Lake Saiful Muluk
Lake Saiful Muluk | |
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![]() Saiful Muluk during June | |
Location | Kaghan Valley |
Coordinates | 34°52′37″N 73°41′40″E / 34.876957°N 73.694485°ECoordinates: 34°52′37″N 73°41′40″E / 34.876957°N 73.694485°E |
Lake type | Alpine/Glacial lake |
Primary inflows | Glaciers water |
Primary outflows | river ravi |
Basin countries | Pakistan |
Surface area | 2.75 km2 (1.06 sq mi) |
Surface elevation | 3,224 metres (10,577 ft) |
Settlements | Naran |
Saiful Muluk (Urdu: جھیل سیف الملوک) is a mountainous lake located at the northern end of the Kaghan Valley, near the town of Naran.[1] It is in the north east of Mansehra District in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan and feeds water to Kunhar river. At an elevation of 3,224 m (10,578 feet) above sea level, it is well above the tree line, and is one of the highest lakes in Pakistan.
Location
![](../I/m/Saiful_Muluk_Lake_(Winters).jpg)
Saiful Muluk is located in the Mansehra district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, about eight kilometers north of Naran,[2] in the northern part of Kaghan valley. Malika Parbat, the highest peak in the valley is near the lake.[3]
The lake is accessible from the nearby town of Naran during the summer season but access during winter is limited.
![](../I/m/Lake_Saiful_Malook_naran_05.jpg)
Physical features
Saiful Muluk was formed by glacial moraines that blocked the water of the stream passing through the valley.[4] The Kaghan Valley was formed in the greater Pleistocene Period dating back almost 300,000 years when the area was covered with ice. Rising temperatures and receding glaciers left a large depression where glaciers once stood. Melting water collected into the lake.
Ecology
The lake has rich eco-diversity and holds many species of blue-green algae. Large brown trout are found in the lake, up to about seven kilograms.[5] About 26 species of vascular plant exist in the area, with Asteraceae the most commonly found specie. Other species commonly found in the region are: Ranunculaceae, Compositae, Cruciferae, Gramineae, Apiaceae, Leguminosae, Scrophulariaceae and Polygonaceae.[1]
Folklore
A fairy tale called Saif-ul-Muluk, written by the Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, talks of the lake.[6][7] It tells the story of the prince of Persia named Shahzada Saif Ul Malook who fell in love with a fairy princess named Shehzadi Badri Jamala at the lake.[8]
![](../I/m/Saif-ul-Muluk_Complete_Panorama_in_Spring.jpg)
See also
- Lulusar lake
- Katora Lake
- Dudipatsar lake
- Mahodand lake
- Ratti Gali lake
References
- 1 2 Rehman, Zia-ur; Khan, Mir Ajab; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Arshad, Muhammad (June 2011). "Diversity and distribution pattern of alpine vegetation along Lake Saif-ul-Mulook, Western Himalaya, Pakistan" (PDF). International Proceedings of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering. Singapore: International Association of Computer Science and Information Technology Press. 16: 155–162. doi:10.7763/IPCBEE. ISSN 2010-4618. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ↑ Ihsan Ali. "Natural Heritage of Kaghan Valley". Mapping and Documentation of the Cultural Assets of Kaghan Valley, Mansehra (PDF) (Report). Islamabad: UNESCO. p. 46. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ↑ Hussain, Manzoor; Khan, Mir Ajab; Shah, Ghulam Mujtaba (5 March 2006). "Traditional Medicinal and Economic uses of Gymnosperms of Kaghan Valley, Pakistan". Ethnobotanical Leaflets. 10: 72. ISSN 1948-3570. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ↑ J. Ehlers; P.L. Gibbard (29 July 2004). Quaternary Glaciations - Extent and Chronology (2 ed.). Elsevier. pp. 305–306. ISBN 978-0444515933. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ↑ Muhammad Yaqoob (14 March 2003). "Production and culture of trout in the Northwest Frontier Province and Northern Areas of Pakistan, A review". In T. Peter, S. B. Swar. Cold water fisheries in the trans-Himalayan countries. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization. p. 327. ISBN 978-9251048078. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ↑ http://windsweptwords.com/2013/04/27/the-legend-of-Saif-ul-Muluk-part-iv/
- ↑ Saif-ul-Muluk in miniature art
- ↑ Javed, Asghar (23 June 2002). "Pristine lakes of the north". Dawn. Archived from the original on 13 July 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saiful Muluk Lake. |
- PTDC Official website
- Kaghan Valley & Lake Saiful Muluk - Pictures
- Full text of the fairytale associated with the lake.