Gosaikunda

An alpine freshwater oligotrophic lake in Langtang National Park, Nepal. located at an altitude of 4,380 m (14,370 ft) in the Rasuwa District with a surface of 34 acres. Together with associated lakes, the Gosaikunda Lake complex is 1,030 ha (4.0 sq mi) in size.

The lake melts and sips down to form the Trishuli River and remains frozen for six months in winter October to June. There are 108 lakes in this area, small to medium in size. The challenging Lauribina pass at an altitude of 4,610 m (15,120 ft) is on its outskirts.

The Gosaikunda area has been delineated as a religious site. Hindu mythology attributes Gosaikunda as the abode of Hindu deities Lord Shiva and Goddess Gauri. The Hindu scriptures Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana, and the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata refer to Samudra manthan, which is directly related to the origin of Gosaikunda. Its holy waters are considered of particular significance during Ganga dashahara and the sacred thread festival Janai Purnima when thousands of pilgrims from Nepal and India visit the area. Gosaikunda is believed to have formed from the digging of the land by the Trishul (holy Trident) of lord Shiva.