WULAR LAKE

The 'lily-embroidered' Wular is the largest fresh water lake in Asia. It is 5,180 feet above the main sea level and 54 kms. from Srinagar.Other estimates variously put it as 16 kms. long and 8 kms wide. in any case its area increases by nine times-thats right, by 900%-during the floods. The wular thus functions as a flood reserviour. That is why you will find considerable slit everywhere.
HISTORY:
Wular's ancient name was 'mahapadma-saras', after its presiding deity. The word wular is perhaps the corruption of the sanskrit ullola('trublent' or "with high waves"). At the centre of the lake ia an artifical island,zaina lank. it was built in 1443 by kashmir's celebrated King Zain-ul-Abedin, after whom it takes its name. It is used by boatmen who dread thw waves of the lake in strom though in the dry season it is no more than an island.
FISH AND WATER PLANTS:
This gigantic lake produces water-nuts and large quantities of fish. The people of the numerous villages on the shore eat and sell both.these fish include the sattar gad and the chhari gad,both of which are caught by net and hook; the larger fishes are caught by spears. lotuses are found in plenty.
BIRDS:
Water-fowls are found in plenty in the autum season. sea gulls are also found.
The bank of the river is very marshy. the rains,snow and streams bring soil down from the mountains and deposits it on these shores every year.