When I say that the trail of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is magical, I really mean it because this yatra is full of fascinating stories. There will be seldom any corner where you are unlikely to spot any story. Let me share one such tale with you. A lake at Kailash Mansarovar Yatra which is believed to be originated through the demon king Ravana.

Rakshataal: A Evil Lake

Ask any pilgrim at Mount Kailash Yatra and they will discourage you to go near or touch the water of Rakshataal because it is considered as an evil lake. According to the Hindu mythology, Rakshataal was curated by the king Ravana, while he was meditating around Mount Kailash to impress Lord Shiva with his devotion in order to get blessings from him.

Each day he would sacrifice one of his 10 heads at one of the island of this lake to please the lord. It was on the tenth day, that Shiva got moved by his devotion and granted the king his wish to obtain superpowers. There is another story linked with this tale. It is said that once Lord Shiva granted Ravana his wish here, the king requested to accompany him to his kingdom. Shiva obliged and took a form of a linga, saying that mustn’t keep it anywhere on the ground, else he wouldn’t be able to pick it up. Ravana on his way back to his kingdom in Lanka, felt the need to answer natures’ call and that’s when he requested a local sherphard Baiju to take care of the linga but this serphard called Baiju couldn’t hold its weight and out it on the ground. Else, a temple called Baijnath was constructed in Himachal Pradesh. You can read the full story here

Rakshataal: Why You are discouraged to take a bath on Kailash Mansarovar yatra

Here is a catch. Due to Rakshataal association with the demon king Ravan, the pilgrims refuses to take bath or refrain to touch the water of the lake, as a touch of it, is said to bring bad luck. You can believe this. I am not denying the fact that this can be a reason but in reality, the nature of this lake is salty which means it can’t sustain any life.

The salty nature of this lake makes it a bad option to take bath as it can harm the skin.

It is also said that since this lake remains secluded, many saints prefer to come here to meditate in secret. Honestly, I found this lake more beautiful than lake mansarovar. My observation has nothing to do with its association with Ravana or anything else. It is just that I loved its landscape, which is worth a catch

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