Saiful Maluk
High-altitude lake named after a legendary prince.
High in northern Pakistan, at the northern tip of the Kaghan Valley and near the town of Naran, lies the mountain lake of Saiful Muluk. It sits within the Saiful Muluk National Park, at an elevation of 3,224 meters—making it one of the country’s highest lakes. The lake takes its name from a legendary prince in a folk tale, later turned into verse by the Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh.
The lake is found in the Mansehra District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, about nine kilometers north of Naran. Nearby stands Malika Parbat, the tallest peak in the valley. During summer, the lake can be reached from Naran, but winter access is limited because heavy snow and landslides often cut off the route.
Geologically, Saiful Muluk formed when glacial moraines blocked a stream flowing through the valley. The Kaghan Valley itself took shape during the Pleistocene Period, roughly 300,000 years ago, when the area was covered in ice. As temperatures rose and glaciers retreated, they left behind a large depression, which filled with meltwater to create the lake.
The lake supports a rich ecosystem. It hosts many species of blue-green algae and large brown trout, some weighing up to seven kilograms. Around 26 species of vascular plants grow here, with Asteraceae being the most common. Other plant families found in the area include Ranunculaceae, Compositae, Cruciferae, Gramineae, Apiaceae, Leguminosae, Scrophulariaceae, and Polygonaceae.
The lake’s name comes from a tale about Prince Saiful Maluk, later set to verse by the 19th-century Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh. The story tells of an Egyptian prince who fell in love with a fairy princess named Badi ul-Jamal at the lake. This Arabic fable, known as “The Story of Prince Saiful Maluk and Badi ul-Jamal,” is considered a later addition to the *One Thousand and One Nights* collection, with manuscripts dating to the 17th century. In South Asia, it was rendered in Punjabi verse by Mian Muhammad Bakhsh and has been retold in languages such as Balochi, Bengali, English, Urdu, and Punjabi. Turkish scholarship notes that the narrative is widely known in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Tatarstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, the Taranchi region, and Bashkortostan.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Saiful Muluk National Park, Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
- Lake Type
- Alpine, glacial lake
- Inflow
- Glacial water
- Outflow
- Stream (a tributary of Kunhar River)
- Countries
- Pakistan
- Area
- 2.75 km2
- Max Depth
- 113 ft
- Elevation
- 3224 m
- Settlements
- Naran
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Saiful Muluk was formed by glacial moraines that blocked the water of a stream passing through the valley. The Kaghan Valley was formed in the greater Pleistocene Period dating back almost 300,000 years when the area was covered with ice. Rising temperatures and receding glaciers left a large depression where glaciers once stood, and melting water collected into the lake.
The lake is named after a legendary prince from the tale titled Saiful Muluk, later put into poem form by the Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh. The story tells of the Egyptian Prince Saiful Malook who fell in love with a fairy princess named Princess Badi ul-Jamal at the lake. The tale is considered a later addition to the One Thousand and One Nights collection of Arabic fables, with manuscripts dated to the 17th century.
According to folklore, Saiful Maluk (meaning 'Sword of the Kings') was a prince of Egypt who inherited significant wealth bearing two seals: one depicting himself and the other depicting Badi-ul-Jamala. After seeing a dream of a lake and a fairy, he became overwhelmed with love for the fairy, despite his father's warning that she was not human.
Reader's Guide
Saiful Muluk holds significance as both a natural landmark and a cultural touchstone in northern Pakistan. Ecologically, the lake features rich biodiversity, including many species of blue-green algae, large brown trout up to about seven kilograms, and about 26 species of vascular plants, with Asteraceae being the most common. The lake's formation during the Pleistocene Period illustrates the region's glacial history.
Culturally, the lake is immortalized through the folk tale of Prince Saiful Maluk and the fairy Badi ul-Jamal, a story widely known across South Asia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Central Asia. The tale was rendered into Punjabi verse by the 19th-century Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh and has been retold in numerous languages including Balochi, Bengali, English, Urdu, and Punjabi. The lake's name directly connects the geography to this enduring legend.
Accessible from Naran during summer but limited in winter due to heavy snowfall and landslides, Saiful Muluk remains a destination that blends natural beauty with mythological heritage, reflecting the interplay between landscape and storytelling in the region.
Did You Know?
- Saiful Muluk is located at an elevation of 3,224 meters (10,578 feet) above sea level.
- The lake was formed by glacial moraines that blocked a stream during the Pleistocene Period.
- Large brown trout in the lake can weigh up to about seven kilograms.
- The lake is named after a prince from a folk tale later put into poem form by Sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh.
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