Rewalsar (Rawalsar), India

Rewalsar (town)

Himachal Pradesh • India
Coordinates: 31°43′N 76°55′E / 31.72, 76.92
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
• Elevation
• 1,360 m (4,462 ft)
District(s) Mandi
Population 1,369 (2001)

Rawalsar (also spelled Rewalsar) is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mandi district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census[1], Rawalsar had a population of 1369. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Rawalsar has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 73%. In Rawalsar, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Geography

Rawalsar is located at an altitude of 1360 m above sea level. It is connected to Mandi by a motorable road and is about 25 km from Mandi. Lying in the Southern Himalayan belt, winters in Rawalsar can be freezing, while summers are generally pleasant.[2]

Religion

Rawalsar is sacred to adherents of three major religions - Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.

Hinduism

Seven mythological lakes associated with the Pandavas of Mahabharata are located above Rawalsar.[3] Also associated with Rawalsar are the legends of Lord Shiva and Lomas Rishi.[4] There is also a famous Krishna temple in the town.

Sikhism

The tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh visited Rawalsar to consult with kings of the Hill states seeking support against Aurangzeb. He stayed at Rawalsar for a month. Raja Joginder Sen of Mandi built a gurudwara at Rawalsar in 1930 to commemorate the Guru's visit.[5] The place is partiularly sacred to Namdhari Sikhs due to its mention in Sau Sakhi as a sanctuary.[6]

Buddhism

The famous Rawalsar lake is associated with Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche), a Buddhist monk. One version of a legend has it that the king of Mandi had Padmasambhava burnt alive after rumours that the monk had flirted with the king's daughter. The lake appeared at the spot where the monk was burnt and Padmasambhava manifested himself from within a lotus in the middle of the lake. The king, repenting his actions, married his daughter with Padmasambhava. It was from Rawalsar that Padmasambhava went to Tibet to spread Mahayana Buddhism.[7]

The Tsechu fair was held in Rawalsar in 2004 to commemorate the birthday of Padmasambhava. The fair was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama and was attended by Urgyen Trinley Dorje Karmapa along with 50,000 other Buddhist pilgrims[8]. The fair was held after a gap of 12 years.[9]

There are other versions that mention that the lake associated with Padmasambhava's birth was located in Pakistan or Afghanistan.[10] However, Rawalsar came to be known as a sacred place for Buddhists and two monasteries — the Drikung Kadyud Gompa and Tso-Pema Ogyen Heru-kai Nyingmapa Gompa are located here.[11]

Rawalsar Lake

The lake around which the town of Rawalsar is established has a maximum depth of 6.5 metres. The lake is oligotrophic in nature. It is rectangular in shape, with the catchment area situated to its north and west.[12]

References

1. ^ Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns. (Provisional). Census Commission of India. Retrieved on 2007-09-03.
2. ^ HP Tourism official site. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
3. ^ HP Tourism official site. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
4. ^ Hindu legends about Rawalsar. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
5. ^ Guru Gobind Singh's visit to Rawalsar. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
6. ^ Sacred to Namdharis. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
7. ^ One version of the Buddhist legend. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
8. ^ Article in The Tribune. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
9. ^ Article in The Tribune. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
10. ^ Another version of the Buddhist legend. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
11. ^ Buddhist monastries in Rawalsar. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
12. ^ Study of Rawalsar Lake. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.