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| Situated on the outskirts of Loanar town in Buldhana
District, the Lonar Crater was first discovered in 1823 by British officer,
J.E. Alexander. It is also written about in ancient scripts like the Skanda
Puran, the Padma Puran and the Aaina-i-Akbari. |
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Lonar is distinguished by the fact that it is the world's third largest crater.
It has its genesis nearly 50,000 years ago, when a 2 million-ton meteorite
impacted the earth to create a depression 1.83 kilometers in diameter and 150
meters deep. |
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| Since that cataclysmic event, Lonar has evolved into an idyllic expanse of sky
blue water amidst a sprawling emerald forest that stretches around it as far as
the eye can see. Today, it attracts casual tourists as well as members of the
scientific community from across the world, including research agencies like
the Smithsonian Institution of Washington DC, the US Geological Survey, the
Geological Society of India, and Sagar University, Jabalpur, and Physical
Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, which have conducted extensive studies about
the site. |
| But, the scientific angle aside, this destination also has much to offer
wildlife enthusiasts as it is generously endowed in both flora and fauna. The
crater is home to hundreds of peafowl, chinkara and gazelles, which browse
amongst the shrubs and bushes ringing the lake. Other residents include egrets,
moor hens, herons, coots, white-necked storks, lapwings, grey wagtails, grebes,
black droungos, green bee-eaters, tailorbirds, magpies and robins - as well as
numerous species of migratory birds that often visit the place. |
Lonar impresses with the richness of its natural heritage. And, like the
meteorite that put it on the map, leaves a lasting impression.
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| MTDC Holiday Resort comprises self-contained rooms
and dormitory with a restaurant |
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 Nearest airport is Aurangabad, 122 kms. |
 The nearest railhead is Jalna, 90 Km away. |
 Mumbai-Aurangabad-Jalna-Lonar: 600 Km;
Buldhana-Lonar: 95 Km; Mehakar-Lonar: 23 Km;
Aurangabad-Lonar: 145 Km.
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 Govt. Rest House (2 suites). |
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| Aurangabad, Pune, Amravati and MTDC Mumbai. |
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