The Mystery of Roopkund Lake known as Skeleton Lake in Uttarakhand

The lake of Skeletons mystery and riddles of the dead skeleton lake answered by scientists.

Scientists have concluded that the skeletons of about 200 people discovered near the frozen lake in Uttarakhand belonged to the 9th-century Indian tribesmen who died due to hail storm.

The mystery of the skeletons which baffled many trekkers who went for the roopkund trek in Uttarakhand has finally been solved.

Scientists have concluded that the skeletons of about 200 people discovered near the frozen lake belonged to the people of a 9th-century Indian tribe who died due to hail storm in extreme weather.

The skeletons were first found by a British forest guard in 1942 at roopkund lake which is at height of 5,029 meters (16,499 feet). Initially, it was believed that the skeletons were those of Japanese soldiers who had died while crossing that route during World War II.

But scientists have now found out that the skeletons were of pilgrims and locals as the bodies dated to around 850 AD.

Research reveals that the skeletons found near the roopkund lake were of two main groups – one a family group and the others who were relatively short.

The researchers concluded that the death was due to a fatal blow on the back of their heads and not due to any wound by weapons, avalanche or landslide. The marks on their skulls and shoulders indicated at being hit by something round, like a cricket ball. The absence of injuries to other body parts indicated that hard round objects, possibly cricket ball-sized hailstones or ice balls fell from above.

The lake, known as ‘Skeleton lake’, is situated at an altitude of 5,029 meters, in the Uttarakhand Himalayas.

Every year, when the snow melts, one can see hundreds of scattered skulls around the roopkund lake and hence it is now popularly known as the lake of skeletons.

It was earlier believed that the skulls were of General Zorawar Singh of Kashmir and his men, who had got lost and died in the middle of the Himalayan region after they got caught in bad weather while returning from the battle of Tibet in 1841. Or it could have been an epidemic or a suicide ritual performed near the lake.

Roopkund Lake is known as a mystery lake and is surrounded by rock-strewn glaciers and snow-clad mountains. The lake is about two meters deep and invites hundreds of trekkers who attempt the roopkund trek at height till 5,029 meters (16,499 feet).

Article and Image source India Today

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