Located in Uttarakhand, Roopkund Lake lies in the middle of an inhabitable part of the Himalayas, at a height of 16,500 feet. The spine chilling thing about this lake is 600+ odd human skeletons were discovered here. These date back to the 9th CE and are visible at the bottom of the shallow lake when the snow melts. Nestled amid panoramic beauty of mountains and surrounded with glaciers, the lake is nicknamed as Mysterious Lake or Skeleton Lake due to many secrets attached to this place.
Here are few mysteries of this spooky lake that will pump your adrenaline rush.
A game reserve ranger H K Madhwal discovered the skeletons in 1942, during World War II. The ranger initially assumed the skeletons belonged to fallen Japanese soldiers who had tried to invade India. But this theory was rejected by a team of British investigators upon closer inspection informing the bones are much older. In 2004, a team from National Geographic Magazine travelled to the lake to retrieve skeletons for inspection. They found some of the bones still had flesh or hair as it remained safe due to frozen temperature. Geneticists in Hyderabad conducted DNA tests and concluded the skeletons were about 1200 years old, dating their deaths to the 9th century (AD).
The evidence indicates there were two distinct groups of people; a family or tribe of closely related individuals and a second smaller group of locals hired as porters and guides. The team also found accessories like rings, spears, leather shoes confirming the group was pilgrims heading through the valley with the help of locals.
What killed them? Who killed? No one knows. The wounds were on heads & shoulders indicating the blows have come from directly above. Many speculations are associated with the death of people including a landslide, starvation, sudden disease, a possible enemy attack or ritualistic suicide. After much research & consideration, the 2004 expedition concluded severe hailstorm was responsible for the death of 200 people.
Since 2004 the area has become a popular destination for adventurous trekkers. Many tourists take skeletons with them as a memory of their visit. Efforts are being made by the Govt. to preserve the ancient remains and make it visible during 1-2 months’ period when the lake is thawed out.
Know before you go
There are no roads to this place yet, so one has to undertake a 3-4 days trek to reach the skeleton lake starting from Gwaldum in Chamoli district in Uttrakhand.
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India is a vast country and a mystery to most. Those who live in it, those who now live outside of India or those who are just visiting. We, at NRIClub™, serve as a centralized hub of information for the residents, non-residents and travellers who are not familiar with various aspects of this great country.
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