A lake born from the sky. That’s how Lonar Crater Lake is often described, and once you see it, the phrase makes sense. Hidden in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district, the lake looks calm and ordinary at first. Almost too calm. Trees circle the water, old temples sit quietly along the rim, and birds move across the sky without much fuss. Nothing about it screams danger. But the story underneath is far from gentle. Thousands of years ago, a meteorite struck this spot with enormous force, creating the crater that later filled with water. Today, Lonar Crater Lake feels like a meeting point of nature, science, and history, where a violent past rests beneath a quiet surface.
Lonar Crater Lake: The meteorite that created an alien-like lake
Experts say a meteorite slammed into the basalt rock of the Deccan Traps at extreme speed, carving out a bowl nearly 1.8 kilometres wide and around 150 metres deep. That detail matters. Lonar is believed to be the only known hyper-velocity impact crater formed entirely in basalt anywhere on Earth.Dating the impact has always been tricky. Some estimates suggest the crater is more than 500,000 years old. Others place it closer to 52,000 years. Either way, it is ancient enough to feel timeless. Standing at the rim, it does not feel like Maharashtra at all. More like a quiet scar left behind by space. The lake inside the crater does not behave like normal freshwater. Its water is both saline and alkaline, with pH levels reportedly nearing 11. That is extreme. Too harsh for most plants and animals. Yet life still finds a way.Microbial communities thrive here. Nitrogen-fixing organisms that seem comfortable in conditions most life would avoid. Along the edges, evaporating water leaves behind soda and carbonate salts. These were once collected by local communities, long before scientists began studying the chemistry.
What makes Lonar Crater Lake unique
Lonar Lake does not stay the same colour. Some days it is blue, at times green, and sometimes even pink. The changes happen with the seasons and the chemistry of the water. The lake is salty and alkaline, which affects the tiny organisms living in it. Some microbes release natural pigments that colour the water. Halobacteriaceae and Dunaliella salina, for example, can make the lake look reddish. Green shades appear when algae grow quickly. Scientists often call it a living laboratory because these shifts are so unusual.The mix of salty and alkaline water is rare. Experts are often surprised to see it happen naturally. Satellite images and water tests show this unusual balance is real. The lake also helps scientists study extremophiles, tiny organisms that survive in very harsh conditions. Their activity is what makes the lake change colour so dramatically.
Lonar beyond the lake: Wildlife, birds, and temples
Despite the harsh water, the land around Lonar is full of life. The crater sits within the Lonar Wildlife Sanctuary, covering around 365 hectares. Dry deciduous forests surround the lake. Langurs leap through the trees. Deer move quietly between patches of shade. Wild boar leave tracks in the dust. Monitor lizards sun themselves near the paths.Around 160 bird species have been recorded here, including black-winged stilts, brahminy ducks, teal,s and more. During winter, migratory birds arrive in noticeable numbers. Ancient texts like the Skanda Purana and Ain-i-Akbari mention Lonar. Temples line the rim and basin, many now worn down by time. The most famous is the Daitya Sudan Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu’s victory over the demon Lonasura. Built in the Hemadpanthi style, it still draws pilgrims and historians alike.
