Gosaikunda
Encyclopedia
Gosaikunda, also spelled Gosainkunda and Gosain Kunda is an alpine freshwater
oligotrophic lake
in Nepal
's Langtang National Park
, located at an altitude of 4380 m (14,370.1 ft) above sea level
in the Rasuwa District
with a surface of 13.8 ha (34.1 acre). Together with associated lakes, the Gosaikunda Lake complex is 1030 ha (4 sq mi) in size and has been designated a Ramsar site in September 2007.
The lake melts and sips down to form the Trishuli
river and remains frozen for six months in winter October to June. There are 108 lakes in this area, small to medium in size. The challenging Lauribina La pass at an altitude of 4610 m (15,124.7 ft) is on its outskirts.
attributes Gosaikunda as the abode of Hindu deities
Lord Shiva and Goddess Gauri. The Hindu scriptures Bhagavata Purana
and Vishnu Purana
, and the Hindu epics Ramayana
and Mahabharata
refer to Samudra manthan
, which is directly related to the origin of Gosaikunda. Its holy waters are considered of particular significance during Gangadashahara and the sacred thread festival Janai Purnima when thousands of pilgrims from Nepal and India visit the area.
Gosaikunda is believed to have formed from the digging of the land by the Trishul
(holy three-pointed sword
) of lord Shiva
after he drank the poison
from Samudra manthan and desperately wanted cold water to quench the overwhelming heat.
-Gosainkunda-Helambu
trail. Gosainkunda trek adjoins the famous Langtang
trek in the same district. There are plenty of hotel
s along the route to Helambu
trek.
oligotrophic lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
's Langtang National Park
Langtang National Park
Langtang National Park is the fourth national park in Nepal and was established in 1976 as the first Himalayan national park. The protected area exceeds an altitudinal range of and covers an area of in the Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Sindhulpalchok districts of the central Himalayan region encompassing...
, located at an altitude of 4380 m (14,370.1 ft) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
in the Rasuwa District
Rasuwa District
Rasuwa District of 44,731.Gosaikunda lake is located in the district.-Village Development Committees :*Bhorle*Briddhim*Chilime*Dandagaun*Dhaibung*Dhunche*Gatlang*Goljung*Haku*Jibjibe*Khamjim*Laharepauwa*Langtang*Ramche*Saramthali...
with a surface of 13.8 ha (34.1 acre). Together with associated lakes, the Gosaikunda Lake complex is 1030 ha (4 sq mi) in size and has been designated a Ramsar site in September 2007.
The lake melts and sips down to form the Trishuli
Trishuli
Tirsuli is a Himalayan mountain peak in the Pithoragarh district of Kumaon Uttarakhand, India. It is part of the complex of mountains, including Tirsuli West, Hardeol, Dunagiri, Changabang, and Kalanka, which make up the northeast wall of the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, in the Garhwal Himalaya. It rises...
river and remains frozen for six months in winter October to June. There are 108 lakes in this area, small to medium in size. The challenging Lauribina La pass at an altitude of 4610 m (15,124.7 ft) is on its outskirts.
Religious significance
The Gosaikunda area has been delineated as a religious site. Hindu mythologyHindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
attributes Gosaikunda as the abode of Hindu deities
Hindu deities
Within Hinduism a large number of personal gods are worshipped as murtis. These beings are either aspects of the supreme Brahman, Avatars of the supreme being, or significantly powerful entities known as devas. The exact nature of belief in regards to each deity varies between differing Hindu...
Lord Shiva and Goddess Gauri. The Hindu scriptures Bhagavata Purana
Bhagavata purana
The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is one of the "Maha" Puranic texts of Hindu literature, with its primary focus on bhakti to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna...
and Vishnu Purana
Vishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana is a religious Hindu text and one of the eighteen Mahapuranas. It is considered one of the most important Puranas and has been given the name Puranaratna...
, and the Hindu epics Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
and Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
refer to Samudra manthan
Samudra manthan
In Hinduism, Samudra manthan or Ksheera Sagara Mathanam, Churning of the Ocean of Milk is one of the most famous episodes in the Puranas...
, which is directly related to the origin of Gosaikunda. Its holy waters are considered of particular significance during Gangadashahara and the sacred thread festival Janai Purnima when thousands of pilgrims from Nepal and India visit the area.
Gosaikunda is believed to have formed from the digging of the land by the Trishul
Trishula
A trishula is a type of Indian trident but also found in Southeast Asia. It is commonly used as a Hindu-Buddhist religious symbol. The word means "three spear" in Sanskrit and Pali....
(holy three-pointed sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
) of lord Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
after he drank the poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
from Samudra manthan and desperately wanted cold water to quench the overwhelming heat.
Tourism
Gosaikunda is on the way of a popular trekking route of DhuncheDhunche
Dhunche is the capital of Rasuwa District in Bagmati Zone, Nepal. It is located at at an altitude of . At the time of the 2001 Nepal census it had a population of 2,535 people residing in 604 individual households....
-Gosainkunda-Helambu
Helambu
Helambu is a region of highland villages in Nepal, close to Kathmandu. It is the home of the Hyolmo. The word Helambu derives from the word Yolmo or Hyolmo. The Helambu region begins at the Lauribina La pass and descends to the Melamchi valley...
trail. Gosainkunda trek adjoins the famous Langtang
Langtang
Langtang is a region in Nepal to the north of Kathmandu and bordering Tibet. It is protected as Langtang National Park and has a number of high peaks including Langtang Lirung . As of 2010, the entrance ticket to the park cost 2400 Nepali Rupees for foreigners.About 4,500 people live inside the...
trek in the same district. There are plenty of hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s along the route to Helambu
Helambu
Helambu is a region of highland villages in Nepal, close to Kathmandu. It is the home of the Hyolmo. The word Helambu derives from the word Yolmo or Hyolmo. The Helambu region begins at the Lauribina La pass and descends to the Melamchi valley...
trek.