Looking at lakes always gives me a different thrill and if the lakes are from my own home district then what more can I say? The lakes of the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh are beautiful, unique and mysterious. The unmatched beauty of the region’s valleys like Janjehli, Balh, Barot, Kamru, Karsog and Jyuni captivate millions of tourists every year.
In May this year, my family planned a trip to Rewalsar Lake for religious purposes. In fact, the location of over 80 Shiva temples in the main Mandi district has earned it the nickname of “Chhoti Kashi.” We hired a taxi, packed food from home and traversed the 27km to the lake from our home in Sundernagar.
Rewalsar Lake is a common pilgrimage site for three religions: Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. The huge statue of Guru Padmasambhava on the hills of Rewalsar, the many temples along the lake, the gurudwara and zoo are popular stops for visitors.
At an altitude of 1,360m above sea level, the lake is also famous for its floating islands. Imagine our sadness when we saw no islands on our arrival. However, we made up for it by being enchanted by the colourful fish of Rewalsar Lake. Whenever we fed them grain, thousands made a beeline to the shore to eat it. My children tried to catch them but they kept slipping from their hands.
At a distance of about 6km on the hill of Rewalsar Lake is Kunt Bhayog. The blue-green colour of this lake hypnotises everyone. It is said that when the Pandavas came here during their exile, Kunti felt thirsty but there was no water to be found. Then, Arjuna shot an arrow into the dry earth and caused a stream of water to flow to quench his mother's thirst. The stream then took on the form of a lake. We enjoyed seeing the many colourful fish of this lake too.
A little over 1km away are caves on a small hill in the direction of the Naina Mata Temple. These sacred places of worship were used by Buddhist monks. We enjoyed the peacefulness and tranquillity of the space.
During our return from Rewalsar, a spontaneous plan was made to visit all the lakes of Mandi district. Once we returned home, we immediately booked a taxi for our excursions during the next two days.
On the second day we visited Lake Parashar. It is situated 49km from Mandi at an altitude of 2,730m and is dedicated to the sage of the same name. There is a circular floating plot in the middle of the lake that enhances its beauty. But when we first got there, we paid our obeisance at the beautiful three-storey pagoda-style temple of Parashar that is built along the lake. We then walked on the soft ground along its banks. Apparently, this is a favourite spot for young trekkers, locals and outsiders. There is also a rest house where you can stay and soak in the views of the beautiful valley.
The next morning we got up early as we were going to Kamrunag Lake. The special thing about this lake is that after the fulfilment of their vows, people throw gold and silver coins and notes into the lake. After climbing a steep hill of 6km from Rohanda on the Mandi-Karsog road, we finally got to see this beautiful lake which is located at 3,334m above sea level.
A little history about Lord Kamrunag: it is believed that he had incarnated in the form of King Ratna Yaksha. The king was so strong that he decided to fight on behalf of the losing army in the “Mahabharata” war. But Lord Krishna knew about his power. After winning a game he had devised, Krishna asked for Ratna Yaksha's head and saved the Pandavas from defeat. The severed head of the king then saw the entire war of the "Mahabharata" unfold. Today he is considered a worshipper of the Pandavas and the “God of Rain.”
Here’s a handy tip: If you are planning to visit the Parashar and Kamrunag lakes then pack food and water. Also, bring warm clothes with you because even a light rain in summer can make you feel cold.
An artificial but very beautiful lake is one created by a Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) project. Situated in Sundernagar along the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway-21, and at a distance of 25km from Mandi, it was formed by the water of the Beas River which was brought through a tunnel from the Pandoh Dam. Just looking at this beautiful lake made all our fatigue dissolve. It comes as no surprise then that this lake is synonymous with the beauty of Sundernagar. Since it is located along the main road, the lake can be visited before or after going to the lakes of Rewalsar, Kunt Bhayog and Parashar.
Reserve at least three days to visit all of these lakes. The distance to Mandi from Delhi is approximately 379km and from Shimla it is 109km. The nearest railway station to Mandi is Joginder Nagar (72km). The nearest airport is Kullu–Manali (74km).