Dehnasar Lake
Dehnasar Lake is a high-altitude freshwater lake in Barot Valley, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
| Dehnasar Lake | |
|---|---|
| Location | Barot |
| Coordinates | 32.1°N 76.93°E |
| Lake type | Glacial-fed |
| Primary inflows | Snow |
| Primary outflows | Evaporation |
| Catchment area | Lumbadug Valley |
| Basin countries | India |
| Max. length | 300 m (980 ft) |
| Max. width | 200 m (660 ft) |
| Max. depth | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 4,280 m (14,040 ft) |
| Frozen | Winter |
| Settlements | Joginder Nagar (Nearest city) |
Geography
Dehnasar Lake lies at 4,280 metres (14,040 ft) above mean sea level, in Kangra district. It is near Barot and Joginder Nagar in Mandi district.
The lake is situated beside rocky cliffs at the top of the mountain and derives its water from melted snow. It lies frozen under a thick coat of snow during winters. Blizzards and hailstorms are common due to high altitude.
Joginder Nagar, the nearest major town, is 20 kilometers away from the lake, while Barot is 12 km away.
Trekking
Temporary accommodations and tents are raised near the location of the lake during the pilgrimage season that falls in July to September every year. Shepherds are commonly sighted along the trek during pilgrimage, as well as rare herbs and flowers.
The base location to trek uphill towards the lake is at Polling village, 9 km northwards Barot which is accessible by road up to Lohardi. The moderately difficult, 14-km, uphill trek opens after June and closes after September.
Trekking via Lohardi is the most commonly used and shortest due to its steep gradient. The Thaltukhod trek is more lengthy and time consuming due to gentler slopes. The lake is approachable through another trek that starts from the opposite side of Kullu Valley. It can take more than 3 days to complete to and fro journey using this route.
Culture
According to the myth, the lake is home to the goddess Parvati, who is said to visit the lake in the Bhadrapada month of the Hindu calendar, which generally falls in August or September.