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{{Short description|Tourist destination in Kashmir}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}

{{Infobox settlement
| name = Nilnag
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name = Blue water lake<ref>{{cite web|url=https://budgam.nic.in/places-of-interest/|title= Places of Interest|access-date=2023-07-29}}</ref>
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Rural
| image_skyline = Nilnag Lake.jpg
| image_alt = A view of the blue waters of Nilnag Lake
| image_caption = A view of the blue waters of Nilnag Lake
| pushpin_map = India Jammu and Kashmir#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Jammu & Kashmir, India
| coordinates = {{coord|33.85|N|74.60|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|Union territory]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Budgam district|Budgam]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 2390
| population_total =
| population_as_of =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Urdu]], [[Hindi]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[English language|English]]<ref name="OfficialLang">{{cite web |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/222037.pdf |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 |publisher=The Gazette of India|date=27 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Parliament passes JK Official Languages Bill, 2020 | work=Rising Kashmir | date=23 September 2020| url=http://risingkashmir.com/news/parliament-passes-jk-official-languages-bill-2020 | access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code = 191112
| registration_plate = [[Vehicle registration plates of India|JK04]]
| website = {{URL|https://budgam.nic.in/places-of-interest/}}
| footnotes =
}}

'''Nilnag''' (literal translation "blue-water lake," {{IPA-ks|nɪl nɑːɡ}}) is a [[Fresh water|freshwater]] [[lake]] {{cvt|5|km}} away from [[Yousmarg]] in [[Budgam]] district of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], India.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nilnag Lake in Yusmarg {{!}} Jammu & Kashmir {{!}} Tour My India |url=https://www.tourmyindia.com/states/jammu-kashmir/nilnag-lake.html |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=tour-my-india}}</ref> It is around {{cvt|47|km}} away from [[Srinagar]], the [[summer capital]] of the union territory. The lake is famous for its turquoise water. The route from Yousmarg is rather difficult and unmotorable and goes through a dense forest. The lake's crystal-clear blue water gave it its name: ''nag'' stands for lake (or a spring) and ''nil'' for the blue colour.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Places of Interest {{!}} District Budgam , Government of Jammu & Kashmir {{!}} India |url=https://budgam.nic.in/places-of-interest/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |language=en-US}}</ref> The location is a great for picnic spot.

== History ==
The lake was Eric Biscoe's favourite destination. [[Biscoe]] (died in 1949), who was the founder of [[Tyndale Biscoe School|Tyndal Biscoe school]] in Jammu and Kashmir, wanted to be buried by the lake side. To honour his wishes, his ashes were brought and buried there.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=Nilnag: Kashmir's lesser known historic lake |url=http://risingkashmir.com/nilnag-kashmirs-lesser-known-historic-lake |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=risingkashmir.com}}</ref> Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe in his book states:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tyndale-Biscoe |first=Hugh |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=jXJeEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA308#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=The Missionary and the Maharajas: Cecil Tyndale-Biscoe and the Making of Modern Kashmir |date=2018-12-18 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-78673-544-7 |pages=308 |language=en}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=“In his introduction Parwez said that I was bringing back to Kashmir the mortal remains of Mr Eric to be cast into Nil Nag…. Some days later a party of students and staff accompanied us to Buzgu village, where I explained to the villagers Eric's wish and sought their approval. They gave approval and accompanied us to the lake where I paddled out on a couple of logs and shook the ashes into the waters of the lake.”|author=Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe|title=The Missionary and the Maharajas: Cecil Tyndale-Biscoe and the Making of Modern Kashmir|source=p.308}}
== Access ==
Nilnag is easily accessible from [[Srinagar]] or [[Srinagar Airport|Srinagar Airport (SXR)]], in under 2–3 hours from car or bus. The routes of Nilnag are from [[Srinagar]] to [[Chadoora]], and then to Buzgu via Nagam. The total distance is about {{cvt|47|km}}.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Nilnag Lake |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/things-to-do/nilnag-lake/articleshow/27477374.cms |access-date=2023-07-29 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

=== By road ===
Nilnag can be reached in from under 2 hours by car or taxi from Srinagar. The roads have recently been reconstructed, however, at certain places, the roads may be uneven. Another route is from [[Yusmarg|Yousmarg]] to Nilnag, however, it is only pliable by motorbikes.

=== By air ===
The nearest airport is the [[Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport|Sheikh-ul-Alam International Airport]] (Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir). Nilnag is at a distance of {{cvt|41|km}} from the airport, and it takes about 2 hours by car.
== Recent developments ==
The lake basin in going through shallowing owing to [[siltation]], an indicator of which is the emergent [[Vegetation|vegetation cover]] "in the lake littorals".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wani |first=Shahid |last2=Yaqoob |first2=Kanwsar |last3=Pandit |first3=Ashok |year=2007 |title=Diversity and Distribution of Emergent Macrophytes in Nilnag Lake, a Pine Forest Lake in Western Himalaya |url=http://cord.uok.edu.in/Files/4701b853-a330-4f94-a00e-01555a32a0ff/Journal/2d7b663a-9eb0-48e1-be50-44fd6a608621.pdf |url-status=live |website=Journal of Research & Development |pages=45-50}}</ref> In 2017, Yousmarg Development Authority (YDA) undertook [[dredging]] of the lake basin. The boundaries were also widened, and huts were built for monitoring.<ref name="auto"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Budgam district]]
[[Category:Lakes of Jammu and Kashmir|Category:Lakes in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Srinagar|Category:Tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir]]

Nilnag - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article