In about two to three hours drive from Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, you can transport yourself to a spellbinding location filled with natural beauty. The place is quite famous as the Sangetsar Lake.
Sangetsar Lake
How it came to be named after Madhuri Dixit?
This lake is originally called Sangetsar Lake, but it was once nicknamed as Madhuri Lake. How so, you may wonder. Well, in the 90s, a song from the Bollywood movie named Koyla starring Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit was shot at the lake site. The song became famous and so did the lake, and soon after the lake was also named as Madhuri Lake. This name is an unfailing crowd-puller, and many Bollywood lovers have visited the place to admire its enchanting beauty.
Way to the lake
The road to the lake is not so smooth. Its journey features roads with 50 plus hairpin-bends; narrow gravel roads unguarded by rails. A special permit from the District Commissioner's (DC) office located at Tawang has to be sought for visiting this lake. No foreigners are allowed to visit the lake site.
It takes about two to three and a half hours drive from Tawang to reach Sangetsar Lake. Tourists can feast their eyes on the snow-clad mountains, glaciers, water bodies en route. The drive itself is visually enriching.
How to prepare for the arduous trip?
It is better to carry sufficient drinking water when visiting Sangetsar or Madhuri Lake. Start for the destination at 7:30 or 8:00 AM. Try to plan your visit around July to avoid the heavy crowd.
What else to expect at the lake site?
There an army camp near the lake wherein tourists get gloves, shoes, jackets etc. at very affordable prices. There is refreshment stall maintained and run by the Indian Army which serves hot tea/coffee, Maggi and other snacks to the tourists at decent prices.
