Rewalsar: The Sacred Lake of Western Himalaya

    Rewalsar is a humble community around a lake which is a mid-altitude lake located in the mountains of the Mandi district, 22.5 km south-west from Mandi, in Himachal Pradesh, India. Its elevation is about 1,360 m above sea level,Loads of Tibetan cloisters, Hindu sanctuaries and Sikh gurudwara. In the expressions of a transporter I met "individuals come here to implore". Despite the fact that the lake is minuscule, it's pleasant particularly in the nights with llamas, Tibetan people strolling about with their petition wheel or globules. Commonly some of them begin singing their ethereal mountain melodies or supplication tunes, every last bit of it is simply captivating.

TRANSPORT

You can head out to Rewalsar through Mandi in one hour in a neighborhood transport or private taxi. Mandi is associated with transports and cabs to the remainder of Himachal Pradesh. Mandi is around 4 hrs. from Chandigarh and volvos to Manali/Dharamshala from Delhi/Chandigarh normally end at Mandi so you can take any of those to go here. From Delhi, it takes 9 hrs. 50 mins. (430.6 km) through NH 44.

WHERE TO STAY

There are abundant stay choices. Visitor houses, cabins and financial plan inns are accessible. The Sikh Gurudwara likewise offers facilities. All the above are useful for solo ladies too, in the event that any of them are pondering! There are additionally great inns which you will find with a speedy Google search. Except if there is some Tibetan celebration you truly don't have to save convenience, simply go there and you will track down something great

FOOD

A wide range of Indian and Tibetan foods are accessible here. Cafés appended to inns serve Indian, Chinese and mainland rarities. The momos merit attempting.

CHIEF ATTRACTIONS

Lake – The spot is held consecrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. It's likewise picturesque! The significant fascination of the Rewalsar Lake is the sculpture of Guru Rinpoche that ignores the lake. Otherwise called the subsequent Buddha, Guru Rinpoche lectured and spread Buddhism in Tibet and Bhutan. At 123 ft, it is the second biggest sculpture in Himachal Pradesh and is arranged almost 4000 ft above ocean level. Well known for lodging the second biggest sculpture in India, Rewalsar Lake is around 24 km from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. The lake is molded like a square with a coastline of 735 m. The lake lies on a mountain prod ensured by an assortment of thick vegetation and is known for its drifting islands of reed. It is accepted that every one of them can be moved by petition or breeze. Immense Padmasambhava icon, love spots, llamas and fans reciting make a quiet air!

Cave Temple–Padmasambhava is said to have contemplated here. Rumors have spread far and wide suggesting that wise Padmasambhava utilized tantric powers to take off from Rewalsar to Tibet to lecture Buddhism. Otherwise called Guru Rimpoche, it was under his impact that Mahayana Buddhism flourished at Rewalsar and his soul is said to dwell in the minuscule islands of drifting reeds that float over the water. Going by means of a transport is only 10 mins yet you can likewise use the stairwell which take around 1 hr yet it's an intriguing move through nearby houses and little fields! It additionally has a gurdwara that was worked in 1930 by Raja Joginder Sen of Mandi. Rewalsar has three Hindu sanctuaries which are committed to Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva and to the sage Lomas. There are three Buddhist religious communities at Rewalsar.It is in Rewalsar that the sage Lomas did retribution in commitment to Lord Shiva. The 10th Guru of Sikhism – Guru Gobind Singh is likewise known to have lived in Rewalsar for about a month and the gurdwara was built in his honor.

Different lakes arranged close to Rewalsar are additionally worth a visit. Of the six lakes, Lake of Kunt Bhayo (1750 m above ocean level) shouldn't be missed. Countless travelers stay with this lake because of the legend related with it. The woods branch of Rewalsar keeps a little zoo which is additionally worth visiting. The Sisu held in late February to March and the celebration 

of Baisakhi are significant occasions at Rewalsar.

VERDURE and FAUNA

Rewalsar wetland is encircled by thick vegetation and mountains which is a storage facility of both botanical and faunal biodiversity. Rewalsar has a woodland region involved by chir backwoods and clean. The kind of vegetation is subtropical sort made out of khair, Shisham, Kachnar and chir stc. Blue green growth likewise creates in huge numbers in Rewalsar Wetland The faunal biodiversity of the space is rich. It has jackals, leopards,snakes,mongoose, monkeys, porcupine and yelping deer. Indian fogy, Brown fogy, white Breasted kingfishers, Kalij pheasant,birds are recorded nearby. The wetland is rich in fish fauna comprising Channa marulius, C. striatus, C. punctius, Cyprinus carpio,Carassius auratus, Catla catla, Puntius ticto, P. sarana and Rasbora rasbora.

RELIGION

Rewalsar is consecrated to followers of three significant Dharma religions - Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. The brief history is as follows:

Hinduism

The Hindu history of Rewalsar is found in Skanda Purana. A Hindu sage named Lomas was looking for a spot to adore. He voyaged and ascended the highest point of Drona mountain. From the highest point of the mountain he saw a lake encompassed by trees, blossoms and birds, chose to ponder at the bank of the lake, composed as Hridayeshwar in Skanda Purana. He contemplated here, and Lord Shiva and Goddesses Parvati favored him by conferring the insider facts of this spot where all the Devas and Ganas are as blossoms, and trees.

Sikhism

The 10th Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh visited Rewalsar to talk with top dogs states looking for help against the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. He remained at Rewalsar for a month. Raja Joginder Sen of Mandi constructed a gurudwara at Rewalsar in 1930 to celebrate the Guru's visit. The place is especially holy to Namdhari Sikhs because of its notice in Sau Sakhi as an asylum.

Tibetan Buddhism

The popular Rewalsar Lake, or Tso Pema to Tibetans, is related with Padmasambhava (otherwise called Guru Rinpoche), perceived as a subsequent Buddha. One adaptation of a rumor has spread far and wide suggesting that the King Arashadhar of Mandi had Padmasambhava consumed alive later reports that the Guru had endeavored to show his girl, Princess Mandarava the Dharma, which was not acknowledged then, at that point. The fire consumed for an entire week, with incredible billows of dark smoke emerging from it, yet following seven days, a lake showed up where he was singed and Padmasambhava showed himself as a 16-year-old kid from inside a lotus in the lake, with Mandarava in his arms. The lord, atoning for his activities, hitched his little girl to Padmasambhava. It was from Tso Pema that Padmasambhava went to Tibet to uncover Vajrayana Buddhism, later Padmasambhava and Mandarava went to Nepal.

Rewalsar is a consecrated spot for Tibetan Buddhists and there are two Buddhist cloisters; the Drikung Kagyu Monastery and Tso-Pema Orgyen Heru-kai Nyingma Monastery. In excess of 50 nuns likewise live in the sacrosanct caverns, rehearsing in retreat. Buddhist experts are attracted to the Sacred Caves, as are travelers, coming from India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, and the west.

BEST TIME TO VISIT MANDI (Rewalsar)

An ideal opportunity to visit Mandi is during the long stretch of March to October when temperature lies between 7-27 degree celsius.