Prasher Lake Mandi

Parashar Lake

Devbhumi Himachal is a state full of natural beauty. There are high mountain ranges covered with snow, and somewhere beautiful uninterrupted flowing rivers. Somewhere there are hills covered with a dense forest of cedar and alpine trees, and somewhere there are rippling streams of picturesque valleys. There are many ancient sites whose history dates back to the mythological period.

View of Prashar lake from hill top

There are many temples and beautiful lakes which are full of mysteries. This is the reason that Devbhoomi Himachal is also called the land of mysteries. Parashar is a place full of such mysteries and natural beauty, which is situated at a height of 2730 meters, 55 kilometers from Mandi. 

There is a temple of Rishi Parashar at this place.

Rishi Parashar was the grandson of Rishi Vashistha and the son of Manushakti. According to legend, Rishi Parashar had done penance here, so the place was named as Parashar. There is a mysterious lake adjacent to the temple. The total circumference of this lake is 300 metres. The water of the lake is pure and sky-colored. The lake and the temple are surrounded by sloping hills. People have different opinions about how the lake was built. According to a legend, when the Pandavas were passing through this place after the battle of Mahabharata, Bhima had built this lake by embedding his elbow at the site. According to another story, when sage Parashar was doing penance here, he built this lake from his Gurj (rod).

Where the water in this lake comes from and where it goes is also a mystery because there is no way to drain the water from the lake. But the lake water is not still rather there is a hidden draining. The depth of the lake is a matter of mystery even today. It is said that several centuries ago, a king tried to measure the depth of this lake through a rope but he failed in it. According to the priest, a few years ago a foreign woman was descended into this lake with an oxygen cylinder, but there was no one to understand her language, so this mystery is still intact. With in the water  of the lake there is a small island  which keeps changing its position in the lake.

The priest has said that many years ago this small portion of land used to remain stable in the morning in the east and the west in the evening. A few years ago, it would remain stable in one place for several months and then change its position. It is also believed that it has something to do with the movement of the earth. It is also a matter of discovery. It is a sacred lake and people have great faith in it. In June, a fair is held here every year called the Sarnouhali fair. Some of the deities around this place and the Kullu region participate in this fair. The chariots of the deities are bathed in the holy water of the lake.

Devotees from different places of Mandi district and state come here to worship Rishi Parashar and they believe that Rishi Parashar fulfills their vow. Stone idols of Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Durga are also installed in the temple. The Parashar Temple was built in the 14th century by the then King Bansen of Mandi. The three-storied temple is given the Pagoda style. Parashar temple is considered to be the deity of the royal family of Mandi. From a religious point of view, devotees have been coming here for centuries, but due to its natural beauty, it has now become a favorite tourist destination for tourists. Due to the lack of a vehicle route, till a few years ago, only a few devotees or strollers used to reach here, but now when it can be reached by vehicle, people are coming in bulk.

To reach here one has to travel from Mandi via Kamand. Kamand is 20 kilometers from Mandi where the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is situated. The weather starts to cool as we reach the high altitude crossing beautiful valleys and streams. About 10 km before Parashar, the road passes through dense forests of deodar and alpine. Apple orchards are also seen in some places. Parashar Lake is situated on a secluded hill and there is no remote population. The lake is situated amidst open sloping pastures.

This pasture widens upwards. An unmatched and enchanting view of the lake and the temple from any hill around the lake is panoramic. The highest peak here, which will be at a distance  of about 500 meters from lake  gives a superhuman and picturesque view of the lake. The best time to visit here is from April to November. Three months in winter, December to March there is a lot of snowfall here. So It is not appropriate to go there in these months. In the summer season, when people are sweating due to the scorching heat in the lower regions, the weather here is air-conditioned. The cold winds blowing here force the tourists to stop here. To stay at Parashar, about 600 meters before the lake, the Public Works Department has a rest house which is booked from Mandi. Besides, there is a guest house of the forest department. The inn has also been arranged by the temple committee for night stay near the temple. Do visit this place once and enjoy full of natural beauty and secrets of the place.

      

 Prashar trip: 24 June 2018    Keshav Srivastava