The Mansarovar Lake, in the Burang province of Tibet, is held sacred by both Hindus of India and the Buddhist Tibetans. The Lake lies in a crater on the sacred mount Kailash. According to Hindu Mythology, the Mount Kailash is home to Lord Shiva, one of the Gods of the Hindu Trinity. The Mansarovar, since ancient times, as been alive in folklore of the region as the home of the sacred swans of Shiva. The haunting beauty and the mysterious heights of the mountain also gave rise to the myths of Yakshas, half God and half demon.
The Mansarovar Lake and its sister lake, the Rakshastal, are known as the "Holy Lake" and the "Demon Lake" respectively. They are linked by an underground tunnel, though the former is a freshwater and the latter a saltwater lake. The sacred Mansarovar Lake sees visits from hundreds of Tibetans and Indians from across the border, who believe that just a sight of the Lake washes away all sins. A visit to the Mansarovar is an unforgettable experience, as you come upon people devotedly praying, or monks turning their prayer wheels. The Mansarovar is periodically covered by white mists swirling on the surface, making the scene ethereal. Pilgrims carry away bottles of the lake's waters with them, believing it to be a cure for all illnesses and mental agony.
