Prashar Lake / Parashar Lake

At a distance of 51 km from Mandi, 65 km from Kullu, and 103 km from Manali, Prashar Lake, or Parashar Lake is a beautiful lake situated near Bagi village in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the most stunning lakes in Himachal and among the must include places in Mandi Tour Packages.

At an altitude of 2730 m, Prashar Lake is snuggled against the foothills of the mighty Himalayas. The oval-shaped lake has many tales associated with it. One legend says that after the battle of Kurukshetra, the Pandavas were returning with Lord Kamrunag. When they reached the mountains, Kamrunag loved the tranquility of the mountains and wanted to settle down there. So Bheem rammed his elbow on the ground and formed this crater, which later became the lake. Another story rooted in Himachali folklore claims that the lake was the site where Rishi Parashar have meditated.

Surrounded by snow-capped peaks and looking down on the fast-flowing Beas River, Prashar Lake has a perimeter of about 300 m and is fed by small mountain streams. An interesting thing about Parashar Lake is its floating circular island that keeps changing its position. Till now no one has been able to find out the depth of Prashar Lake. Traditionally, it is believed that the lake was formed as a result of striking rod by Rishi Prashar and water came out and took shape of the lake. An ancient pagoda style temple dedicated to the Rishi Prashar, the patron God of Mandi region, stands beside the lake. Bansen, the King of Mandi built this temple in the 14th century.

During June 2nd week every year, a three-day festival is organized here. People from Mandi and other adjoining districts visit the place for worshiping Prashar Rishi and believe that their wishes shall be fulfilled by blessings of the Rishi.

There is a motorable road all the way up to the lake from Mandi. There is a bus that starts at 7.45 AM from Mandi which reaches Prashar Lake (via Kataula and Bagi) at around 11.15 AM and returns from Prashar Lake at 1.15 PM reaching Mandi at around 4.15 PM daily. Buses do not ply to Prashar Lake in peak winters when the snow blocks the road. There is also a 7 km trekking route that starts from Bagi village. The trek is mostly uphill through dense forest. Trekking is the only option to reach Prashar Lake along the closed Bagi-Prashar road during peak winters. It is one of the top trails for trekking in Himachal Pradesh.

A visit to Parashar is a perfect blend of a spiritual journey and exploring into the serene and beautiful Himalayas. Several camping sites are also located here and it is the base for numerous easy & hard treks. There is a Forest Rest House, HPPWD Rest House, and Sarain of temple committee are available for night stay.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free