SKELETON LAKE

#ashokasays Did you know 117:

Roopkund Lake

The Himalayan region is blessed with several gorgeous high altitude lakes. But the one which catches the maximum attention is theRoopkund Lake, gorgeous, and shrouded in mystery. The lake is situated at a height of about 5,000 meters above sea level in Uttaranchal’s Chamoli District. During the summer season, when the ice melts in the lake, you can see several hundred corpses floating in the lake.

If  you are into trekking and hiking and haven't done the Roopkund trail, then you need to start planning for it right away.  It is one trek that is a must-do.

Its got everything going for it.  Deep virgin forests, gurgling brooks, breath-taking campsites, miles of undulating meadows, snow and ice and the taste of a great adventure as you climb from 8,000ft to 16,000ft in 5 days

A shallow lake, having a depth of about two metres, Roopkund has attracted attention because of the human skeletal remains that are visible at its bottom when the snow melts. Many theories and opinions exist, from purely spiritual to purely scientific ones, attempting to explain the existence of these skeletons, which date back to 9th century CE. Because of the human remains, the lake has been called Skeleton Lake in recent times.

The skeletons of the corpses have been well preserved because of the cold climatic conditions. Scientific evidence suggests that the corpses date back to around 12th century, but nobody knows the real story behind the mass deaths. Roopkund Lake is probably the only place on earth which continues to be beautiful despite the presence of about hundred skeletons.

INCREDIBLE BHARATHA