Holy Lake Manosarovar

At a distance of about thirty kilometers south of Mount Kailash there is Lake Manosarovar (4560m) or as it is called in Tibetan Mapam Yum Tso, which means “Lake of the Victorious”. This is the most revered among other lakes in Tibet. Separated from Manosarovar by a narrow isthmus, another lake, Rakshas Tal (4515m), or in Tibetan, Lhanag Tso, “Lake of the Demon,” is located very close by. The lakes are connected by a canal, and when it happens that the waters of Manosarovar flow into Rakshas Tal, the Tibetans rejoice, considering this a good sign. It is believed that the balance of water in these lakes symbolizes the balance of energy throughout the world, therefore, the water level in Manosarovar is always higher. 

Myths and legends

According to Indian mythology, Manosarovar was created in the mind of Brahma when his son needed a place to bathe after the latter came out of his hermitage on Mount Kailash. Accordingly, Indian pilgrims take a bath in the water of the holy lake and also walk around it in a circle.

Tibetans are not very eager to swim in the lake, however, they still swim around it. It is not uncommon to see naked Western travelers throwing themselves into the waters of Manosarovar to wash away their sins and catch a cold from hypothermia. The classical poet of India, Kalidasa, wrote that the waters of Manosarovara are “as pure as a tear” and that by drinking this water one can cleanse the sins of thousands of lives. The starting point of the tour is the Chiu Monastery, picturesquely located not far from the northwestern coast of the lake. There are hot springs in the vicinity of Chiu, and in the monastery itself you can visit the cave where Padmasambhava meditated. The monastery offers a magnificent view of the turquoise lake, the peaks of Kailash and Gurla Mandata. 

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