Tourists throng Dhumba lake in Mustang

 By Harikrishna Sharma, Muktinath, Jan 21: Dhumba lake located at Samle village of Gharpajhong Rural Municipality -5 was frozen completely around this time, mid-January, last year.

Freezing cold then  made it very difficult for tourists entering Mustang to reach the lake.

This time around, however, as there is no snowing, tourists have no difficulty in reaching the lake. The lake which often freezes is flowing in blue colour that lures visitors.

Tourists, educational and institutional teams who travelled to Mustang have made a choice to the lake selecting it for joy and refreshment, so the area has witnessed activity even in January.

Ward Chairperson, Pradeep Thakali stated about 150 tourists reach Dhumba lake every day. The lake is located five kilometers west of Jomsom along the Beni–Jomsom road site.

According to the Ward Chair Thakali, the lake has not frozen this year, and the cold is not extreme like before, so tourists continue to reach the lake.

Ward Chair Thakali stated domestic and foreign visitors pay Rs. 30 to Rs. 50 as entry fee to observe the lake.

Located at an altitude of 2,830 metres above the sea level at the base of the Nilgiri mountain, Dhumba Lake has appeared as a centre of attraction for tourists travelling to the Korala border of Upper Mustang.

Majority of the tourists observe the Dhumba lake during the winter season while returning after getting the popular religious site of Muktinath Temple.

While up to 500 tourists travel daily during the season, the number of tourists declines during the monsoon.

Rising activity during the winter has enhanced tourism entrepreneurs.

The lake is 10 metres in depth, and 130 metres in width with 160 metres in length.

During special worship ceremonies at the Kuchhap Terga Monastery integrated with Buddhist master Padmasambhav, devotees release fish into the lake and perform rituals using the lake water.

The Kuchhap Terga Monastery Management Committee owns Dhumba Lake.

 Buddhist followers regard the lake water as sacred and offer it in bowls before Buddha statues.

Concerned authorities release various species of fish into the lake, every year.

Staff members are mobilized for sanitation, feeding fish and ensure conservation.

The rural municipality, the provincial government and the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACA) office in Jomsom assist conservation efforts in the lake site.

A walk around the lake from the entrance takes about 10 minutes.

Gharpajhong Rural Municipality Chairperson Mohan Singh Lalchan asserted the lake associates religious, cultural and tourism sectors.

According to Lalchan, authorities permit travelers to photograph at the frozen surface of the lake based on its religious significance but stop entry into the lake for getting photographs and videos.