Did you know of this legend about Sikkim’s Gurudongmar Lake?

As it goes for alpine lakes, we are yet to find one that is not a visual treat. There’s something so serene about them that you immediately fall in love with them. It must be their location, surrounded by mountains all around and being so remote. We are here for one such lake in India – Sikkim’s Gurudongmar Lake.

Also read: Quick guide to Assam’s mystical Kamakhya Temple

Located at 5,183 meters above sea level, very close to the Tibetan and Chinese border in Mangan district in Sikkim, Gurudongmar Lake is surrounded by natural beauty and legends.



Gurudongmar Lake is the second highest lake in India (highest one being Cholamu lake at 5330 metres above sea level in North Sikkim) and as one would expect, freezes over during the winter.


Well, most of it does.


At that altitude, where everything is expected to be frozen, especially during winter months, there is one small section of the lake that never freezes over, and we are here to talk about that.



Gurudongmar Lake is considered holy by both Sikhs and Buddhists. As per the Sikhs, it was believed that the lake was visited by Guru Nanak and was blessed by him. Because of this belief, back in 1997-1987, the Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army built a gurudwara to commemorate that. But that didn’t sit well with the local Buddhists. You see, there is a strong Buddhist belief that says the lake was visited and blessed by Guru Padmasambhava.


As per the legends, Guru Padmasambhava, on his way back from Tibet, visited the lake which represented the holy place of Dorje Nyima. The lake, as beautiful as it was, remained frozen for the most part of the year. As this was a great problem for the locals, they appealed to Guru Padmasambhava to help them out.



It was then that Guru Padmasambhava touched a small section of the lake and, as per the legends, that part of the lake never froze after that. That definitely solved the water problem for the people residing there. Since then, the lake attained the holy status and became an important place for pilgrimage for the Buddhists.


Coming back to the gurudwara, when the construction of the said gurudwara was opposed by the Sikkimese, the Government of Sikkim stepped in and with a word from the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, it was then decided that the lake was indeed a holy place as per the Buddhists beliefs. The building that was constructed by the Sikh Regiment was then handed over to the Lachen Monastery.