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	\| image = Rewalsar Lake, Mandi.jpg		\| image = Rewalsar Lake, Mandi.jpg
	\| caption = Rewalsar lake		\| caption = Rewalsar lake
			\| alt = View of Rewalsar lake
	\| location = [[Mandi district]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], India		\| location = [[Mandi district]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], India
	\| coords = {{coord\|31.63389\|76.83333\|region:IN-HP_type:waterbody\|display=inline,title}}		\| coords = {{coord\|31.63389\|76.83333\|region:IN-HP_type:waterbody\|display=inline,title}}
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	\| pushpin_map = India Himachal Pradesh#India		\| pushpin_map = India Himachal Pradesh#India
	\| pushpin_label_position =		\| pushpin_label_position =
	\| pushpin_map_alt =		\| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Rewalsar lake within Himachal Pradesh
	\| pushpin_map_caption = \| reference = [http://www.hptdc.gov.in Himachal Pradesh Tourism Dept.]		\| pushpin_map_caption =
			\| reference = [http://www.hptdc.gov.in Himachal Pradesh Tourism Dept.]
	}}		}}
	[[File:Morning mist, Lake Rewalsar.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Morning mist, Lake Rewalsar]]		[[File:Morning mist, Lake Rewalsar.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Morning mist, Lake Rewalsar]]

imported>John Hill: increased size of photo for clarity

2021-04-17T23:53:19Z

increased size of photo for clarity

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Rewalsar Lake (Tso Pema)
| image = Rewalsar Lake, Mandi.jpg
| caption = Rewalsar lake
| location = [[Mandi district]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], India
| coords = {{coord|31.63389|76.83333|region:IN-HP_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
| type = Mid altitude lake
| inflow =
| outflow =
| basin_countries = India
| area = {{convert|160|km2}}
| depth = {{convert|10|-|20|m}}
| max-depth = {{convert|25|m}}
| volume =
| residence_time =
| shore = {{convert|735|m|abbr=on}}
| elevation = {{convert|1,360|m|abbr=on}}
| islands =
| cities = Rewalsar


| pushpin_map = India Himachal Pradesh#India
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = | reference = [http://www.hptdc.gov.in Himachal Pradesh Tourism Dept.]
}}
[[File:Morning mist, Lake Rewalsar.jpg|thumb|300px|Morning mist, Lake Rewalsar]]
'''Rewalsar Lake''', also known as '''Tso Pema''', is a mid-altitude lake located in the mountains of the [[Mandi district]], 22.5 km south-west from Mandi, in [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[India]]. Its elevation is about 1,360 m above sea level, with the shoreline of about 735 m. Rewalsar Lake is a sacred spot for [[Hindus]], [[Sikhs]] and [[Buddhists]],<ref>Emerson (1920), p. 203.</ref><ref>[http://www.newsroompost.com/204233/himachal-pradesh-the-abode-of-5-spiritual-lakes-2/]</ref> and sacred to [[Tibetan Buddhists]] for the [[Vajrayana]] practices of [[Padmasambhava]] and [[Mandarava]], which are credited for the lake's creation.

[[File:Shrine to Mandarava in cave above Lake Rewalsar.jpg|thumb|250px|Shrine to [[Mandarava]] in cave above Lake Rewalsar.]]
There is a Colossus of [[Padmasambhava]], a shrine to [[Mandarava]], and three [[Buddhist]] monasteries at Rewalsar Lake. The Rewaksar Lake also has three [[Hindu]] temples, dedicated to Lord [[Krishna]], Lord [[Shiva]] and to the sage [[Lomas (sage)|Lomas]]. Another holy lake, '''Kunt Bhyog''' which is about 1,750 m above sea level lies above [[Rewalsar, India|Rewalsar]].<ref>[http://www.himachaltourism.gov.in himachaltourism.gov.in]</ref> It is associated with the escape of '[[Pandava]]s' from the burning palace of wax—an episode from the epic ''[[Mahabharata]]''.

After practicing with the local Relwasar king's daughter Mandarava, Padmasambhava and Mandarava departed for [[Nepal]], from which Padmasambhava travelled to [[Tibet]]. Known to Tibetans as [[Guru Rinpoche]], (the "Precious Master"), Padmasambhava revealed the teachings of [[Vajrayana]] Buddhism in Tibet. There are islands of floating reed on Rewalsar lake and the spirit of Padmasambhava is said to reside in them. It is also here that the sage Lomas did penance in devotion to Lord Shiva; and, the Sikh [[Guru Gobind Singh]] (22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708), the tenth Guru of Sikhism, also resided here for one month.

The Sisu fair held in late February/early march, and the festival of Baisakhi are important events at Rewalsar.

==Legend of Padmasambhava and Princess Mandarava of Mandi (Zahor)==

[[Mandarava]] and [[Padmasambhava]] were energetically drawn to one another. The local king Vihardhara, fearful of the contamination of the royal bloodline and what he perceived as Mandarava's [[apostasy]], endeavoured to have Mandarava and Padmasambhava purified by [[Fire sacrifice|immolation]] through the flames of a [[pyre]]. Instead of finding their corpses incensed and charred, Vihardhara finds that the fire of the pyre has been transformed into Lake Rewalsar, out of which arises a blooming [[lotus (plant)|lotus]] that supports the unharmed Mandarava and Padmasambhava who through this manifestation of their realisation have achieved their secret names of [[Vajravarahi]] and [[Hayagriva (Buddhism)|Hayagriva]], respectively, after which Vihardhara furnishes the union with his unreserved [[blessing]]s.

Legend has it that the great teacher Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) used his enormous power to take flight to Tibet from Rewalsar. In Rewalsar, his spirit is said to reside in the tiny island of floating reed that drifts over the water.

== Colossus of Padmasambhava ==
[[File:Guru Rinpoche in mist 2.jpg|thumb|250px|Statue of Padmasambhava above Rewalsar Lake (Tso Pema).]]
On April 1, 2012, a monumental statue of [[Padmasambhava]], measuring 37.5 m (123 ft), was consecrated, blessed and inaugurated by the [[14th Dalai Lama]]. The building project was spear-headed and overseen by [[Wangdor Rinpoche]] and funded by donations. It took nearly 10 years to complete, with the foundation alone taking three years.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.customjuju.com/wangdorrimpoche/statue.htm|title=Wangdor Rimpoche: Padmasambhava Project|website=www.customjuju.com|language=en|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref>

The statue was constructed almost entirely by hand by tradespeople from the immediate Rewalsar area and by master artists from Nepal and Bhutan. It is made primarily of cement, layered by hand over a skeleton of iron rebar, while the walls are made of hand-cut stone. Bhutanese sculptors carved intricate details into the cement while still wet. It was then painted by masters from Nepal, who finished the delicate details by hand. The building's interior is filled with traditional dzong, tsa tsas, [[prayer flag]]s and medicine pills made by local craftworkers.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/17354541@N08/sets/72157623498548520/|title=Guru Rimpoche Statue|work=Flickr|access-date=2018-07-30|language=en-us}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Rewalsar, India]], a [[village]] located beside the lake

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* Emerson (1920). ''Gazetteer of the Mandi State 1920''. Reprint: 1996. Indus Publishing House, Delhi. {{ISBN|81-7387-054-3}}.
* Himachal Pradesh – The Abode of 5 spiritual lakes
* Singh, Sarina (2009). ''India (Lonely Planet Country Guide)'' (Paperback). 13th Updated edition. {{ISBN|978-1-74179-151-8}}.

==External links==
* [http://www.hptdc.gov.in Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department]
* [http://www.himachaltourism.nic.in himachaltourism.nic.in]
* [http://www.sunrisevilla.in/himachal/lakes/rewalsar-lake.asp Rewalsar Lake]
* [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rewalsar_Lake.jpg Rewalsar Lake Picture]
* [http://www.newsroompost.com/204233/himachal-pradesh-the-abode-of-5-spiritual-lakes-2/ Himachal Pradesh – The Abode of 5 spiritual lakes]
{{Lakes of Himachal Pradesh}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Lakes of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Geography of Mandi district]]

Rewalsar Lake - Revision history

->MPGuy2824: /* top */ added alt and pushpin_map_alt

imported>John Hill: increased size of photo for clarity