Kausar Nag

2025-10-22T02:32:32Z

106.215.196.32:

{{Short description|Lake in Jammu and Kashmir, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Kausar Nag
| lake =
| pushpin_map = India Jammu and Kashmir
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Kausar Nag lake within Jammu and Kashmir
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India
| location = [[Kulgam, Kashmir valley]], India
| coords = {{Coord|33.5123|N|74.7688|E|region:IN_type:waterbody|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| type = [[Oligotrophic lake]]
| inflow = Melting of snow
| outflow = [[Veshaw River]]
| length = {{convert|1.5|km|mi}}
| width = {{convert|0.9|km|mi}}
| elevation = {{convert|3500|m|ft}}
| frozen = November to July
| image = Kausar Nag Lake.jpg
| caption = Kausar Nag Lake in August
| alt = View of Kausar Nag Lake
}}
[[File:Kausarnag Lake, Kashmir Valley.jpg|thumb|250px|A satellite image showing Kausar Nag (centre)]]
'''Kausar Nag''', also called '''Konsarnag''', is a high-altitude [[Oligotrophic lake|oligotrophic]] lake located at an elevation of {{convert|3500|m|ft}} above sea level.<ref>{{cite book | title=Kashīr, being a history of Kashmīr from the earliest times to our own, Volume 1 | publisher=University of Michigan | author=G. M. D. Sufi | year=2006 | pages=44}}</ref> Kausar Nag is located in the [[Pir Panjal]] mountain range in [[Kulgam district]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], India. The lake is roughly {{cvt|3|km|0}} long and {{cvt|.75|km|0|}} at the widest point.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.verticalamble.in/p/kausar-nag.html |title=VAM :: Vertical Amble Mountaineering: Kausar Nag Trek Information |publisher=Verticalamble.in |access-date=2014-08-03 |archive-date=8 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508114921/http://www.verticalamble.in/p/kausar-nag.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The lake is the primary source of the [[Veshaw River]], a tributary of [[Jhelum River|Jhelum]].

==Etymology and names==
The lake was originally known as ''Kramasaras'' in [[Sanskrit]].<ref name=Qureshi2022>{{cite journal |last=Qureshi |first=Mehran |title= Landscape in translation: Kashmir of Zain Al-Abidin |journal=Journal of Landscape Architecture |year=2022 |volume=72 |pages=18–23 |issn=0975-0177}}</ref>

==Legends==
According to the [[Nilamata Purana]], after the [[Flood myth#Mythologies|great flood]], the boat of [[Manu (Hinduism)|Manu]] that carried the [[Vedas]] and the [[Saptarishi]] was stuck in the mountains above the lake.<ref>{{citation|last=Witzel|first=Michael|author-link=Michael Witzel|url=https://fid4sa-repository.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/108/1/KashmiriBrahmins_1995.pdf|title=The Brahmins of Kashmir|date=September 1991}}</ref> According to another belief, the lake was created by [[Vishnu]] by stamping with his foot, and thus it is also referred to as ''Vishnu Pad''.<ref name=Vigne>{{citation |author-link=Godfrey Vigne|first=Godfrey |last=Vigne |title=Travels in Kashmir, Ladak, Iskardo, the countries adjoining the mountain-course of the Indus, and the Himalaya, north of the Panjab |publisher=Henry Colburn London |year=1842 |pages=295–296}}</ref> Sultan [[Zayn al-Abidin (sultan of Kashmir)|Zain ul Abedin]] is said to have visited the lake, as a symbolic gesture to persuade the exiled Hindus of Kashmir to return.<ref>{{citation|last=Akbar |first=M.J.| title=Kashmir: behind the vale |publisher=Penguin Books India |year=1991 |page=28 |quote=Emissaries were sent to persuade Hindus in exile to return. To give meaning to the promise, Zainul Abidin abolished jiziya, the cremation tax, and banned cow slaughter. The Sultan personally visited Hindu shrines and places of pilgrimages Iike Kausar Nag, Naubandana Tirath, and the famous Amanath.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-25 |title=Monster Of Kausar Nag |url=https://www.yemberzal.in/2022/11/monster-of-kausar-nag.html |access-date=2024-02-19 |language=en}}</ref> Visits to the lake by Hindus for [[Ritual purification#Hinduism|ablution]] were also recorded in the late 1830s.<ref name=Vigne/>
[[File:Beyond the Pir Panjal; life among the mountains and valleys of Kashmir (1912) (14780061092).jpg|thumb|Konsar Nag Lake, {{circa}} 1910s]]

===''Yatra''===
There are two routes traditionally used for Hindu pilgrimages (called ''[[yatra]]'') to the lake, one through [[Kulgam]] in the Kashmir Valley and the other via [[Reasi]] in the [[Jammu region]].<ref name=2018yatratribune>{{cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/j-k/4-day-kousar-nag-yatra-kicks-off-616309|title=4-day Kousar Nag yatra kicks off|work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|date=7 July 2018|access-date=1 April 2018}}</ref> The Kashmir Valley route, used by [[Kashmiri Pandits]], was abandoned during the [[Kashmir militancy|1990s militancy]] in the region. Plans to revive this route in 2014 failed after stiff opposition and protests from separatists.<ref name=yatrafirstpost>{{cite web|last=Yasir |first=Sameer |url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/omars-latest-worry-kausar-nag-yatra-row-takes-on-muslims-vs-pandits-narrative-1648513.html |title=Omar's latest worry: Kausar Nag Yatra row takes on Muslims Vs Pandits narrative |work=[[Firstpost]] |date=4 August 2014 |access-date=1 April 2023}}</ref> The Reasi route continues to be used for the pilgrimage.<ref name=2018yatratribune/>

==Access==
The Kausar Nag Lake is accessible during the summer and can be reached from its trail-head [[Aharbal]], by a 36 km hiking trail. Aharbal is connected with [[Srinagar]], a 70 km motorable road passing through the towns of Shopian and Pulwama.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kashmirtreks.com/aharbal-kounsarnag-trek/ |title=Aharbal Kounsarnag Trek|publisher=Kashmir Treks|access-date=2023-03-06}}</ref> The lake can also be reached through a tougher alternate trail from the south, primarily used by pilgrims.<ref name=yatrafirstpost/>

==See also==
* [[Chiranbal]]
*[[Aharbal]]
*[[Mughal Road]]
*[[Gangabal]]
*[[Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary]]
*[[Kulgam district]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{Kashmir Valley}}

{{Hydrography of Jammu and Kashmir}}

[[Category:Lakes of Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Kulgam district]]

IndianPedia - User contributions [en]

Kausar Nag