Roopkund
Encyclopedia
Roopkund is a glacial lake
in Uttarakhand
state of India
famous due to more than five hundred human skeleton
s found at the edge of a lake. The location is uninhabited and is located in Himalaya at an altitude of about 5,029 metres (16,499 feet).
ranger H K Madhwal, although there are reports about these bones from late 19th century. Earlier it was believed by specialists that the people died from an epidemic
, landslide
or blizzard
. The carbon dating from samples collected in the 1960s vaguely indicated that the people were from the 12th century to the 15th century.
In 2004, a team of Indian and European scientists visited the location to gain more information on the skeletons. The team uncovered vital clues including jewellery, skulls, bones and preserved tissue of bodies. DNA tests on the bodies revealed that there were several groups of people including a group of short people (probably local porters) and a taller group who were closely related - with DNA mutations characteristic for Kokanastha Bramins in Maharashtra
. Though the numbers were not ascertained, remnants belonging to more than 500 people have been found and it is believed that even more than six hundred people perished. Radiocarbon dating
of the bones at Oxford University Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit determined the time period to be AD 850 ±30 years.
After studying fractures in the skulls, the scientists in Hyderabad, Pune
and London
determined that the people died not of disease, but of a sudden hail
storm. The hailstones were as large as cricket
balls, and with no shelter in the open Himalayas, many, or possibly all of them, perished. Furthermore, with the rarefied air and icy conditions, many bodies were well preserved. With landslides in the area, some of the bodies made their way into the lake. What is not determined was where the group was headed to. There is no historical evidence of any trade routes to Tibet
in the area but Roopkund is located on important pilgrimage route of Nanda Devi cult with Nanda Devi Raj Jat
festivities taking place approximately once per 12 years.
(7120 m) and Nandghungti (6310 m). A religious festival is held at the alpine meadow of Bedni Bugyal every autumn with nearby villages participating. A larger celebration, the Nanda Devi Raj Jat, takes place once every twelve years at Roopkund.
Skeleton lake is covered with ice for most of the time during the year. However, the journey to Roopkund is an enjoyable experience. All along the way, one is surrounded by mountain ranges from all sides.
There are different routes for a trek to Roopkund. Generally, trekkers and adventurers travel to Lohajung or Wan by road. From there, they climb a hillock at Wan and reach Ran ki Dhar. There is some flat area where trekkers can camp for the night. If the sky is clear, one can see Bedni Bugyal and Trisul. The next camping spot is at Bedni Bugyal, which is 12–13 km from Wan. There is a huge grazing ground for mules, horses and sheep. There are two temples and a small lake that add to the beauty of this place. One can see many Himalayan peaks from Bedni Bugyal bridge. Trekkers then go up to Bhaguwabasa, which is 10–11 km from Bedni Bugyal. The climate at Bhaguwabasa is hostile for most of the year. One gets a closer view of Trisul and other peaks higher than 5000 metres. Many waterfalls and landslides are visible on the extreme slopes of the surrounding mountains. From Bhaguwabasa, trekkers either go to Roopkund and come back or they go to Shila Samundra (Ocean of Stones) via Junargalli Col Pass, which is just above the lake, and then proceed with the trek up to Homkund.
- Ranikhet
- Garur
- Gwaldam - Debal (1220 m) - Bagrigad (1890 m) - Mundoli village - Lohajung pass - Wan village (2590 m) - Bedni Bugyal (3660 m) - Baghubasa - Kalu Vinayak - Roopkund
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
state of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
famous due to more than five hundred human skeleton
Skeleton
The skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...
s found at the edge of a lake. The location is uninhabited and is located in Himalaya at an altitude of about 5,029 metres (16,499 feet).
Human Skeletons
The human skeletons were rediscovered in 1942 by a Nanda Devi game reserveNanda Devi National Park
The Nanda Devi National Park is a national park situated around the peak of Nanda Devi, , in the state of Uttarakhand in northern India. It was established as national park in 1982. Along with the adjoining Valley of Flowers National Park to the northwest, it was inscribed a World Heritage Site by...
ranger H K Madhwal, although there are reports about these bones from late 19th century. Earlier it was believed by specialists that the people died from an epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
, landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
or blizzard
Blizzard
A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or...
. The carbon dating from samples collected in the 1960s vaguely indicated that the people were from the 12th century to the 15th century.
In 2004, a team of Indian and European scientists visited the location to gain more information on the skeletons. The team uncovered vital clues including jewellery, skulls, bones and preserved tissue of bodies. DNA tests on the bodies revealed that there were several groups of people including a group of short people (probably local porters) and a taller group who were closely related - with DNA mutations characteristic for Kokanastha Bramins in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. Though the numbers were not ascertained, remnants belonging to more than 500 people have been found and it is believed that even more than six hundred people perished. Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
of the bones at Oxford University Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit determined the time period to be AD 850 ±30 years.
After studying fractures in the skulls, the scientists in Hyderabad, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
determined that the people died not of disease, but of a sudden hail
Hail
Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is referred to as a hail stone. Hail stones on Earth consist mostly of water ice and measure between and in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms...
storm. The hailstones were as large as cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
balls, and with no shelter in the open Himalayas, many, or possibly all of them, perished. Furthermore, with the rarefied air and icy conditions, many bodies were well preserved. With landslides in the area, some of the bodies made their way into the lake. What is not determined was where the group was headed to. There is no historical evidence of any trade routes to Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
in the area but Roopkund is located on important pilgrimage route of Nanda Devi cult with Nanda Devi Raj Jat
Nanda Devi Raj Jat
Three week long Nanda Devi Raj Jat is one of the world famous festivals of Uttaranchal in India. People from entire Garhwal division-Kumaon division as well as other parts of India and the world participate in Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra....
festivities taking place approximately once per 12 years.
Tourism
Roopkund is a picturesque and beautiful tourist destination in the Himalayas, located near the base of two Himalayan peaks: TrisulTrisul
Trisul is a group of three Himalayan mountain peaks of western Kumaun, with the highest reaching 7120m. The three peaks resemble a trident - in Hindi/Sanskrit, Trishul, trident, is the weapon of Shiva. The Trishul group forms the southeast corner of the ring of peaks enclosing the Nanda Devi...
(7120 m) and Nandghungti (6310 m). A religious festival is held at the alpine meadow of Bedni Bugyal every autumn with nearby villages participating. A larger celebration, the Nanda Devi Raj Jat, takes place once every twelve years at Roopkund.
Skeleton lake is covered with ice for most of the time during the year. However, the journey to Roopkund is an enjoyable experience. All along the way, one is surrounded by mountain ranges from all sides.
There are different routes for a trek to Roopkund. Generally, trekkers and adventurers travel to Lohajung or Wan by road. From there, they climb a hillock at Wan and reach Ran ki Dhar. There is some flat area where trekkers can camp for the night. If the sky is clear, one can see Bedni Bugyal and Trisul. The next camping spot is at Bedni Bugyal, which is 12–13 km from Wan. There is a huge grazing ground for mules, horses and sheep. There are two temples and a small lake that add to the beauty of this place. One can see many Himalayan peaks from Bedni Bugyal bridge. Trekkers then go up to Bhaguwabasa, which is 10–11 km from Bedni Bugyal. The climate at Bhaguwabasa is hostile for most of the year. One gets a closer view of Trisul and other peaks higher than 5000 metres. Many waterfalls and landslides are visible on the extreme slopes of the surrounding mountains. From Bhaguwabasa, trekkers either go to Roopkund and come back or they go to Shila Samundra (Ocean of Stones) via Junargalli Col Pass, which is just above the lake, and then proceed with the trek up to Homkund.
Access
KathgodamKathgodam
Kathgodam is a town in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand state of India. It is part of the twin township of Haldwani-Kathgodam , and is immediately north of Haldwani.-History:...
- Ranikhet
Ranikhet
Ranikhet is a hill station and cantonment town in Almora district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the home for the Military Hospital, Kumaon Regiment & Naga Regiment and is maintained by the Indian Army....
- Garur
Garur
Garur is a town in the Bageshwar district of the state of Uttarakhand, India.-Geography and demographics:Nearby places include Kausani, Baijnath, Gwaldam and Bageshwar....
- Gwaldam - Debal (1220 m) - Bagrigad (1890 m) - Mundoli village - Lohajung pass - Wan village (2590 m) - Bedni Bugyal (3660 m) - Baghubasa - Kalu Vinayak - Roopkund
Roopkund skeletons in Popular Culture
Roopkund's skeletons were featured in a National Geographic documentary "Riddles Of The Dead: Skeleton Lake". http://www.miditech.tv/content.aspx?page=skeleton_lakeExternal links
- Roopkund and how to get there Roopkund.com
- Roopkund trek in detail Indiahikes.blogspot.com
- Roopkund trek blog : September 2009 All you want to know about Roopkund!
- Roopkund Trek Sep 2009 Pictures http://picasaweb.google.com/bardhaman/Roopkund2009#
- Roopkund Experience Roopkund trek info Updated
- Roopkund Trek Pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/poonamparihar/sets/72157622534362080/
- Pictures from RoopKund, Bhagwabhasa, Bedni Bugyal and Ali Bugyal