of wise use; a Ramsar site.
26. Deepor BeelAssamOld Brahmaputra channel near Guwahati; Assam's only Ramsar site. Trap: gharials are in the Chambal, not here (UPSC 2017).
27. Loktak LakeManipurLargest freshwater lake of the North-East (UPSC 1988); near the Barail range (UPSC 2013); famous for floating phumdis (UPSC 1998).
28. Umiam LakeMeghalayaReservoir made by the Umiam hydro dam in the 1960s, near Shillong.
29. Tsomgo (Changu) LakeSikkimGlacial lake in East Sikkim on the road to Nathu La.
30. Gurudongmar LakeSikkimAmong India's highest lakes (about 5,180 m) in North Sikkim; a source stream of the Teesta.
31. Rudrasagar LakeTripuraRamsar lake with the Neermahal water palace (UPSC 2022).
32. Vembanad LakeKeralaIndia's longest lake, a backwater lagoon from Kochi to Alappuzha; the Vembanad-Kol wetland is a Ramsar site.
33. Ashtamudi LakeKerala'Eight-braided' backwater lagoon of Kollam; a Ramsar site. UPSC 2002 used it in the 'which is a lagoon' set.
34. Sasthamkotta LakeKeralaLargest freshwater lake of Kerala, drinking water for Kollam; a Ramsar site. Trap: it is in Kerala, not Tamil Nadu (UPSC 2022).
35. Periyar Lake (Thekkady)KeralaArtificial lake made by the Mullaperiyar dam, inside Periyar Tiger Reserve. UPSC 2002: it is NOT a lagoon.
36. Kodaikanal LakeTamil NaduStar-shaped lake made in 1863 in the Palani hills. UPSC 2018: the artificial one among Kodaikanal, Kolleru, Nainital and Renuka.
37. Ooty LakeTamil NaduMade in 1824 by John Sullivan in the Nilgiris.