Roopkund in India is also known as the Skeleton Lake. This is one of the most intriguing and mysterious places today. This is not only in the name itself but the whole atmosphere participates in the fame. It is found in an Indian state called Uttarakhand which is an uninhabited part of the Himalayans. This place is an eerie due to the fact that it is a big grave where you can find 600 skeletons. According to some carbon testing done to the skeletons, they are some that date back to 15th centuries. This area was first discovered by a park ranger only about 1942.
The frozen lake is often revisited by scientists and other teams of experts and the whole site is really isolated from the rest. In fact you will need to travel four days in order to get to the nearest settlement area. There are various studies and researches that were done in the area which have uncovered new theories and facts related to this mysterious place. Based on the DNA tests that were done, there are two types of people found in the Lake. There are some skeletons that are short while others are taller which is considered to be maybe part of the royalty. According to recent radio carbon testing, these skeletons are said to be older than what it was earlier mentioned. In fact they even reached the19th century. The mystery is still yet unsolved and there are thousands of theories revolving around the place. There are so many questions that are waiting to be answered like what killed them and why are there found in the middle of nowhere. Scientists studied the skulls and they revealed the fractures. It was said that this was due to hailstones. There are also some theories that reveal that a natural disaster struck them like blizzard or landslides. This explains why some bodies are intact and were preserved under meters of ice.
Although the area is nowhere near the trading routing, the scientists now believe the place is a path of to religious the procession. This is called Nanda Jaat Yatra which happens every 12 years. The question is, are the people devotees of certain religion. Today there is still no closure related to the Skeleton Lake of Roopkund. They still haven’t solved the secrets behind the frozen lake found in the remote corner of the tall mountain which is about sixteen thousands feet from the sea level.
If you’re planning a trip there, consider the option of an Indian e-Visa application form.
By Elsi H
Lake photo 1: Jeremy A. Corelli, Lake photo 2: Dinesh Pundir
