Lake Manasarovar is Tibet’s holiest lake. It is located in far western Tibet, not far from the sacred peak of Kailash. Lake Manasarovar - known in Tibetan as Mapham Yum Tso, or “invincible turquoise lake” - is Tibet’s holiest lake. Located in far western Tibet’s Ngari Prefecture, it is over 1,200 kilometers from Lhasa. The lake is only 32 kilometers from Mt Kailash, Tibet’s most sacred peak, and sits at an elevation of 4,950 meters. While it is not even the highest lake in Tibet, it is the highest freshwater lake in the world, and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in China. Surrounded by massive Himalayan peaks to the south, including Gurla Mandhata, Manasarovar is a major pilgrimage destination for Buddhists, Hindus and followers of the indigenous Tibetan religion of Bon.
Buddhists consider Lake Manasarovar to be associated with the legendary lake Anavatapta, which is where the mother of Buddha (Maya) is believed to have conceived Buddha. Another version is that Queen Maya was bathed in Lake Manasarovar by divine beings before she gave birth to Buddha. Either way, Manasarovar is the holiest lake to Tibetan people.
Lake Manasarovar is another Tibetan location that draws in pilgrims from all over the world, and from different religions. Hindu pilgrims have been going to the lake for well over 1500 years, as they believe the god Brahma created the lake. According to Hindu mythology, Manasarovar was first created in the mind of Lord Brahma hence justifying its name - “Manas” meaning mind and “Sarovar” meaning lake. It is believed by the Hindu religion that Mount Kailash was the place where Lord Shiva resided and is therefore considered as the earthly demonstration of heaven. The well-known Sanskrit poet Kālidāsa, in the 4th century, wrote that the water from the lake was “like pearls and that to drink them erases the sins of a hundred lifetimes”. It is common to see Hindus wade or swim in Lake Manasarovar as well as drink some of the water. It is believed that bathing in the lake or drinking its water can wash away all the sins of one’s life, leaving you clean and pure again.
Situated at the southern base of Mt. Kailash, Lake Manasarovar is celebrated around the world for its uncommon magnificence and has been stunning the world for a number of years. Looking at the historical backdrop of Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, without much stretch of the imagination we can presume that they both have been a noteworthy piece of numerous religions for many centuries.
