While planning a trip to any destination , most of us google ‘things to do’, choose our favorites and visit them. We planned to do the same during our trip to Manali. So we decided to visit the regular attractions – Hadimba temple, Rohtang Pass and Manikaran.

However on reaching Manali, we didnt feel like doing the regulars. We were also discouraged by the hotel staff about visiting Manikaran owing to the horrendous condition of the road and I wasnt confident or aware of Junior’s tolerance towards long distance road travel. So there we were in Manali – with 3 full days in hand, no mood to go to local attractions and brainstorming about the places we could visit.

Minds fogged with confusion, we decided to make a trip to Rohtang Pass and then think about the other places we could visit. Rohtang pass is at height of 12500 ft and has gained immense popularity in the past decade and is labelled as a ‘must-see’. The route is beautiful with smooth roads. It is hard to find any snow in October and one will be disappointed if you do visit with that expectation.

After some extensive research on the internet , we zeroed in on Lake Parashar – a beautiful , undiscovered attraction located at a distance of 200 odd kms from Manali. The locals had informed that it would take a good 5 hours one way to visit Lake Parashar since there was NO road towards the end of the route. We decided to go anyways..

The journey is alright with regular scenery and nothing spectacular, the destination is what blows your mind away and how!! At a height of almost close to 2500 mts above sea level, this majestic lake with a floating island, surrounded by beautiful mountain peaks is TO DIE FOR.

A little trivia about the lake:

• Several reknowned divers have failed to determine the actual depth of this lake.
• The island to lake ratio depicts the ratio between land and water on earth (20% land and 80% water).
• The Hindu Sage Parashar is said to have done penance here several thousands of years ago,thus marking the beginning of Hinduism. A little temple dedicated to the sage overlooks the lake.

The view is supposed to be magnificent during winter – when the lake is frozen and surrounded by snow capped mountains. With a silent wish to make it back to this place during the winters we  retreated homewards!!!