Roopkund - the lake of the dead and its secrets (12 photos + 1 video)
At a breathtaking 5,000 meters above sea level, the pristine waters of the Himalayas lie frozen for most of the year. However, in the summer, the dangerous torrents break free of their icy shackles, revealing a riverbed that runs into a bank of skeletal remains, camouflaged by the shadows of the rugged slope. 
This is Roopkund or Skeleton Lake in Uttarakhand, India. Which is a dark nightmare come true. 
Trisul
In 1942, an Indian forestry official came across a multitude of skeletons lying on the shores of this lake. Somewhere in the intricacies of the mighty Trisul, a group of mountains, the ranger made his discovery - hundreds of bones and skulls, some still with flesh. The nearest settlement was five days' arduous journey away. 
Roopkund Lake
Where did these bodies come from? How were they so well preserved? Over the years, 600 to 800 bodies were discovered. The hypotheses worked like a magnet, and soon crowds of brave tourists flocked here to discover the secrets of the Skeleton Lake for themselves.
Stories of the Dead 
At first, the bodies were thought to be Japanese soldiers attempting to invade India. They could also have been Tibetan traders traveling along the Silk Road who died in an epidemic. Some believed the site was a cemetery for those killed in a hailstorm allegedly caused by the goddess Nanda Devi. One version was that they were King Jasidhwal, his wife, and their retinue of soldiers and dancers who had gone on a pilgrimage to celebrate the birth of a royal child. But by violating the rules of the pilgrimage, the king angered the goddess Nanda Devi, who vented her anger in the form of a storm. This is not surprising, considering the origin of the lake itself. 
It is said that when Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were heading to Mount Kailash, the goddess expressed a desire to take a bath. But to her dismay, there was no source of water nearby. Then Lord Shiva thrust his trident into the ground, and a lake filled with water appeared. The water was crystal clear and reflected the beautiful appearance of Goddess Parvati.
Hence the reservoir became known as Roopkund. It is clear that supernatural elements and piety have permeated local folklore in India for centuries. However, another version claims that the hail was not caused by a king, but by a group of ordinary Indians on a pilgrimage called Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra in the 9th century. 
But the apocryphal claims about the pond and its skeletal secrets have long been disproved by archaeological finds. A five-year study showed that the remains date back 1,200 years. Carbon dating showed that the dead do not necessarily belong to the same era and could have died 1,000 years apart.
Their genetic makeup also indicated a diversity of ethnicity: some were associated with South Asia and died during various events between the 7th and 10th centuries; others were associated with modern Europe (Greece or Crete) and had been there since the 19th century. All the men and women were healthy and adult, unaffected by any diseases. In a place where no tools, weapons, clothing or remains of habitation have been preserved, the mystery of the lonely skeletons continues to heighten the intrigue. 
The fact that this place was on a pilgrimage route is still being considered. However, reliable sources confirming this have not yet been found. While scientists and historians continue to puzzle over the whereabouts of the skeletons, the lake attracts more and more ordinary people with its eerie charm every year. 
When the ice melts and the bone bed is exposed under the waves, memories of an unknown past come to life, calling modern travelers to find out what lies beyond the snowy ridges of the Himalayas. This place remains unprotected from tourist encroachment, and its dead stir in their icy graves at the thought that their refuge could be destroyed by the careless steps of curious living... 
The mystery of the skeletons is still unsolved 
