Trekking

Almost all the treks in Himachal Pradesh get closed by October-end every year as the winters start to set in. Most of the treks especially in Kullu-Manali take you to at least a height of around 3500 meters and heavy snowfall at such high altitudes makes trekking impossible except for mountaineers. However, there are few treks that can be done in winters by all those adventure seekers having some prior experience of trekking.

The trek to Prashar lake is one such winter trek and one of the best weekend treks in Himachal.

Shortest Trek

Located at an altitude of 2730 meters, the oval-shaped Prashar lake falls in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. The trek to Prashar is one of the shortest but a beautiful one and can be done in three to four hours of time. Comparatively less trekking time and low altitude makes it a perfect winter trek. Many a trekkers do this trek when the entire trail is covered with snow and the lake waters get frozen. I did this trek with a friend in mid-November hoping to catch the first snowflakes but unfortunately we were no that lucky.

Jawalapur: The Trek Starting Point

There are many ways to reach the Prashar lake. You can reach from Mandi (via Baggi village) or Hanogi town, which is near Mandi, or Bajaura, which is the last town of Kullu district. There is one more path, mostly used by the shepherds, and it starts from near Jawalapur, a small village in Mandi district but nearer to Kullu town. It is around 40 kms from Kullu. To reach Jawalapur, you have to first take a link road from Panarsa, which is on the national highway, around 23 kms from Kullu towards Mandi town.

Jawalapur To Shelapaani

We started from near Jawalapur at around 10 am. This entire area falls in the Snower valley and is known for its apple orchards and the annual local fairs especially the ‘Nau Hom’ that is held every year in the nearby Nau village and is one of the most famous local fairs.

The trek from Jawalapur is a comfortable walk besides a rivulet. There are few steep points but mostly it’s a comfortable trek up a beautiful pine forest and by a rivulet. On our way, we met some shepherds, who were descending after leaving the high altitude areas as it could have snowed any day. We chatted with them a bit and had hot tea at their campsite. It took us around two hours to reach the source of rivulet which is known as Shelapaani (literally meaning ‘cold water’). It’s one of the best sources of water on this trek and most people have their lunch here as we also did.

Shelapaani To Prashar Lake

The trek from Shelapaani till Prashar lake is a beautiful one. As you gain height, you can see the Beas river below and mountain ranges around you. We trekked at a leisurely pace, crossed a Deodar forest while enjoying the natural beauty all around us. And after around two hours, there we were, by the side of the serene and sacred Prashar lake. According to mythology, Prashar rishi had meditated here by the side of this lake. One interesting thing about this lake is that the small island (as you can see in the pictures) is not stationary and changes its position every five to six months.

Prashar Temple

We spent some time by the lake and then visited the Prashar temple. As per a local legend, the temple was constructed from a single tree. The temple is also a place of pilgrimage and hundreds of local people visit it every year. The local deities from Kullu and Mandi districts also come here every year to pay their obeisance.

Shepherds’ Huts

After visiting the temple, we went exploring the lake’s surroundings. There are these beautiful huts built by the shepherds, who used to live here. There are very few areas in Himachal where you come across shepherds’ huts and they are still used as shelter in bad weather. By now we were feeling a little tired and after sunset we returned to the guesthouse where we were staying.