Lake Umiam

Story & Trivia

In the “Home of the Clouds” which is Meghalaya, there are many stories to tell. Here is one which has formed around a 10 sqkm man-made lake built in the1960s near Shillong.

A lake full of tears

The Khymdeit clan of Meghalaya, claim that the river Umiam is their deity. Two sisters planned to came down from the heavens to Meghalaya. One sister came down only to realize that the other had not come. She waited for a long while but the sister never did come, nor did she send word. 

The sister who had come started to walk on, but then she missed the other sister so much that she burst into tears. She wept for days until her sorrow lightened and she could walk on. All her tears together formed the Umiam Lake.

Trivia

1.    Lake Umiam is also known as Barapani Lake.
2.    It is an artificial lake.
3.    It offers a large variety of activities including water skiing, sailing, and fishing.
4.    The lake is a huge tourist destination with attractions such as floating restaurants and ferry services.
5.    It is located in the state of Meghalaya, India.
6.    The lake originated as a reservoir that supplied power to Meghalaya.