UpdateBot at 00:19, 27 May 2022

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{{Short description|Lake in Sikkim, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{disputed|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Gurudongmar Lake
| pushpin_map=India Sikkim#India
| pushpin_map_alt=Location of Gurudongmar Lake
| image = Buddhist Flag flutters in GuruDongmar Lake.JPG
| caption = Buddhist Holy Lake -Gurudongmar Lake
| alt = Buddhist Holy Lake -Gurudongmar Lake
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = [[North Sikkim|Mangan District]], [[Sikkim]], [[India]]
| coords = {{coord|28.02|N|88.71|E|region:IN_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
| inflow =
| outflow =
| catchment =
| basin_countries = [[Sikkim]], India
| length = Gurudongmar Lakeʍ
| width =
| area = {{Convert|118|ha}}
| depth =
| max-depth =
| residence_time =
| shore = {{Convert|5.34|km}}
| elevation = {{convert|16909|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| islands =
| cities = Mangan, North Sikkim 122 km.
Lachen, North Sikkim 67 km.
}}
'''Gurudongmar Lake''' is one of the highest lakes in the world and in India, at an elevation of {{convert|5430|m|abbr=on|sigfig=3|}} according to the [[Government of Sikkim]].<ref name=Guru/><ref name=Tour/>{{efn|Terrain maps indicate an elevation under {{convert|5150|m}}.<ref>[https://www.openstreetmap.org/search?query=gurudongmar#map=15/28.0265/88.7143&layers=C Gurudongmar], OpenStreetMap, retrieved 18 November 2021.</ref>}} It is located in the [[Great Himalayas]] in the [[North Sikkim district|Mangan District]] in [[States and union territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Sikkim]],<ref name="Guru">{{Cite web|title=Gurudongmar Lake (North Sikkim Tourist Places)|url=https://northsikkim.nic.in/tourist-place/gurudongmar-lake/|url-status=live|website=District North Sikkim, Government of Sikkim|publisher=}}</ref> and considered sacred by [[Buddhists]], [[Sikhs]] and [[Hindus]].<ref name=Tour>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sikkimtourism.gov.in/Webforms/General/PlacesOfInterest/Gurudongmar.aspx|title=Gurudongmar Lake|publisher=Official website of Sikkim Tourism, Government of Sikkim}}</ref> The lake is named after Guru [[Padmasambhava]]—also known as Guru Rinpoche—founder of [[Tibetan Buddhism]], who visited in the 8th century.

==Geography==
[[File:Gurudongmar lake North Sikkim.jpg|thumb|left|The lake in November 2015.]]
The high altitude lake is located {{Convert|190|km}} away from [[Gangtok]], the capital city of Sikkim, and about {{convert|5|km}} south of the Tibetan (Chinese) border, in the district of [[North Sikkim]]. The lake can be reached by road from [[Lachen, Sikkim|Lachen]] via [[Thangu Valley]]. The road from Thangu to Gurudongmar passes through rugged terrain with [[moraine]], which has high alpine pastures covered with many [[rhododendron]] trees.<ref name=Wetland/><ref name=Tour/> While Indian tourists are allowed to visit the lake, foreigners need to get a special permit from the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi.<ref name="BettsMcCulloch2014">{{cite book|author1=Vanessa Betts|author2=Victoria McCulloch|title=Indian Himalaya Footprint Handbook: Includes Corbett National Park, Darjeeling, Leh, Sikkim|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=77D8AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA352|date=10 February 2014|publisher=Footprint Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-907263-88-0|page=352}}</ref>

==Features==
[[File:Gurudongmar lake in April.jpg|left|thumb|Gurudongmar in April[[File:Gurudongmar_lake_on_23rd_May_2022.jpg|thumb|Gurudongmar lake on 23rd May 2022]]]]
The lake, fed by glaciers, is located to the north of the [[Kanchendzonga]] range, in a high [[plateau]] area connected with the [[Tibetan Plateau]]. It provides one of the source streams which joins the [[Tso Lhamo Lake|Tso Lahmu]] and then form the source of the [[Teesta River]]. The lake remains completely frozen in the winter months, from November to Mid-May.<ref name=Wetland>{{Cite web|last1= Panigrahy |first1= S |last2= Patel |first2= J G|last3= Parihar |first3= J S
|url=http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/Atlas-High-Altitude-Lakes-of-India.pdf|title=National Wetland Atlas: High Altitude Lakes Of India|work= Gurudongmar Lake
|date=September 2012|publisher= Space Applications Centre, ISRO, Government of India|page=83}}</ref><ref name="Husain">{{cite book|author=Husain|first=Majid|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EupOAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT282|title=Understanding Geographical Map Entries|publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Education|year=2012|isbn=978-1-259-00090-4|pages=282–}}</ref>

The lake has an area of {{Convert|118| ha}} and its peripheral length is {{Convert|5.34|km}}.<ref name=Wetland/> However, the size of the lake appears small at the place where the devotees offer worship because the larger part of the lake is not visible due to hilly topography obstructing the view.<ref name=Guru/> The area surrounding the lake, also known as Gurudongmar, is inhabited by [[Yaks]], [[Bharal|blue sheep]] and other wildlife of high altitude.<ref name=Wetland/>

The lake is fresh water and used to be very clear; the bed of the lake could even be seen from the middle of the lake. Pollution has muddied the waters in recent years, and the lake has taken on a white tinge and has obscured visibility.<ref name=Guru/>

==In folklore==
[[File:Gurudongmar.Lake.jpg|thumb|left|Gurudongmar Lake in Sikkim]]
[[File:Gurudongmar Lake Late October.jpg|thumb|right|Gurudongmar Lake in late October]]
A legend related to the frozen condition of the lake is linked to the visit of Guru Padmasambhava to the lake, on his way back from [[Tibet]]. When he saw it, he felt that it was worthy of veneration, as it represented the divine location of Dorje Nyima or Chhoedten Nyima. Because the lake remained frozen most of the year with no possibility of providing for drinking water needs, the people of the area appealed to Padmasambhva to help them. The guru agreed to help and placed his hands on a small part of the lake area, which stopped freezing during winter, facilitating drinking water to the people. Since then, the lake has been considered sacred and devotees carry this sacred water in containers.<ref name=Tour/>

According to another legend, when Padmasambhava visited the lake he saw an auspicious phenomenon and then he considered it a good augury to enter the mainland of Sikkim, then known as Demojong.<ref name=Guru/>

==Dispute==
[[File:Dongmar lake.jpg|left|thumb|Gurudongmar Lake]]
[[File:Gurudongmar Lake in May 2015.jpg|right|thumb|Panorama view of frozen Gurudongmar Lake in May 2015]]
[[File:GurudongmarLake.JPG|left|thumb|At the end of October,2010.]]
A dispute arose when on the bank of the lake an [[Indian Army]] regiment of Sikhs—located at the border with China—considering the lake as the place visited by their saint [[Guru Nanak]], constructed a [[Gurudwara]] in 1997–1998. This created anger among the Sikkimese people of the area, who considered the Gurudwara an illegal construction, because their ancient sacred lake had been sanctified by the visit of their Guru Padmasambhava. The government of Sikkim then constituted a high level committee to examine the issue and submit a report. Documents furnished to the committee by the [[Namgyal Institute of Tibetology]], Gangtok, agreed with the claim of the local people that it was without a doubt a Buddhist religious place. This was accepted by the committee. The building constructed by the Sikh regiment was then handed over by the Army to the [[Lachen Monastery]] on 6 July 2001, in the presence of the Sub Divisional Magistrate, [[Chungthang]], North Sikkim. The monastery placed a lama as a watchman at the lake, entrusted with the task of maintaining it.<ref name=Guru/><ref name="Singh2001">{{cite book|author=Mohinder Singh|title=Punjab 2000: Political and Socio-economic Developments|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1ZNgVkbUtagC&pg=PA25|date=1 January 2001|publisher=Anamika Publishers & Distributors|isbn=978-81-86565-90-2|pages=25–}}</ref>

{{clear}}

== Images ==

{{wide image|GurudongmarLake2010.jpg|1280px|align-cap=center|Panoramic view of Gurudongmar Lake, North Sikkim, India.}}

[[File:Sarv Dharm Sthal near Gurudongmar Lake.jpg|left|thumb|Sarv Dharm Sthal near Gurudongmar Lake, November 2010.]]
[[File:Crack on thin ice (6806661139).jpg|right|thumb|At Gurudongmar lake, photo taken in late December, when the lake just begins to freeze.]]
[[File:GurudongmarLakeMay2012.JPG|center|thumb|Gurudongmar Lake in May 2012, North Sikkim.]]
{{clear}}

==See also==
{{commons category}}
* [[Tourism in North East India]]
* [[Tilicho lake]]
* [[Lake Tsongmo]]
* [[Khecheopalri Lake]]
* [[Sanglaphu]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://thinkingparticle.com/articles/gurudongmar-lake-north-sikkim-sacred-experience Gurudongmar lake Travel Guide]
* [https://www.northeast-india.in/travel-guide/sikkim/gurudongmar-lake/ Gurudongmar Lake- Permit Regulations Climate Temperature Height]

{{Hydrography of Sikkim}}
{{North East India}}

[[Category:China–India border]]
[[Category:North Sikkim district]]
[[Category:Sacred lakes of Sikkim]]
[[Category:Tourism in Northeast India]]

Gurudongmar Lake - Revision history

UpdateBot at 00:19, 27 May 2022