Krishansar Lake: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Lake in Ganderbal district, India}}

{{Infobox lake

| location          = [[Ganderbal]], [[Kashmir valley]]

The '''Krishansar Lake''' is an 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=20 April 2012}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>  situated in the vicinity of [[Sonamarg]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://go2kashmir.cohm/sonmarg.html |title=go2kashmir, Sonmarg, sonmarg, Accommodation in Sonmarg, Hotel in Sonamarg, Sonmarg attractions,Sonmarg Travel |publisher=Go2kashmir.com |access-date=2012-04-20 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> less than one kilometer from [[Vishansar Lake]] north westwards at an elevation of 3710 meters. It has a maximum length of 0.95 kilometers and maximum width of 0.6 kilometers.

'''Krishansar''' in [[Sanskrit language |Sanskrit]] and [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]] means ''the lake of  [[Krishna]].'' It is home to many 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=20 April 2012}}</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>  It freezes during winter, and is inaccessible during this season due to heavy snowfall. It is surrounded by green lush meadows and attracts local shepherds who graze their flocks of sheep and goat during summer. The Krishansar Lake is adjacent to [[Vishansar Lake]], at its back are the mountains standing covered with snow in which lies the Gadsar Pass, a mountain pass which leads to the [[Gadsar Lake]]. The lake is a famous trekking site just north of the [[Kashmir Valley]]. It is mostly fed by melting of snow and [[glaciers]]. It drains out through a small stream which falls into the [[Vishansar Lake]] and gives rise to [[Neelum River]].<ref name="Kishanganga River originates">{{cite book | author=Majid Hussain | title=Geography of Jammu and Kashmir | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uipuAAAAMAAJ&q=Kishanganga+river+originates | access-date=31 July 2012 | year=1998 | publisher=Rajesh Publications, 1998 | isbn=9788185891163 | page=13–}}</ref>

The Krishansar Lake is situated 115&nbsp;km. northeast from [[Srinagar]] and 35&nbsp;km from Shitkadi [[Sonamarg]]. It can be accessed from Srinagar or [[Srinagar Airport]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ckashmir.com/kashmirunseen.aspx|title=Kashmir unseen|publisher=ckashmir.com|access-date=2012-04-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415044221/http://www.ckashmir.com/kashmirunseen.aspx|archive-date=15 April 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> 80&nbsp;km by road [[NH 1D]] up to village Shitkadi from which ponies can be hired to cover an alpine trek of 35&nbsp;km to reach the Krishansar Lake, which takes a complete day of trekking passing Nichnai Pass of 4100 meters above sea level. The [[Gadsar Lake]] is some 9 kilometers in the north westwards. The best time to visit the lake is from the month of June to September.