Lonar, a dusty spot on the map, appears unimpressive from a distance until your car rolls up over the tiny hillock and you spot the curve of the crater. Atop the rim, the sheer drop of its walls and the green tint of the thick, mineral-laden water in its hollow, is a truly awesome sight. You can?t help but be humbled by the thought of the sheer impact of the meteorite (a 20-lakh-ton, 60-km-wide mass travelling at about 90,000 km/ hr) that created this vast dent in the earth?s surface about 50,000 years ago. The explosive force of that moment still rocks the local imagination, and the crater is now venerated as a goddess ? Lonar Devi.

The locals slither and slide over the flimsy route down to the lake from the rim with a mountain goat?s confidence, but for those not used to trekking this could be a tough climb to negotiate. The people of Buldana believe that Lonar Devi does not approve of humans tampering on her surface, so the steps that have been carved into the walls to enable the less sturdy visitor to tramp down her sides, invariably crumble. Once down, you are cut off from the blazing sun by a canopy of leaves.

You can visit the many temples within the crater, which include the Ganapati, Narasimha and Renukadevi temples. The Gaimukh and Daityasudana temples here are in ruins but still functional. Though the temples look easily accessible, it would not be wise to take them all on in a single day. What seems like a short distance can be surprisingly tiring to cover since the surface you walk over is uneven and the lake?s shore, within the crater, is dangerously soft with its hidden wetness.

Shrouded in mystery
There are quite a few mysteries associated with the Lonar Crater. For instance, no one can figure out how it stays perennially full in dry Buldana. A stream feeds the crater but no outlet for the water has been located so far. Adding to the eeriness are the two distinct regions of the lake that never mix, with differing pH levels. Both support different types of flora and fauna. If you don?t believe it, carry some litmus paper along and check for yourself. So enamoured was Emperor Akbar by Lonar?s legends and minerals that he is said to have bathed only from soaps made with its green waters.

The crater, we were told, is supposed to be rich in wildlife, but we had no luck on our visit. We spotted just monkeys and birds, whose chattering and twittering only seemed to enhance the silence within the crater.

Avoid the downhill trek into the crater post-11 am, when the sun is resolutely up. It can be searingly hot and there?s barely a tree to shelter you on the slope itself. Don?t attempt going in the late afternoon because it?s tough getting up that slope after dark. Timing your trip season-wise would be wise ? high summers are unbearable even for the locals. Also, carry loads of water and sip continuously. Ideally, carry food down with you, since the climb back up is always tougher.
To get to Lonar (175 km) from Aurangabad, take the state highway to Jalna via Badnapur, then a district road to Lonar via Sindkhed Raja. You can also hire taxis to Lonar in Aurangabad.

Stay option
MTDC Tourist Complex
Mantha Road
Telefax 07260-221602

Accommodation 10 rooms Tariff Rs 350-1,200; taxes extra Credit Cards Not accepted Facilities Doctor-on-call, partial room service Mumbai Reservations

MTDC is right next to the crater. Their Tarangan Restaurant (Tel: 07260-221185) serves Chinese, Punjabi, and South Indian meals from 6 am to 11 pm.