Sattal
Encyclopedia
Sattal or Sat Tal is an interconnected group of seven freshwater lakes situated in the Lower Himalayan Range
near Bhimtal
, a town of the Nainital lake district in Uttarakhand
, India
. During the British Raj
, the area had a tea plantation, one of four in the Kumaon area
at that time.
The lakes sit at an altitude of 1370 metres below lush orchards in the Mehragaon valley.
Set amongst dense forests of oak
and pine
trees, Sattal is one of the few unspoiled and unpolluted freshwater
biomes
in India. These lakes are a paradise for migratory birds. It is home to a few camps being operated mostly by local people catering to tourists looking for outdoor vacations.
and is the result of tectonic activities and the uplifting of sediment
s between the Tibet
an plain and the Indo-Gangetic plains. The rocks are mainly sedimentary rocks and quartzite
. Physiographically the area can be divided into lower Himalayas and terraces.
, dumping of non-biodegradable waste, uncontrolled urbanization
of the catchments and nearby forest is harming the ecology of the area. This results in scanty rainfall, a decrease in the number of plant and animal species and rapid drying up of perennial
springs. The lakes also suffer from a reduced oxygen content and high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. Poaching has eliminated many wild animals. Khudariya Tal became Sukha Tal (Dry Lake) due the leakage of water from its western extremity. An extensive growth of invasive plants such as Lantana
, Parthenium
and Eichhornia is also endangering the ecological survival of the lakes.
and ecological amplitude. It has 500 species of resident and migratory birds, 20 species of mammals, over 525 species of butterflies and over 11,000 species of moths, beetles, bugs and other insects. The flora covers a wide and diverse range of plants ranging from Bryophytes, orchids, rare climbing plants, fern
s, lichen
s, fungi, medicinal herbs and shrubs. Each individual lake has its own unique Diatom
index. The Trophic Diatom Index uses the composition of freshwater diatom assemblages to assess water quality and ecological status.
The unique avian fauna of Sattal includes red-billed blue magpie
, kingfishers, blue-throated and brown-headed barbets
, lineated barbet, golden-throated barbet, crimson-fronted barbet, coppersmith Barbet plum-headed parakeet
, slaty-headed Parakeet
, chestnut bellied rock thrush
, titmouse
, babblers, jungle Owlet
, fish eagle
, pied woodpecker
, brown-capped pygmy woodpecker, grey-capped pygmy woodpecker, brown-fronted woodpecker, stripe-breasted woodpecker, yellow-crowned woodpecker, rufous-bellied woodpecker, crimson-breasted woodpecker, Himalayan woodpecker, lesser yellownape woodpecker, greater yellow-naped woodpecker, streak-throated woodpecker, grey-headed woodpecker, scaly-bellied woodpecker, common flameback woodpecker, Indian tree pies, blue whistling-thrush, lammergeier
, Himalayan Griffon, crested serpent eagle
, flycatchers, cheer pheasants, Kalij pheasant
, Koklas pheasants, dollarbird
, leaf birds, flowerpecker
, purple sunbird
, brown headed stork-billed kingfisher, stork-billed kingfisher, crested kingfisher, white-throated kingfisher, pied kingfisher, common kingfisher, blue-eared kingfisher, Himalayan kingfisher, Mrs. Gould’s sunbird
, green-tailed sunbird, black-throated sunbird, black-breasted sunbird, Crimson sunbird
, fire-tailed sunbird, thick-billed flowerpecker
, plain-leaf flowerpecker, fire-breasted flowerpecker, russet Sparrow, rufous Babbler
, black-headed Jay, scaly-breasted wren-Babbler, black-capped sibia, blue whistling thrush
, finches, mountain hawk eagle
, black eagle
, eurasian jay
, white-rumped needletail, black-headed jay, black-lored, black-throated tits, black bulbul, ashy-throated warblers, black-chinned babbler, rufous-breasted accentor, red-billed blue magpie, grey-winged blackbird, Eurasian griffon, common buzzard, black-chinned babbler, pink-browed rosefinch, common wood pigeon, slaty-headed parakeet, laughingthrush, chestnut-tailed minla, lemon-rumped warblers, and many more.
(Argynnis hyperbius
), peacock panzy, blue peacock, Paris peacock, red-base Jazebel, red lacewing, yellow pansy, tawny Rajah, red Helen, large silverstripe and thousands of others.
was established by E. Stanley Jones
(1884-1973), the evangelist and missionary. This Christian Ashram is situated on the banks of Sattal lakes, on a former tea estate. St. John's Church is part of this ashram and showcases a mixed colonial architecture. There is also a Sattal Christian Ashram chapel situated nearby. It was established in 1930 to introduce Christianity into the Kumaun region of Uttarakhand. Revered Stanley Jones was a friend of Mahatma Gandhi
and Martin Luther King. Earl Denman
, who attempted Mount Everest
alone and secretly with Tenzing Norgay
in 1947, stayed in this Ashram for many years.
Lower Himalayan Range
The Lower Himalayan Range lies north of the Sub-Himalayan Range or Siwalik Range and south of the Great Himalayas. The height of the mountains varies between 1800 to 4600 meters. Millions of years of folding, faulting and overthrusting has led to the formation of these mountains...
near Bhimtal
Bhimtal
Bhimtal Lake is a lake in the town of Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, India. There is an island at the centre of the lake. It is the largest lake in the only real lake district of India...
, a town of the Nainital lake district in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. During the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, the area had a tea plantation, one of four in the Kumaon area
Kumaon Division
For Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...
at that time.
The lakes sit at an altitude of 1370 metres below lush orchards in the Mehragaon valley.
Set amongst dense forests of oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
trees, Sattal is one of the few unspoiled and unpolluted freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
biomes
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
in India. These lakes are a paradise for migratory birds. It is home to a few camps being operated mostly by local people catering to tourists looking for outdoor vacations.
Geology and Physiography
Sattal is situated in the Lower Himalayan RangeLower Himalayan Range
The Lower Himalayan Range lies north of the Sub-Himalayan Range or Siwalik Range and south of the Great Himalayas. The height of the mountains varies between 1800 to 4600 meters. Millions of years of folding, faulting and overthrusting has led to the formation of these mountains...
and is the result of tectonic activities and the uplifting of sediment
Sediment
Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
s between the Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an plain and the Indo-Gangetic plains. The rocks are mainly sedimentary rocks and quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
. Physiographically the area can be divided into lower Himalayas and terraces.
Ecology
Sattal is an ecologically fragile mesotrophic group of lakes and under the impact of heavy environmental degradation. Extensive deforestationDeforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
, dumping of non-biodegradable waste, uncontrolled urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
of the catchments and nearby forest is harming the ecology of the area. This results in scanty rainfall, a decrease in the number of plant and animal species and rapid drying up of perennial
Perennial stream
A perennial stream or perennial river is a stream or river that has continuous flow in parts of its bed all year round during years of normal rainfall. "Perennial" streams are contrasted with "intermittent" streams which normally cease flowing for weeks or months each year, and with "ephemeral"...
springs. The lakes also suffer from a reduced oxygen content and high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. Poaching has eliminated many wild animals. Khudariya Tal became Sukha Tal (Dry Lake) due the leakage of water from its western extremity. An extensive growth of invasive plants such as Lantana
Lantana
Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. The genus includes both...
, Parthenium
Parthenium
Parthenium is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. The name is derived from either the Greek word παρθένος , meaning "virgin," or παρθένιον , an ancient name for a plant. Members of the genus are commonly known as feverfew. Notable species include Guayule and P...
and Eichhornia is also endangering the ecological survival of the lakes.
Biological diversity
Sattal is unique for its biodiversityBiodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
and ecological amplitude. It has 500 species of resident and migratory birds, 20 species of mammals, over 525 species of butterflies and over 11,000 species of moths, beetles, bugs and other insects. The flora covers a wide and diverse range of plants ranging from Bryophytes, orchids, rare climbing plants, fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s, lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s, fungi, medicinal herbs and shrubs. Each individual lake has its own unique Diatom
Diatom
Diatoms are a major group of algae, and are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Most diatoms are unicellular, although they can exist as colonies in the shape of filaments or ribbons , fans , zigzags , or stellate colonies . Diatoms are producers within the food chain...
index. The Trophic Diatom Index uses the composition of freshwater diatom assemblages to assess water quality and ecological status.
Birds of Sattal
Red-billed Blue Magpie
The Red-billed Blue Magpie, Urocissa erythrorhyncha is a species of bird in the crow family Corvidae. It is about the same size as the European Magpie but has a much longer tail, the longest tail of any corvid. It is 65-68 cm long and weighs 196-232 grams .-Description:The head, neck and breast...
, kingfishers, blue-throated and brown-headed barbets
Megalaimidae
A family of birds comprising the Asian barbets, the Megalaimidae were once united with all other barbets in the Capitonidae but they have turned out to be distinct...
, lineated barbet, golden-throated barbet, crimson-fronted barbet, coppersmith Barbet plum-headed parakeet
Plum-headed Parakeet
The Plum-headed Parakeet is a parakeet endemic to the Indian Subcontinent, being a resident breeder in much of the region.-Description:...
, slaty-headed Parakeet
Slaty-headed Parakeet
The Slaty-headed Parakeet is the only psittacid species to exhibit altitudinal migration. The species' range extends from the foothills of the Western Himalayas in India, through Nepal and Bhutan and up to the Eastern Himalayas in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh...
, chestnut bellied rock thrush
Rock thrush
The rock thrushes, Monticola, are a genus of chats, medium-sized mostly insectivorous or omnivorous songbirds. They were in former times placed in the thrush family Turdidae but actually belong in the closely related Muscicapidae...
, titmouse
Titmouse
The tits, chickadees, and titmice constitute Paridae, a large family of small passerine birds which occur in the northern hemisphere and Africa...
, babblers, jungle Owlet
Jungle Owlet
The Jungle Owlet or Barred Jungle Owlet, Glaucidium radiatum, is found in India and the dry zone of Sri Lanka. The species is often found singly, in pairs or small groups and are usually detected by their calls at dawn and dusk...
, fish eagle
Fish Eagle
Fish eagle can refer to several birds:*African Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus vocifer*Sanford's Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus sanfordi*Madagascar Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus vociferoides*Lesser Fish Eagle, Ichthyophaga humilis...
, pied woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
, brown-capped pygmy woodpecker, grey-capped pygmy woodpecker, brown-fronted woodpecker, stripe-breasted woodpecker, yellow-crowned woodpecker, rufous-bellied woodpecker, crimson-breasted woodpecker, Himalayan woodpecker, lesser yellownape woodpecker, greater yellow-naped woodpecker, streak-throated woodpecker, grey-headed woodpecker, scaly-bellied woodpecker, common flameback woodpecker, Indian tree pies, blue whistling-thrush, lammergeier
Lammergeier
The Lammergeier, Lammergeyer, or Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus , is the only member of the genus Gypaetus. Traditionally considered an Old World vulture, it actually forms a minor lineage of Accipitridae together with the Egyptian Vulture , its closest living relative...
, Himalayan Griffon, crested serpent eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle
The Crested Serpent Eagle is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in forested habitats across tropical Asia. Within its widespread range, there are considerable variations and some authorities prefer to treat several of its subspecies as completely separate species. In the past, several...
, flycatchers, cheer pheasants, Kalij pheasant
Kalij Pheasant
The Kalij Pheasant, Lophura leucomelanos, is a pheasant found in forests and thickets, especially in the Himalayan foothills, from the Northern India to western Thailand. Males are rather variable depending on the subspecies involved, but all have an at least partially glossy bluish-black plumage,...
, Koklas pheasants, dollarbird
Dollarbird
The Oriental Dollarbird , also known as the Dollar Roller, is a bird of the roller family, so named because of the distinctive blue coin-shaped spots on its wings....
, leaf birds, flowerpecker
Flowerpecker
The flowerpeckers are a family, Dicaeidae , of passerine birds. The family comprises two genera, Prionochilus and Dicaeum, with 44 species in total. The family has sometimes been included in an enlarged sunbird family Nectariniidae. The berrypeckers of the family Melanocharitidae and the painted...
, purple sunbird
Purple Sunbird
The Purple Sunbird is a small sunbird. Like other sunbirds they feed mainly on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. They have a fast and direct flight and can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird but often perch at the base of flowers...
, brown headed stork-billed kingfisher, stork-billed kingfisher, crested kingfisher, white-throated kingfisher, pied kingfisher, common kingfisher, blue-eared kingfisher, Himalayan kingfisher, Mrs. Gould’s sunbird
Sunbird
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are a family, Nectariniidae, of very small passerine birds. There are 132 species in 15 genera. The family is distributed throughout Africa, southern Asia and just reaches northern Australia. Most sunbirds feed largely on nectar, but also take insects and spiders,...
, green-tailed sunbird, black-throated sunbird, black-breasted sunbird, Crimson sunbird
Crimson Sunbird
The Crimson Sunbird, Aethopyga siparaja, is a sunbird. The sunbirds are a group of very small Old World passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings...
, fire-tailed sunbird, thick-billed flowerpecker
Flowerpecker
The flowerpeckers are a family, Dicaeidae , of passerine birds. The family comprises two genera, Prionochilus and Dicaeum, with 44 species in total. The family has sometimes been included in an enlarged sunbird family Nectariniidae. The berrypeckers of the family Melanocharitidae and the painted...
, plain-leaf flowerpecker, fire-breasted flowerpecker, russet Sparrow, rufous Babbler
Rufous Babbler
The Rufous Babbler is an Old World babbler endemic to the Western Ghats of southern India. It is dark brown and long tailed, and is usually seen foraging in noisy groups along open hillsides grass or forest.-Description:...
, black-headed Jay, scaly-breasted wren-Babbler, black-capped sibia, blue whistling thrush
Whistling thrush
The whistling-thrushes comprise a genus Myophonus of the thrush family Turdidae.They are all medium-sized mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds. They are all brightly coloured species found in India and southeast Asia...
, finches, mountain hawk eagle
Mountain Hawk Eagle
The Mountain Hawk-Eagle or Hodgson's Hawk-eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae...
, black eagle
Black Eagle
The Black Eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus Ictinaetus. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical Asia and hunt mammals and birds, particularly at their nests...
, eurasian jay
Eurasian Jay
The Eurasian Jay is a species of bird occurring over a vast region from Western Europe and north-west Africa to the Indian Subcontinent and further to the eastern seaboard of Asia and down into south-east Asia...
, white-rumped needletail, black-headed jay, black-lored, black-throated tits, black bulbul, ashy-throated warblers, black-chinned babbler, rufous-breasted accentor, red-billed blue magpie, grey-winged blackbird, Eurasian griffon, common buzzard, black-chinned babbler, pink-browed rosefinch, common wood pigeon, slaty-headed parakeet, laughingthrush, chestnut-tailed minla, lemon-rumped warblers, and many more.
Fish
Sattal has many different varieties of fish. Mahseers (Tor tor and Tor putitora) are found here in large numbers. Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus mrigala, Schizothorax richardsonii and Catla catla are some of the other fish found in the lakes.Butterflies
Some of the butterflies found at Sattal includes Indian fritillaryFritillary
Fritillaria is a genus of about 100 species of bulbous plants in the family Liliaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name is derived from the Latin term for a dice-box , and probably refers to the checkered pattern, frequently of chocolate-brown and greenish yellow,...
(Argynnis hyperbius
Argynnis hyperbius
The Indian Fritillary is butterfly of the Nymphalid or brush-footed butterfly family.-Description:Male: Upperside: fore wing rich orange-yellow, hind wing paler yellow, with the following black markings: Fore wing: cell with a basal short transverse streak, a medial broad oval loop, its outer...
), peacock panzy, blue peacock, Paris peacock, red-base Jazebel, red lacewing, yellow pansy, tawny Rajah, red Helen, large silverstripe and thousands of others.
Butterfly museum
There is a rich butterfly museum built by Frederic Smetacek at Jones Estate, which has over 2,500 butterfly and moth specimens and 1,100 species of insects that are found in this region.Sattal Mission Estate and Methodist Ashram
The Sattal Christian AshramAshram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
was established by E. Stanley Jones
E. Stanley Jones
E. Stanley Jones was a 20th century Methodist Christian missionary and theologian.He is remembered chiefly for his interreligious lectures to the educated classes in India, thousands of which were held across the Indian subcontinent during the first decades of the 20th century...
(1884-1973), the evangelist and missionary. This Christian Ashram is situated on the banks of Sattal lakes, on a former tea estate. St. John's Church is part of this ashram and showcases a mixed colonial architecture. There is also a Sattal Christian Ashram chapel situated nearby. It was established in 1930 to introduce Christianity into the Kumaun region of Uttarakhand. Revered Stanley Jones was a friend of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
and Martin Luther King. Earl Denman
Earl Denman
Earl Denman was a Canadian mountaineer, who tried to climb Mount Everest in 1947.His expedition was very different from the large-scale efforts by British mountaineers in the 1920s, 1930s and 1950s...
, who attempted Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
alone and secretly with Tenzing Norgay
Tenzing Norgay
Padma Bhushan, Supradipta-Manyabara-Nepal-Tara Tenzing Norgay, GM born Namgyal Wangdi and often referred to as Sherpa Tenzing, was a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer...
in 1947, stayed in this Ashram for many years.
Subhash Dhara
There is a spectacular natural spring of fresh water arising out of dense oak forest west of Sattal.Seven Lakes Of Sattal
- Panna Tal or Garud Tal
- Nal-Damyanti Tal
- Purna Tal
- Sita Tal
- Ram Tal
- Laxman Tal
- Sukha Tal or Khurdariya Tal
Nearby Places of Interest
- Town of BhimtalBhimtalBhimtal Lake is a lake in the town of Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, India. There is an island at the centre of the lake. It is the largest lake in the only real lake district of India...
- Town of BhowaliBhowaliBhowali is a town and a municipal board in Nainital District in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It lies close to Ghorakhal, known for Golu Devta temple and Sainik School Ghorakhal.- Geography :Bhowali is located at...
- Naukuchia Tal (Nine-Cornered Lake)
- GhorakhalGhorakhalGhorakal is the place situated in the Nainital district of the Uttarakhand state of India. Ghorakhal means pond for water to horses. It is the picturesque site at the height of more than 2000 mts....
- Golu DevataGolu DevataGolu Devata or Lord Golu is the legendary mythological and historical God of the Kumaun region of Uttarakhand state of India and is their the much loved deity...
Temple