>Kleuske at 14:55, 5 October 2021

2021-10-05T14:55:27Z

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{{short description|Lake in Ganderbal district, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Gadsar Lake
| other_name = Lake of Fishes
| image = Gadsar lake1.jpg
| alt = View of Gadsar lake
| image_size = 220
| caption = Gadsar Lake
| location = [[Ganderbal]], [[Kashmir valley]]
| coords = {{Coord|34.421669|N|75.057274|E|region:IN_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
| type = [[oligotrophic lake]]
| inflow = Melting of snow
| outflow = A stream tributary of [[Neelum River]]
| basin_countries = [[India]]
| length = {{convert|0.85|km|mi}}
| width = {{convert|0.76|km|mi}}
| area = {{convert|0.7421|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| elevation = {{convert|3600|m|ft}}
| frozen = December to April

| pushpin_map = India Jammu and Kashmir#India
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt = Location of the lake in Jammu and Kashmir.
| pushpin_map_caption =

| website =
| reference =
}}

The '''Gadsar Lake'''<ref name="Gadsar">{{cite book | authors=Sir Charles Metcalfe MacGregor, Charles Ellison Bates | title=Central Asia: section 1. A gazetteer of Kashmír | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zf9tAAAAMAAJ&q=Gadsar+lake | access-date=31 July 2012 | year=1995 | publisher=Barbican Publishing Company, 1995 | isbn= 9781900056854 | pages=188, 496–}}</ref> also called as ''the valley of flowers'' is a picturesque, alpine high altitude [[oligotrophic lake]]<ref>{{cite journal|last=Raina|first=HS|author2=KK Vass|title=Some biological features of a freshwater fairy shrimp, Branchinecta schantzi, Mackin, 1952 in the Northwestern Himalayas, India|journal=J. Indian Inst. Sci.|date=May–June 2006|volume=86|pages=287–291|url=http://journal.library.iisc.ernet.in/vol200603/paper9/287.pdf|access-date=21 February 2012}}{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> in [[Ganderbal district]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kashmirparadise.com/sonamarg-tour.html |title=Gangabal in Ganderbal |publisher=kashmirparadise.com |access-date=2012-04-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425130431/http://www.kashmirparadise.com/sonamarg-tour.html |archive-date=2012-04-25 }}</ref> of [[Kashmir valley]] at an elevation of 3600 metres. It has a max. length of 0.85 kilometres and max. width of 0.76 kilometres.

==Etymology, geography==
[[File:Gadsar lake.jpg|left|thumb|Gadsar Lake from the Gadsar Pass at mount Vishnu]]
'''Gadsar''' in [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]] means ''the lake of fishes'', a natural habitat of [[trout]] and other types of fishes<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/x2614e/x2614e05.htm|title=Fishes and Fisheries in high altitude lakes, Vishansar, Gadsar, Gangabal, Krishansar|publisher=Fao.org|access-date=2012-04-19}}</ref> among of which is the [[brown trout]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Petr|first=ed. by T.|title=Fish and fisheries at higher altitudes : Asia|year=1999|publisher=FAO|location=Rome|isbn=92-5-104309-4|page=72|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z4HESCeJyZcC&q=Vishansar+Lake&pg=PA72}}</ref> '''Yemsar''' means ''Lake of [[Yama]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Excelsior |first=Daily |date=2012-08-17 |title=Sacred Shrines of Haramukh |language=en-US |url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/sacred-shrines-of-haramukh/ |access-date=2021-05-15}}</ref> The lake freezes in the month of November to April and is mostly covered by snow during these months, the floating ice bergs are seen even in summer. It is surrounded by alpine meadows full of various kinds of wild alpine flowers, therefore the lake is also called as ''the valley of flowers''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aazad-kashmir.com/kashmir-photos/flowers-gadsar-valley/ |title=Gadsar the valley of flowers |publisher=aazadkashmir.com |access-date=2012-04-19 }}{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The lake is mainly fed by melting of [[glaciers]]. The Gadsar Lake outflows through a stream flows north westwards and joins [[Neelum River]] at Tulail.

== Access ==
The Gadsar Lake is situated 108 kilometres northeast from [[Srinagar]] city. From [[Naranag]] a 28 km alpine track leads to the lake. Another track of 41 km northwest from Shitkadi [[Sonamarg]] via [[Vishansar Lake]] and [[Krishansar Lake]] leads to the Gadsar Lake crossing two mountain passes of Nichnai and Gadsar of more than 4100 meters above sea level.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://go2kashmir.com/sonmarg.html|title=Go to Kashmir|publisher=go2kashmir.com|access-date=2012-04-19}}</ref> The best time to visit is from the month of June to September.

==Gadsar, the lake of death==
The Gadsar Lake is also called '''Yemsar''' which means ''the lake of [[Yama]]'' and is also referred to as ''the lake of death''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Excelsior |first=Daily |date=2012-08-17 |title=Sacred Shrines of Haramukh |language=en-US |url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/sacred-shrines-of-haramukh/ |access-date=2021-05-15}}</ref> A myth still unresolved. [[Shepherds]] grazing their flocks in the outskirts of Gadsar lake during summers believe that, there lives a [[Lake Monster]], a freshwater [[Octopus]] which drags the creatures from shores by its tentacles into the water. There is an uncertainty in the minds of visitors, a kind of threat which prevents them going near the shores. The [[shepherds]] also chose otherwise grazing their flocks at the shores of the lake. The fishes are being caught outside the lake in a stream from which it flows out.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{portal|Lakes}}
* [http://www.trodly.com/destination/3485/gadsar-lake Lake and around]

{{Kashmir Valley}}
{{Hydrography of Jammu and Kashmir}}

[[Category:Geography of Ganderbal district]]
[[Category:Lakes of Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Ganderbal district]]

Gadsar Lake - Revision history

>Kleuske at 14:55, 5 October 2021