Mansar Lake - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 47 km from Jammu, Mansar Lake is a sacred lake located at Buttal village near Jammu. It is one of the popular lakes in Kashmir and among the must-visit places during the Jammu Tour.

Fringed by dense forest, small parks, temples, and low-lying hills, the Mansar Lake is a mile in length and half a mile in width. Together with its twin lake Surinsar, it is designated as Ramsar Convention in November 2005. Mansar is primarily fed by surface run-off and partially by mineralized water through paddy fields. The lake is an attractive habitat, breeding, and nursery ground for migratory water folks. Another interesting feature of the lake is the presence of a large number of huge turtles, and fishes.

Besides being a popular picnic spot, Mansar Lake is also a popular pilgrimage site sharing the legend and sanctity of Lake Manasarovar. According to the mythology, the Pandavas performed the Ashwamedh Yagna to show their superiority post the Kurukshetra war. The horse, which was the symbol of the power of the Yagna, was captured by the erstwhile ruler of the area Babru Vahan. Along with capturing the horse, he killed Arjun and shared his success with his mother by presenting the head of Arjuna to her. She revealed to Babruvahan that he had mistakenly killed his father. After knowing that, he wanted to get Arjuna back for which he had to procure Mani from Sheshnag. It was then that Babar Vahan made a tunnel with his arrow, which was called the 'Surangsar' which is now named Surinsar. After defeating Sheshnag and capturing the Mani, he came out at Manisar which is known as Mansar now, which was the other end of the tunnel. Later, a spring of water forms the lakes.

There are several temples located on the periphery of the Lake. There is a shrine dedicated to Sheshnag, a mythological snake with six heads on the eastern bank of the lake. Newlywed couples consider it auspicious to perform three circumambulations (Parikarma) around the lake to seek the blessings of Lord Sheshnag. Two ancient temples of Umapati Mahadev and Narsimha and a temple of Durga are also situated in the vicinity of Mansar Lake. Some communities of Hindus perform the Mundan ceremony (first haircut) of their male children here.

Mansar Lake is a perfect place for a quiet, laid-back picnic. One can take a good walk on the paved walkway that surrounds the lake or sit on the well-maintained lawns, and enjoy the serenity of the lake. The lake is also ideal for boating for which the Tourism Department provides row boat & paddle boat facilities. The lake has a projected view deck which lets you observe seasonal birds, a large number of tortoises, and fishes of different species. There is also a small restaurant where visitors can enjoy some snacks.

Timings: 7 AM - 5 PM

Entry: Free, Rs. 100 for Boating, & RS. 50 for Parking