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Marble Lake, also known as Durga Bera, Tarpania Lake, Blue Dam, or Patal Dam, is an artificial body of water located in the Ajodhya Hills of Purulia. It is forming from the abandonment of an open-pit mine during quarrying activities for the Purulia Pumped Storage Project (PPSP) and other excavations in the region. Discovered during blasting for the region's hydroelectric project, the lake is surrounded by white marble-like rocky outcrops and features deep blue water. Recent geological research is identifying these areas, along with their surroundings, as featuring ancient, cooled dykes (solidified magma)—vertical sheets of solidified volcanic magma, and it is a geologically rich region containing Proterozoic, Precambrian, and metamorphic rocks. Many tourists are visiting this risky area, especially in winter, but entry is prohibited during the monsoon season due to the risk of flash floods. This video is taken in Ajodhya Hill, Purulia, West Bengal, India, on January 11, 2026. (Footage by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)