Sheshnag Lake

2025-04-29T19:19:14Z

2409:40D0:100D:A5EE:8000:0:0:0: Content refined and expanded

{{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 = Sheshnag Lake
| image = A M A R N A T H - Y A T R A - Flickr - J I G I S H A a.k.a Nitin Badhwar.jpg
| alt = View of Sheshnag lake
| location = Amarnath, [[Anantnag district]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]]
| coords = {{Coord|34.093697|N|75.496686|E|region:IN_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
| type = [[Oligotrophic lake]]
| inflow = Melting of snow
| pushpin_map = India Jammu and Kashmir
| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Sheshnag lake within Jammu and Kashmir
| outflow = A tributary of [[Lidder River]]
| length = {{convert|1.1|km|mi}}
| width = {{convert|0.7|km|mi}}
| elevation = {{convert|3590|m|ft}}
| frozen = December to March
}}
'''Sheshnag Lake''' ({{IPA|ur|ʃeːʃnɑːɡ}} ; {{IPA|ks|ʃiːʃinaːɡ}}) is an alpine high elevation [[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|accessdate=23 April 2012}}{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> located in [[Amarnath Temple|Amarnath]] in the [[Anantnag district]] of [[Kashmir Valley]] in [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]] at an elevation of 3590 meters. It is situated on the track leading to the [[Amarnath cave]], about 77 km from [[Anantnag]] city & 23&nbsp;km from [[Pahalgam]]. It has a maximum length of 1.1&nbsp;km and maximum width of 0.7&nbsp;km.

== Etymology, geography ==
In ancient times, cloud bursts at the site caused a deep groove lined by mountains. Those mountains are covered with snow and ice sheets which melt slowly so that water flows into the deep groove and forms a lake. It was named Sheshnag because Sheshanaga (Śeṣanāga) is the nagaraja or King of all Nāgas and one of the primal beings of creation in Hinduism. An hour's drive away from Srinagar city lies a fabled spring from a popular Kashmiri folk tale, “[[Himal and Nagaray|Himal and Nagrai]]”. A stone marker there commemorates the lore and with it, the original, aboriginals inhabitants of Kashmir, the Nagas. The protagonist of this story was Nagrai, a Naga, the serpent king. Sheshnag Lake is home to many types of fish<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/x2614e/x2614e05.htm|title=Fishes and Fisheries in high elevation lakes, Vishansar, Gadsar, Gangabal, Krishansar |publisher=Fao.org |date=1999}}</ref> among which is the [[brown trout]].<ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Petr|editor-first=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> It freezes during winter, and is inaccessible during this season due to heavy snowfall. It is surrounded by green lush meadows and mountains covered by snow.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cambaytours.com/pahalgam.html|title=Pahalgam Sheshnag|publisher=cambaytours.com|accessdate=2012-04-23}}</ref> Sheshnag Lake is one of the famous tourist destinations in [[Kashmir Valley]]. It is mostly fed by melting of snow and streams coming down from mountaintops. It drains out through a stream that joins [[Lidder River]] at [[Pahalgam]].

==Access==
Sheshnag Lake is situated 120 kilometers east from [[Srinagar]] and 23&nbsp;km from [[Pahalgam]]. It can be accessed<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.travelomy.com/sheshnag-lake|title=Travel to Sheshnag lake|publisher=travelomy.com|accessdate=2012-04-23}}</ref> 113&nbsp; km by road up to Chandanwari from which ponies can be hired to cover a trek of 7&nbsp; km upslope to reach the Sheshnag Lake. [[Amarnath Temple]] is situated 20 kilometers north of this lake.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="180px" heights="120px">
File:Sheshnag6.jpg|
File:Sheshnag Lake-Amarnath Yatra Series.jpg|
File:Sheshnag Lake.jpg|
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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

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

Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

Sheshnag Lake