Prashar Lake

Prashar lake sits at about 2,730 metres in a bowl on a ridge above the Beas valley, small and deep, with an island of matted vegetation that floats free and moves position on the water, which local accounts treat as significant and which has resisted straightforward explanation of its depth. A three-storey pagoda-style temple in the Himachali timber and stone manner stands beside it, dedicated to the sage Prashar and built in the thirteenth or fourteenth century. From the ridge above, the Dhauladhar, Pir Panjal and Kinnaur ranges are visible in a wide arc, and the meadows around are grazed in summer.

History

The lake is linked with the sage Parashara, grandson of Vashishtha and father of Ved Vyasa, who by local tradition came here to compose scriptures and do penance. According to tradition the pagoda-style temple beside the lake was commissioned in the 14th century by King Ban Sen, founder of the princely state of Mandi (Wikipedia, Prashar Lake).

Highlights

• The floating island - a mat of vegetation that drifts across the lake.
• The pagoda temple - a three-storey timber and stone shrine beside the water.
• The ridge panorama - Dhauladhar, Pir Panjal and Kinnaur ranges in view.
• The summer meadows - grazing ground around the lake.

When to go

April to June and September to November; snow closes the road in winter, though the lake in snow is a draw for those who trek up. The monsoon brings cloud and landslides.

Good to know

The road up is rough and narrow, and taxis charge accordingly. Facilities are a couple of basic guesthouses and camps. Litter around the lake has become a problem with rising visitor numbers.

Nearby

Mandi lies south-west; Kullu is northeast.

Key facts