Roopkund lake and its mystery has attracted every tourist to attempt the famous Roopkund Trek located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The lake lies at an elevation of 16,470 feet. above sea level. Roopkund Lake remains frozen for most of the year and is surrounded by rocks studded with glaciers. Also known as the Skeleton Lake of India, it is about 40 m in diameter and 2 m deep. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, one has to make a steep descent to reach Roopkund, colloquially called the Skeleton Lake. This infamous skeleton lake lies in the lap of the Trishul mountain range.
Why Roopkund Lake is called Skeleton Lake of India?
The skeletons discovered at the lake remain puzzling. The glacial lake located at an altitude of 16,000 feet in the middle of the Himalayas has remained a subject of intrigue for travelers, explorers and scientists. Roopkund Lake came into prominence when more than 500 human skeletons were discovered on the lake’s edge in the 1940s. The discovery of these skeletons earned the lake its name, Skeleton Lake, or Lake of Skeletons.
National and international teams of scientists and researchers have conducted extensive research on these human remains over the years. However, no common conclusion was reached.
The mystery of human skeletons
Roopkund Lake is shrouded in all kinds of mysteries and theories. Various theories try to explain human skeletons at 16,000 feet above sea level. Human skeletons first came to the fore in September 1942. A forest ranger tasked with studying the flowers growing in the region. He came across hundreds of human skeletons near Roopkund Lake. along with these gruesome skeletons, Madahawal and his team also discovered other artifacts around these bodies. Leather slippers, wooden utensils and umbrellas made in the countryside were also discovered alongside the bodies.
The 1942 Roopkund expedition followed teams of scientists and researchers visiting the lake. The teams tried to study and discover the reasons for the existence of mysterious skeletons at an altitude of 5000 m.
Some believe that the remains of bodies at Roopkund Lake were caused by an epidemic. Although there was also an initial assumption that these bodies belonged to Japanese soldiers trying to sneak in. The skeletons were also thought to come from Tibetan traders using the Silk Road. These theories were disproved by research that followed in later years.
Locals believe the skeletons are pilgrims from a royal procession. At Lohajung Base Camp, the locals will treat you to the fascinating folklore revolving around the Roopkund Lake.
Some believe the remains are from pilgrims who were on the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra, a Hindu pilgrimage that takes place once every 12 years. Pilgrimage, an ancient tradition continues to this day. Roopkund Lake is on the way to Homkund, the peak of the holy pilgrimage.
The story of Lord Shiva
The villagers remember how their ancestors told them the story of Lord Shiva. Legend has it that Lord Shiva created the lake for his wife Goddess Paravati. The goddess was returning after her victory over the demons and wished to purify herself. Lord Shiva created a Kund or lake to satisfy her demands. When Parvati witnessed the reflection of her roop or beauty in the lake, it got the name Roopkund. There is no end to the mysteries and stories revolving around the mysterious Roopkund Lake.
Finding
Since the alarming discovery of the human skeletons, there have been a series of attempts to unravel the mystery of more than 800 human skeletons. However, the mystery of Roopkund Lake remains unsolved and unanswered.
DNA studies conducted in the early 2000s indicate that the skeletons are of South Asian origin. Radiocarbon dating determined that the skeletons belonged to around 800 AD.
Roopkund Lake Trek
Every year, hundreds of trekkers attempt to complete the arduous trek around Roopkund Lake, which starts at a village called Lohajung. Roopkund Trek is about 53 km long and takes 8 days. The trek takes you to an altitude of 5,029 meters.
Roopkund was shrouded in mystery with no common conclusion. However, the journey to this mysterious Roopkund lake is full of adventure, mystery, mountains and exotic meadows. Mystery stories start right from the villages you pass through. Tourists witness the mesmerizing Ali and Bedni bows, the towering Trishul mountain in its full glory and the eerie scene of human skeletons on the edge of the lake.
