 |
| PRASHAR LAKE IN WINTERS. |
Surrounded by the Dhauladhar ranges in
Kullu Valley is a blue-water lake called Prashar. Prashar Lake (2,730m), frozen in
the winter and a dazzling beauty otherwise, is considered one of the many
jewels of Himachal Pradesh. Located within accessible distance from Mandi city,
this lake and its surrounding trails are attractive to many a tourist. It's not
just the lake but also the 13th century pagoda temple dedicated to the sage
Prashar (where the lake gets its name) and other landmarks that are significant
here. Prashar Lake is a well-kept secret
in the Mandi district of Himachal
Pradesh. The trek follows a charming trail through a forest and several
rivulets. Meanwhile, one can enjoy the local culture as the trail goes
through villages as well. The trek offers a 180 degree view of the Dhauladhar, Pir Panjal and Kinnaur mountain ranges.
The Temple
 |
| Prashar Lake Temple View. |
The three storied temple was built of Mandi in the 13th century. The temple is capped with a roof of slate tiles and wood carvings. For those interested in architecture, the local temple of Prashar Rishi next to the lake, with its riveting Himachali architecture, blends perfectly with the landscape.
The temple was built in the
thirteenth century and legend has it was built by a baby from a single tree.
The lake has a floating island in it and it is said to be unclear how deep it
is, with a diver not being able to determine its depth.
Prashar Lake is dedicated to
Maharishi Parashar , the father of Ved-Vyasa and the grand-son of
Maharishi Vashishtha . Sage Vasishth was the Religious and spiritual counselor
of Lord Rama while Ved-Vyasa was the Raj Purohit of Kuru dynasty stated
in Mahabharata. Sage Prashar Rishi is supposed to be the narrator of first
Purana, the Vishnu Purana of Hindu mythology.
 |
| Prashar Temple Image |
Mythology
Mythology says that this lake was
formed by Pandawas when they were on their way after Mahabharata with Deity
Kamrunag (based on which this entire valley is known as Kamru Valley today) to
find best place for their teacher, Dev Kamrunag and Deity love the isolation of
this place so much that he decided to stay here for the rest of his life. On
his request, Bheem one of the Pandava brothers formed the lake by pushing his
elbow and forearm on the peak of the mountain. And that is the reason believed
by locals after oval-shaped lake with depth unknown. Many a time in storms an
almost 30-meter-tall cedar tree would fall into the lake to disappear.The
temple was built in the thirteenth century and legend has it was built by a
baby from a single tree. The lake has a floating island in it and it is said to
be unclear how deep it is, with a diver not being able to determine its depth.
 |
| Prashar Lake view |
Today people from all faiths come
here. As an offering people throw money, silver coins and gold into the water.
This place is available for visitors throughout the year except for winter
months, i.e. Dec. through March. The place is full of peace, with old images of
Gods and Saint Prashar. The unique thing about this lake is that there is a
patch of grass which moves from one end to the other. In the summer it is at
one end and in winter it touches the other end. The pujari or the priest of the
temple is not a brahmin but a Rajput. They say one of the kings was unhappy
with the local priest so he appointed a Rajput priest to display his powers.
 |
| Floating Island Of Prashar Lake |
The Divine Calculation
According to locals and
care-takers of the Prashar Lake, the lake itself represents the science of the
earth. According to myth, and which looks practical at a glance of the entire
lake, it consists of 79% or water and 21% of dry area which actually represents
the anatomy of earth. A floating island represents the earth, which
revolves on its own axis as well as move around the lake according to the
season. According to priests, movement of this island to certain place has a
prediction and sign in itself which is a matter of study and research. They
further tell that moving of this island to absolute North corner is a
sign of bad omen.
Priests further says
that, they think that if the floating island is sunk it will mark as an end of
life on the planet earth.
If you're in the mood for some outdoor adventure and want these memories
to be etched forever, then make Prashar Lake the destination of your choice.
No comments:
Post a Comment