World’s Only Floating National Park | Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur

World’s ONLY Floating National Park

The world we live in includes many fascinating and beautiful places through and through.

Anything you could think of, there’ll be a high probability of the thing existing in some or the other corner of the world.

This world is indeed beautiful and it sometimes could be quite a mess, too.

But there are places existing, not very far from us, which suggest that ‘even in this mess, you can come and visit right here to view and to feel the nature’s magical abilities’ and ‘to heal.’ One such magical place is the world’s only “floating national park.“

Keibul Lamjao National Park, situated in the wonderful city of Manipur, floats over the amazing Loktak Lake. Covering an area of around 40 square kilometres, Keibul Lamjao is entitled as the “World’s Only Floating National Park”. It looks intoxicating and like a realm of waterways and floating meadows, referred to as phumdi by the locals.

Today we discuss about this natural paradise, is that not many people know about it. It’s a hidden treasure. Preserved and Conserved by the government and the locals of Manipur.

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The Loktak Lake | The Mother of the Keibul Lamjao National Park

The Loktak lake is the largest freshwater lake of Northern India and bursts out some pretty spectatcular sights, dotted with green patches and rings of vegetation. The Lake is said to be almost as large as the country of Maldives.

The local people or the Meiteis consider the lake to be The Mother, the giver of life. And they treat it just like that too. The local fishermen and other local people always treat the waters of the lake to be divine.

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Animal Kingdom

As we speak of a national park, how can we not mention the animals roaming around the area, right.

Although having an extraordinary existence, the national park still consists of many interesting species of flora and fauna. All the colorful plants as well as the different species of animals can be found on the park

The endangered Sangai, a subspecies of brow-antlered deer are found specifically on this floating national park and not anywhere else on the planet.

Bird Watching

In the more recent years, when people have been trying to head towards the off-the beaten path track in tourism, this hidden gem of the Indian Subcontinent – the floating national park, remains relatively unknown outside the region.

One interesting thing about the Sangai Deer is that it is the state animal of Manipur. And it was believed to be extinct after last seen in 1950. But 3 years later, a horde of Sangai deer were found hovering around its natural habitat. The state government has been taking positive measures to conserve and maintain the presence of the endangered species.

Also, the Sangai Deer is known as the dancing deer too. It’s hooves are peculiarly adapted for walking on the phumdis. The floating stance and light movements of the animal gives it the dancing vibes and hence, the name.

Another interesting and not-seen-everywhere kinda vibe comes from the bird watching experience when at the Floating National Park. One can catch a glimpse of many pretty and colorful birdies flapping through the wonderful canvas spread over the Park’s area.

Rarely seen birdies like Bamboo Patridge, Storks and the Green Peafowl can be seen floating wings above in the Manipur sky.

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To wrap things up

The magic that this place beholds can never be defined or expressed in mere words. You have to be there to see and feel and indulge in the beauty the nature has kept hidden from the masses. The photogenic paradise is THE place-to-be for all those nature lovers, wildlife photographers and flora/fauna enthusiasts.

Who would have thought that a whole large national park could be floating in the waters of the Manipur region of the Indian subcontinent. 

You never know what you could find, all you gotta do is really look.