Roopkund Lake, Uttarakhand – The Mysterious Skeleton Lake of India
High up in Uttarakhand’s snow-capped peaks lies Roopkund-a small, enigmatical lake that has kept explorer, research and traveller’s enthralled for decades. Officially named Roopkund Lake and popularly known as the skeleton lake, it is located in the Himalayas at an approximate altitude of 5000 m. Amidst forbidding peaks, glaciers and boundless snows the lake from a distance appears stunning. However, its story becomes mystical when one views it closely, or the skeletal remains surrounding it.
Over the years this unusual lake had captured human imagination with the sheer amount of skeletal remains found surrounding and within it. While not much is known even today regarding who those people were, where they came from, or the event leading to their death, their presence here earned the Roopkund Lake a place of extreme importance among travellers, and made Roopkund one of India’s greatest unsolved mystery destinations.
Where is Roopkund Lake located?
Roopkund lake is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand at the Nanda Devi mountain region. It is one of the furthest most high altitude locations on the mountain and can only be reached on foot.
The trail is known for its incredible Himalayan views of the mountains, alpine meadows and forests of the surrounding area. It goes through the Bedni Bugyal– one of the finest alpine meadows in the entire state of Uttarakhand. The place is challenging, considering that the lake can remain under snow for major parts of the year. The weather conditions surrounding the high altitude are severe too.
Why is Roopkund named Skeleton Lake?
Roopkund lake got the name Skeleton Lake simply due to the mass collection of human bones and skeletons found throughout the region encircling the area and in the lake waters themselves. Once melted, the extent of what they discovered shocked visitors, photographs depicting a wide dissemination of the human remnants and remains spread worldwide, cementing Roopkund’s repute as the haunted lake of India.
There had been quite a number of explanations given over the years none of which had been conclusively verified regarding how and who the people were. While one story maintained a royal group journeying into the highlands had met an untimely end following a storm, the locals insisted on the presence of a divine element in their deaths and hence their damnation, a story linked with the Hindu goddess Nanda Devi.
A popular folk account states that it was King Jasdhwal who, on his pilgrimage to the Nanda Devi temple, with 78 companions; was caught in a fierce hailstorm sent by the enraged deity, Nanda Devi who he had defied by taking along with him an unmarried woman with the divine Nanda Devi’s mortal guise assumed from. Legend says it was in response to this sacrilege that Nanda Devi summoned the destructive hailstorm that swept away and killed everyone with nothing but stone chunks and they fell in the Roopkund Lake and their mortal remain lay to rest by its shores to bear witness to their fatal error and that the remains will not be disturbed as Nanda Devi cursed any who dare disturb the remains.
The reason behind the existence of these skeletons
For ages, it was uncertain how these people died and why so many skeletons are found here.
Theories had propagated suggesting the existence of a sudden and highly extreme storm, killing the travelers by a large chunk of hail stone that struck their heads. Some findings were derived from certain skulls whose bones around it were found cracked, and seemed shattered at that instance, indicating an impact from a large hailstone. The problem of identification persisted even then and researchers proposed it might have been an avalanche.
It further got complicated when due to radiocarbon and genetic tests conducted by a team of Scientists it was established that the remains found belong not just to one specific human race/population/period but to many varying species. According to the studies made by the scientists these people from all over the world have died not just at one place at the same time, not only that a total of five separate groups have died not at the same moment, they may have succumbed due to various events. It is also said that a number of them are genetically related with the natives of India, while some may be ancestrally linked with populations of Central Asia or further West.
Why did so many people die at Roopkund?
One never really knows why people were there during that particular moment. Today modern science confirms what the myth held, a storm perhaps, or an avalanche… there seems to be little conclusive on who were these individuals who are buried in this lake in Uttarakhand. There might have never been a joint killing, so each of those skeletons do not bear witness to one great event, rather it may seem that groups of individuals who may not have known or even heard of each other had during these times been caught in similar catastrophical conditions while trekking the Himalayas, leading to deaths centuries apart which still lie side by side like a bizarre mosaic illustrating the vastness of death as well as history.
Roopkund and the local legends
The locals are firm in their belief that these are the remains of those few who were on pilgrimage to Nanda Devi’s shrine who incurred the displeasure of the Goddess who unleashed a wrath over them.
The trek goes through the higher altitudes of Nanda Devi region whose traditions and legends have been associated with the mountain goddess Nanda Devi for a very long period. The great Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra passes through this larger range, so one can see the connection with the traditions which surround the area.
The folklore regarding the KingJasdhwal and the Goddess Nanda Devi can be one more contributing factor to this belief held by the locals.
The beauty surrounding the skeletons
Despite being popular for the skeleton finds, the place is amazingly beautiful.
The whole trekking journey offers scenic views, snow-capped mountains, green valleys and a number of forest and high mountain terrains that provide a sense of isolation that the people travelling there craves for. Bedni Bugyal is one of the main stops on this trek- an open meadow bordered by Himalayan peaks.
The whole trip itself gives trekkers an opportunity to have amazing fun in a remote region, far away from the hustle bustles of the city, it indeed is the perfect adventure spot for people who love trekking and exploring.
Is Roopkund a safe destination to visit?
It can be dangerous at high altitude, low temperatures may be found in the surroundings. Travelers should make arrangements carefully and consult a tour agency to make arrangements related with travelling to such a destination. One can certainly add Roopkund in their adventure tourism list without any second thought, considering it is relatively safe but the most crucial element is to take good precautions.
Conclusion of the mystery over the skeletons and the reason why it’s a great mystery of India.
Combining facts like history, science, myth and adventure Roopkund, is one of the greatest enigmas ever encountered by travelers as well as the entire scientific community. For several ages after the discovery the bodies had remained largely unexplained although the science and logic behind it are still coming out to the fore, yet it is impossible for all the theories about the whole story and the real individuals who faced doom here, to lie united and complete. The destination holds great attraction for people who have keen interest in uncovering those lost stories and hidden myths embedded deeply in the mountains, truly it stands as a remarkable sight to see.