A Trek to Chandernahan Lake

Having a stone’s throw at Himalayas, one can only see its vastness, heights and dense forests but deep inside the Himalayas are full of beauty and some very unexplored places which are so serene and the beauty is so virgin that it is ineffable. So let me take you to such a place, Chandernahan which is situated in the Rohru town of district Shimla. Rohru is 115Km away from Shimla and is situated on the bank of river Pabbar. The river Pabbar has its origin from Chamdernahan which is a lake. This lake is situated at an altitude of 4200m (ft) and is located on the south western slopes of the main Himalayas which lies to the north- west of Rohru in Shimla district of Himachal.

Chandernahan lake is not a single lake, seven lakes are there in collusion called as Chandernahan. The place has religious importance too. This place is called as the abode of goddess Kali, who is also the savior of the people of this area. Also it is believed that local gods come to Chandernahan to have a holy bath. The place is so sacred that people make a bare footed journey from a place called Litham to Chandernahan and also meat , chicken and alcohol is prohibited in this path.

So let us begin our journey to this sublime trek, but before starting the journey one must know the suitable months to visit this place. The suitable months are April to June and September to November. For the rest of the time the place is covered with snow in winters and heavy rain during autumn. Journey starts from Shimla to Rohru. One can reach Rohru either by bus or taxi. By bus it will take 6 hours and by taxi it will take 4 to 5 hours to reach Rohru. After reaching Rohru local taxies are available, which will drove you to last village of this town named as Janglikh. It will take 3 to 4 hours to reach Janglikh from Rohru. Local trekkers are available in the village. One can hire them on reaching or can be planned earlier through various trekking sites. On the way one can enjoy the beauty, greenery of the nature and the simplicity of the people. Once you reach Janglikh, local home stays are available where you can relax for a night and get boosted for the next morning. At the village you can enjoy the ancient and typical architectures. Most of the houses are made up of wood and stones and the most fascinating part of these houses is their kitchen. It is the centre place where every member of the family will come and sit near the stove which is made up of clay and wood is the main fuel. Food will be cooked while enjoying the company of near and dear ones. This also helps in keeping the homes cozy. As the village is situated on a high altitude so don’t forget to bring sweaters or woolens with you. “Athithi Devo Bhava” is fully practices in this village. You will be treated like a God and will be given divine treatment. After the meal you can have a cozy and tight sleep so as to freshen up for the most awaited trek.

On waking up you can see the rays of sun touching the mountains (sometimes covered with little snow), the view is so pious to make you believe that yes it is the heaven on the earth. Now after having the breakfast, all systems are set to go for the trek. Mules are also available too to carry food and the luggage. After walking through the way covered with pink rhododendron tress, pine trees and much other local vegetation for about two hours you will reach Simar thach. This thach is a plain area in the hills where people take rest while their cattle are grazing. The place is having many small rivulets, they seems like singing the story of their journey. The interesting thing is that the water of these rivulets has many medicinal properties as many herbs and minerals are dissolved in them. The water is so tasty that you will forget the mineral water. The place is good for photography. After a refreshing break the journey continues to Dyara thach. On the way we can find some unfruitful trees standing straight but on the other hand grasslands have covered the area which is giving life to the area. The serenity of the area fills our soul with equanimity. It will take another 2 hours to reach the place and once you reach take a big sigh of relief! This is your day one’s halt and your campsite. Take rest, enjoy bonfire and cooking and take a good sleep.

The next day you can start the journey to Litham. The track is plain from Dyara to Litham. On the way if it is cloudy you can feel the clouds touching you. The foggy weather in the early morning makes the view more charismatic. It will take 4 hours to reach Litham from Dyara. Upon reaching Litham you will be welcomed by the breathtaking view of a gigantic waterfall and this will be enough to remove all your tiredness. The source of this waterfall is the seven lakes collectively known as Chandernahan. The water is milky and white and enriched with medicinal properties. The view is so mesmerizing that that it is upto one’s choice to make a stay at Litham or continue the journey to Chandernahan. From Litham a straight track will take you to Burang Ghati and the way to Kinnaur via Barua.

On the way to Chandernahan, vegetation will disappear but greenery can be seen, beautiful flowers can be seen in the spring and autumn. After covering a steep track you will reach the first lake and as per local belief one have to open the shoes and cover all the lakes bare footed, some may start the journey bare footed from Litham too. We can find other lakes after a walk of 15 to 20 minutes from the previous lakes. The 4^th lake is biggest among all the lakes which you can see. It is also believed that it is very difficult to see the 6^th and 7^th lake as they are very far away and it is tough to reach there. So you can visit only 5 lakes easily. After visiting the lakes and sitting in the lap of Mother Nature you can start your return journey to Litham and make a stay there.

The other places that you can visit in this area are Chanshal Peak and Dodra Kawar. The places are totally motorable.

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