In today's world, Gangabal Lake has become a topic of great importance and interest to a wide range of people. Whether it is a concept, a prominent figure, a historical event or a current topic, Gangabal Lake has managed to capture attention and generate debate in multiple spheres of society. Its impact has been present in different areas, from politics and economics, to culture and entertainment. As Gangabal Lake continues to be high on the global agenda, it is crucial to delve deeper into its context, implications and relevance in the contemporary world. In this article, we will thoroughly explore the phenomenon of Gangabal Lake and its various implications, offering a comprehensive and objective vision of this topic of great relevance today.
Gangabal Lake | |
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Location | Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir |
Coordinates | 34°25′50″N 74°55′30″E / 34.43056°N 74.92500°E |
Type | oligotrophic lake |
Primary inflows | Melting glaciers |
Primary outflows | Nundkol Lake which drains into the Sind River |
Basin countries | India |
Max. length | 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) |
Max. width | 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) |
Surface elevation | 3,575 metres (11,729 ft) |
Frozen | November to April |
The Gangabal Lake, also called Haramukh Ganga, is an alpine high-altitude oligotrophic lake situated at the foot of Mount Haramukh in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The lake has a maximum length of 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) and maximum width of 1 kilometre (0.62 mi). It is fed by precipitation, glaciers and springs and is home to many species of fish, including the brown trout. Water from the lake outflows into the nearby Nundkol Lake and then into the Sind River via Wangath Nallah. This lake is considered sacred in Hinduism as one of the abodes of Shiva, and Kashmiri Hindus perform an annual pilgrimage to the lake called Harmukh-Gangabal Yatra.
Gangabal has been mentioned in Hindu texts like the Nilamata Purana as well as Rajatarangini. Authors like Walter Roper Lawrence and Francis Younghusband also mentioned Gangabal lake and its association with Hindu rites. In 1519 around 10,000 Kashmiri Brahmans died possibly due to landslides and early snowstorms near Mahlish Meadow during their pilgrimage to Gangabal as they had gone to immerse the ashes of Kashmiri Hindus who were killed by Mir Shams-ud-Din Araqi on the day of Ashura.
Gangabal Lake is sacred for Hindus. In the past Kashmiri Hindus would immerse the ashes of the dead after cremation in the lake. The Harmukh-Gangabal Yatra, an annual pilgrimage starting from Naranag, was revived in 2009.
Gangbal Lake is approached from Srinagar 45 kilometers by road via Ganderbal up to Naranag and then a trek of 15 kilometers upslope leads to the lake, which can be covered by a horse ride or by foot. The gujjar shepherds can be seen during the trek with their flocks of sheep and goats. Another trek (25 kilometers long) leads to the lake site from Sonamarg via the Vishansar Lake crossing three mountain passes Nichnai pass, Gadsar pass and Zajibal pass of an average elevation of 4100 meters. It can also be accessed through a trek from Bandipore via Arin. The trek to the lake Gangabal takes place in an alpine environment, (cut crossing) with meadows, (cut from) and huts of Gujjars with their herds crossing through two passes over 4,000 m to get to the lake Gangabal.