Lake Saiful Muluk

Saif Ul Malook
Saif Ul Malook
	; in spring
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
Type	Alpine lake
Primary inflows	glacial runoff
Basin countries	Pakistan
Surface area	2.75km
Surface elevation	3,224 metres (10,577 ft)
Settlements	Naran

Lake Saiful-muluk near Naran during the month of June

Newly developed bridge at Lake Saifal Malook

Saiful Muluk (Urdu: جھیل سیف الملوک‎) is an alpine lake located at the northern end of the Kaghan Valley (34°52′37.34″N 73°41′37.71″E / 34.8770389°N 73.6938083°E / 34.8770389; 73.6938083), near the town of Naran.¹ It is in the north east of Mansehra District in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. At an altitude of 3,224 m (10,578 feet) above sea level it is amongst one of the highest lakes in Pakistan. There is also a similar named fictional story associated with the lake.

The weather here is moderate during day time while the temperature drops to negative temperatures at night.

Location

Saiful Muluk is located in District Mansehra of Hazara Division. It is about eight kilometers North of Naran,² in the Northern part of Kaghan valley. Malika Parbat, the highest peak in the valley is located near the lake.³

Physical features

Saiful Muluk was formed by glacial moraines that blocked the water of the stream passing through the valley.⁴ Water from multiple glaciers around the lake feed it.¹

History

A fairy tale called Saiful Muluk, written by the famous Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, is associated with the lake.⁵ It is the story of the prince of Persia who fell in love with a fairy princess at the lake.⁶ The impact of the lake beauty is of such extent that people believe that fairies come down to lake in full moon. A poet and writer from Balakot Dr Mujahid hussain wrote the story of Saiful Muluk in prose depicting the local version.

Saiful Muluk in winters

Ecology

Large size Brown Trouts are found in the lake weighing about seven kilograms.⁷ 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, Ranunculaceae, Cruciferae, Gramineae, Apiaceae, Leguminosae, Scrophulariaceae and Polygonaceae.¹

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Zia-ur-Rehman Mashwani; Muhammad Arshad, Mushtaq Ahmad, Mir Ajab Khan (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 (PDF). Mapping and Documentation of the Cultural Assets of Kaghan Valley, Mansehra (Report). Islamabad: UNESCO. p. 46. http://unesco.org.pk/culture/documents/publications/Mapping%20and%20Documentation%20of%20the%20Cultural%20Assets%20of%20Kaghan%20Valley,%20Mansehra.pdf. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
^ Manzoor Hussain; Ghulam Mujtaba Shah, Mir Ajab Khan (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.
^ Saif-ul-Malook in miniature art
^ Pristine lakes of the north
^ 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.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lakes of Pakistan

[Zia-ur-Rehman-1] Zia-ur-Rehman Mashwani; Muhammad Arshad, Mushtaq Ahmad, Mir Ajab Khan (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-2] Ihsan Ali (PDF). Mapping and Documentation of the Cultural Assets of Kaghan Valley, Mansehra (Report). Islamabad: UNESCO. p. 46. http://unesco.org.pk/culture/documents/publications/Mapping%20and%20Documentation%20of%20the%20Cultural%20Assets%20of%20Kaghan%20Valley,%20Mansehra.pdf. Retrieved 20 September 2012.

[Manzoor_Hussain-3] Manzoor Hussain; Ghulam Mujtaba Shah, Mir Ajab Khan (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-4] 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.

[5] Saif-ul-Malook in miniature art

[6] Pristine lakes of the north

[Muhammad_Yaqoob-7] 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.

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