Roopkund Lake

Roopkund Lake-3When you look at Roopkund Lake from a distance, it lulls you into believing that it’s just another picturesque glacial lake in the Himalayas. However, at the bottom of this clear water lake lays a mystery that dates back hundreds of years and has been the subject of speculation among scientists, historians and mountaineers from all over the world.

It is located at an altitude of about 5,000 meters above the sea level in Chamoli district, Uttaranchal. When this glacial lagoon begins to melt, hundreds of corpses can be seen floating around. This revelation shook people worldwide and different theories were formed as to how such a terrible incident could’ve occurred. Were these people on a pilgrimage tour? Did they die in an epidemic? What were these people doing in one of the most inhabited regions of the Himalayas? It is also for this very reason that the lake is also referred to as the “Skeleton Lake”.

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The matter was investigated and it was found that the people were from the 12th century to the 15th century. Remnants of 500 people were found and it is believed that more than 600 people lost their lives.

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According to local legends, King Jasdhawal of Kanauj wanted to celebrate the birth of an heir by going on a pilgrimage to the Nanda-Devi Mountains in the Garhwal Himalaya. However, he ignored the rules of pilgrimage by indulging in unruly singing and dancing. The entourage thus had to face the wrath of the local deity, Latu. It said believed that they were caught in a dreadful hailstorm and were thrown into the Roopkund Lake.

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As it turns out, it was not all folklore. National Geographic television channel commissioned a team of European and Indian scientists to examine the skeletons. They found jewelry, bones and even flesh and clothes of a few bodies that had been preserved in the icy ground. However, what really caught their attention were the skulls which showed short, deep cracks. No other part of their body had been harmed. The only plausible explanation that scientists in Hyderabad, Pune and London could come up with is hailstorms. With hailstones as large as cricket balls and nowhere to seek protection from them, it is quite possible that many, if not all of them, perished.

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The world breathed a collective sigh of relief when this age-old mystery was finally uncovered. However, a number of questions still remain unanswered. Where were all those people originally from? Where were all they headed to? Science still has quite a way to go before all answers can be found.

 

21 comments to Roopkund Lake

  • Aditya Choudhary

    Amazing lake and amazing secrets locked in its womb! A must visit place especially in the summers!

  • poongodi ganesan

    Nice place to visit.

  • C m sheth

    World ,nature and the god will remain as Mystery for ever.The more we search ,discover and invent them. More is left hidden and our curiosity will never be satiated.

  • rajat ghosh

    sorry to break your vision, but humans are mirror images of god , tus he she cant kill its ownself 🙂 God does not need to punish humans who are mirror images of god 🙂 to show his status or power.:)

  • Krishna Pal

    Sath me dekhe???????

  • Imam Ahmed Zubair

    Wonders with God will never end till eternity. Let the Scientists and the adventurers continue with their intensive searches to bring forth the unknown for the humanity to reason and understand the signs of God.

  • yash pal ahuja

    Yes…Its..so…cool..adventurer and decent place ,but I wants to know more about it,can you help me….

  • Jagdish Jariwala

    Many Many Natuaral things are unanwserded by humam race. It remains a mystrey for many ages.Man is so small against the Nature and God.

  • jayantkumar dhruv

    God has given everything to the human life for their happiness and pleasure which we can feel in our heart under the grace of Lord.amazing,what we have paid to him in return. Nothing.
    God always gives,gives and forget but we always gets..gets…gets…and forgot.Thanks to God.And his pity,mercy and blessing to all human beings.

  • kokkattil vijayakumaran

    Vey nice to see and enjoy the wonderful places.

  • prakash joshi

    Worth a visit in summer. amazing!

  • Sharad Phadke

    There is an article in Safari magzine of Harshal publication Amdavad Guj.In that
    they had concluded that the skeletons areof chitpavan brahmins pf konkan region
    Maharashtra.

  • muzammil khan

    could you explore more about mystry of this lake

  • Raghu

    Mass deaths have occurred at many places in various parts of the world. In the above case, because of snow and ice, the bones and in some places even the flesh were preserved. Hundreds died while crossing the high seas in the history, but the remains were either eaten away by sea creatures or decayed over long period of time. Hence it is no mystery at this lake to see old dead remains of people who died due to glazier cold or other natural calamities.

  • santhosh

    Truth may be far away from what scientists wants as to believe…500 people going for a pilgrimage in such an hostile place is not easily digestible, wether women were their in that group , should also be answered..

  • yedla n rao

    wrath of god may be it? to set aside the wrongdoers…

  • Shakuntla

    I have heard about this but saw few pictures. Thanks.

  • Mr.Vipin K Singal

    Amazing discovery by Scientists. Nature is always supreme and full of unexplored secrets still…………

  • nisha chandanshive

    nice place its god gift

  • vinod kumar

    very nice pic……….

  • T.S.Muralikrishnan

    Very recently we experience a natures fury in which so many human lifes are lost.Total destruction of Cattle in those area is reported.This is also may be an incident like that in which large number of human life is lost,if some one escapes this particular site cannot totally come out of the place may die in some other area.In those days there was a method the elders of the family will hand over all there responsibility to there young ones and come out of there house to visit so many temples as a pilgrimage and consider this incident may add up great goodwill of God to them. People of those days carry out these things as a grand group only.Some times some accident,or natures fury attacks them and the entire group may be perished . This can be confirmed only when we get some ample evidence from the history or from the locals story treasure.Another thing we can examine is the model of the ornaments they wear can confirm the area of the people.In certain area people will prefer only certain types of ornaments.Geologists ans scientists can refer from that side too. Any way one thing is sure people were visiting those area in search of peace and seek blessings of the God.

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