Meteorite Crater Lonar Lake a Geo-Heritage Place

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Location & Structure:



Lonar Crater is a place which is located at Maharashtra's Buldhana district.

About 52000 to 55000 years ago, a lake was formed due to a meteorite, and it is known as Lonar lake. Firstly, It is believed that the lake was formed due to volcanoes, but With the help of later revision, it was found that the lake was formed due to the impact of a large object outside the earth, for example, a comet or an asteroid.

The diameter of the lake is about 1.2 kilometers, and its base is 150 mtr down towards Earth core from the normal ground level. This happened cause the earth was hit by a huge meteorite. Its metamorphosis is like a big pit. There is a lot of evidence of basalt rock in Maharashtra, that's why even the lake is made of basalt, this rock is known as water resistant, so the water of the lake can be drained slowly. This water is both alkali and alkaline. It is the only lake in the world. The meteorite that fell here at Lonar, its two parts have fallen in other places, Dhala and Ramgad, but Among them Lonar is famous place and today also water available in it.

History:

Most of tourism and cold weather places had found out by British, like that this place is also firstly discover by an English officer, Name was J.E.Alexander.After the independence of India, in 1975, the Geological Survey of India did the carbon dating of the stones found here. Carbon dating is used to estimate the lifespan of the Rock. In 2021, when the students of IIT Bombay research on stones found here the stone samples brought from Apollo 11 i.e.from the Moon, they found that there is a similarity between these Rock. Because of such a meteorite holes have been created in about three to four places in the world, but only Lonar lake has water in the. When the meteorite hit the earth it disturbed different layers of the earth and the resulted the water here has become sour. This water is 8 to 10 times more alkaline than sea water. pH level of water is very high as 10.7. Water has such strong alkali only seen at Lonar Crater, so obviously any kind of aquatic creature cannot survive in water. Only some micro bacteria and algae are found in the water. It is only because of the Green and Blue algae found here that’s why this water seems Green, Blue & Pink in color. While looking at this lake, you can see holes in many of the stones, samples of these stones have been brought for carbon dating.

The biodiversity that the area has benefited from the meteor strike is truly beautiful. It refers to a dense forest, including a variety of plants, as well as a variety of animals and birds.

Spiritual Significance:

While entering through the main entrance of this lake, you will see the Gomukh temple. A spring of sweet water flows unbroken through the Gomukh temple. There are 14 temples around Lonar lake instead 12 are pagodas. If you visit all 12 Shiva temples, so its like to see the 12 Jyotirlingas. Most of the temples are Hemandpanthi, Ramagaya temple is one of them. This temple was built between 1100 to 1300 AD during Yadav and Chalukya empire. In Leelacharitra, there is a mention of the temple built by King Krishnadevaraya of the Yadavas Empire. Maratha Empire’s AhilyaDevi Holkar also has records of renovation of many temples here.The carvings on all the temples and their texture are very unique.

In Lonar village one more temple you can visit called as Daityasudan temple, these temples designed like Khajuraho. The temple is decorated like Khajuraho sculptures and other sculptures, some sculptures are warned out, but this temple is amazing. This temple belongs to the 900AD Century and is said to have been built by the king of the Chalukya Empire.This temple also faced foreign invasion like other temples in India, some part of the temple was tried to be destroyed by the enemies of India. In order to stop foreign enemy’s attacks on the temple, Local villagers had covered this temple by soil and stones. After stopped the foreign attacks in the beginning of 1900 AD all debris and solarium has removed, but unfortunately there was no idol in the temple. Nagpur's Bhosale Family had installed Idol of Daityasudan.

Lonar is a National Geo-Heritage as well as the only scientific, historical and spiritual place in India. It has the potential to be a World Heritage.


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