Unravel the many natural charms bundled up in eclectic India. Some of them are a case of intrigue while others are plain enchanting! While there are plentiful, we have listed 20 of them. Feast your eyes on the world’s third largest crater, enigmatic dancing lights, the largest salt desert in the world, unique volcanic formations, balancing rocks and more!
1) Lonar Crater Lake – World’s third largest crater dating back to some 50,000 years ago
Set off to the outskirts of Lonar town, Maharashtra and you would come across a rather interesting formation that appears like it was hit by a massive ball from outer space. Said to be the world’s third largest crater, the Lonar Crater Lake came into being 50,000 years back as a result of a meteorite hitting the earth, causing the depression.
The roundish water body fringed by clusters of green and brown ground in the middle of nowhere makes for quite a sight. There are mentions of the same in ancient scripts like Skanda Puran, the Padma Puran and Aaina-i-Akbari.
2) Needle Hole Point Mahabaleshwar – Natural rock formation that appear like an elephant’s trunk
For a rare view of nature, head to Needle Hole Point / Elephant Point, Mahabaleshwar to witness what seems to be finely sculpted by a craftsman. From here, you can take in the stunning sights of Deccan traps, which look like an elephant’s trunk.
The natural rock formation resembling the adored animal is uncanny. This site is located close to Kate’s Point. It is referred to as Needle-hole as one can view a natural rock formation with a hole in between over here.
3) Belum Caves – Second largest cave in Indian subcontinent
Dash off to the enigmatic Belum Caves that has many delights hidden in its dark caverns. Famous for its stalactite and stalagmite formations, it is the second largest cave in Indian subcontinent (3229 metres) and the longest caves in the plains of the Indian Subcontinent.
In here are lengthy passages, airy chambers, fresh water galleries and siphons. This underground cavern was naturally formed due to the continuous flow of underground water. As of today, 3.5 km of this fascinating natural wonder has been successfully explored, though only 1.5 km is open to tourists.
4) Marble Rocks at Bhedaghat – White shining wonders
Displaying exquisite beauty, Marble Rocks at Bhedaghat near Jabalpur MP are a stunning sight. It soars to a hundred feet on both sides of the Holy Narmada. This river has carved the soft marble, producing a lovely gorge of about 3 km in length.
The effect of the sunlight shining on the marble white pinnacles and creating shadows on the limpid waters is magical. The entire scenery is especially worth watching on moonlit nights.
5) Banni Grasslands Reserve – Enigmatic dancing lights
This might look like an occurrence of UFOs or that of ghosts. For long, the locals have alleged that they have witnessed some enigmatic dancing lights at Banni Grasslands Reserve in Rann of Kutch. Soliders and visitors have been creeped out too as these lights seemed to have followed them.
Named as Chir Batti, they appear to be as bright as a mercury lamp and can alter their colour into blue, red, yellow to a pear- shaped moving ball. At times they remain still and other times they move in a quick speed.
Scientists have gotten to the root of this phenomenon and claim that this happens so due to oxidation of methane from the marshes.
6) Borra Caves- The deepest in the country
Huddled in the Ananthagiri Hills of the Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh, the Borra Caves are the deepest among its kind in the country (over 260 feet deep). Over here are a great array of stunning speleothems that vary from very small to big along with unevenly shaped stalactites and stalagmites.
Over here, as mineral rich water trickles from the roof of the cave, they make a small ring of minerals in its wake. When this drips on the floor, it forms another small mineral deposit. Over the ages, these shape to form soda straws and cones on the ceiling, while creating conical cake like assemblies on the floor.
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