Lake Manasarovar
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| Mansarovar Wylie: Mapham G.yu-mtsho |
Lake Manasarovar (also known as Lake Manasarowar or Lake Mansarovar or Mapam Yumco Lake) is a fresh-water lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China about 2000 km from Lhasa. To the west of Lake Manasarovar is Lake Rakshastal and towards the north is Mount Kailash.
[edit] Geography
Manasarovar Lake is located at , 4556 m above mean sea level. It the highest fresh-water lake in the world. Lake Manasarovar is relatively round in shape. The circumference of Manasarovar is 88 km, depth is 90 m and it occupies a total area of 320 km². The lake freezes in winter and melts only in the spring. The Sutlej River, the Brahmaputra River (the Tsangpo), the Indus River, and the Karnali River all trace their sources to its close vicinity.
[edit] Cultural significance
Like Mount Kailash, Lake Mansarovar is a place of pilgrimage, attracting religious people from Tibet and the neighboring countries. Pilgrimage tours are organized regularly, especially from India, the most famous of which is the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra which takes place every year. Pilgrims come to take ceremonial bathes in the cleansing waters of the lake.
According to Hindu mythology, the lake was first created in the mind of the Lord Brahma. Hence, in Sanskrit it is called "Manasarovar", which is a combination of the words Manas (mind) and Sarovar (lake). The Lake, in Hindu mythology, is also supposed to be the summer abode of swans, who are considered as very wise and sacred birds. Buddhists also associate the lake to the legendary Anotatta Lake, where Queen Maya is believed to have conceived Buddha. The lake has a few monasteries on its shores. The most notable of which is the ancient Chiu Gompa Monastery, which has been built right onto a steep hill. It looks as if it has been carved right out of the rock. The Jains and the Bonpas of Tibet equally revere this spot with great enthusiasm.
The lake is also famous for its natural beauty and strange happenings. There have been many sightings of glowing balls of light entering the river. [citation needed] This phenomenon is usually seen late at night or early in the morning. There has been no scientific explanation for this yet. The Hindu texts have explained this as souls from the astral layer, also called the 'Devatas' which means Gods in Sankrit, take a dip in the lake in the morning. The usual time of this celestial encounter is between 3 am and 5 am which is called Brahmamahurat or auspicious time of Brahma, the creator of this lake. The sight is really beautiful, unique and memorable. Most people who take a dip in this sweet water lake find the experience mesmerising. Its said that illusion doesn't exist here, as the mental plane gets very still with the meditative states that the lake energy can instill in people. [citation needed]
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