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The Mysterious Lake
The
high mountain lake of Roop Kund lies in the lap of mount Trishul. Situated
at a height of 5029 m, the lake is the destination of the Raj Jat Yatra, a
pilgrimage from the village of Nauti, led by a ram. This procession is
held every 12 years. Roop kund is a famous trekking destination, that is a
must on every trekker’s itinerary.
Roopkund is often called the ‘mysterious lake’ as the mystery
underneath it, starts unfolding when the ice on its surface begins to melt
during the short summer period. The lake presents a grisly sight in the
summers, as around three hundred human skeletons, thought to be more than
600 years old, can be seen in the waters of the lake.
There are two versions of these remains. According to one belief, they
are the remains of the soldiers under General Jorawar’s army, who
were on their way to conquer Tibet. But they probably belonged to a group
of royal pilgrims caught in bad weather, while making a pilgrimage to
Trishul base about 200 years ago.
The snow covered lake, surrounded by rock-strewn glaciers and snow clad
peaks is a magnificent sight. There are two important trekking routes to
Roopkund, for one, the starting point for the trek is Tharali and the
other starts from the Ghat.