Gosaikunda, also spelled Gosainkunda, is a lake in
Nepal
Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
's
Langtang National Park
Langtang National Park is a national park in north-central Nepal. It was established in 1976 as Nepal's first Himalayan national park and the country's fourth protected area. It covers an area of in the Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Sindhulpalchok Dist ...
, located at an elevation of in the
Rasuwa District
Rasuwa District ( is one of 13 districts of Bagmati Province and one of seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Dhunche as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 43,300. Its District Post Offi ...
with a surface area of . Together with associated lakes, the Gosaikunda Lake complex is in size and was designated a
Ramsar site
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O)
*** Permanent 8 ha (P)
*** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
**
Trishuli River
The Trishuli River () is one of the major tributaries of the Narayani River basin in central Nepal. The river is formed by the merger of the Kyirong Tsangpo and the Lende Khola originating in Gyirong County of Tibet, which join together near the ...
; it remains frozen for six months in the winter October to June. There are 108 lakes in the vicinity. The Lauribina La pass at an elevation of is on its outskirts.
Religious significance
According to legend, the spring that feeds the pond in the Kumbheshwar temple complex in Patan is connected to Gosaikunda. Therefore, those who cannot make the long journey to the lake, visit Kumbeshwar Pokhari instead.
The “Samudra Manthana” or churning of the ocean is said to be the origin of the Gosaikunda lake. When Lord Shiva swallowed poison, he is said to have pierced his “trishul” to the ground to tap water to soothe his stinging throat. The Gosaikunda lake is said to have been created in this manner, and is revered by Hindus.
Gosaikunda in popular culture
Among the
Newars
Newar (; , endonym: Newa; , Pracalit script: ), or Nepami, are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and its surrounding areas, and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. Page 15. Newars are a distinct linguisti ...
Gosaikunda is known as Silu. As such it is the subject of a
song
A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...
and a 1987 film inspired by that song.Songs of Nepal: An Anthology of Nevar Folksongs and Hymns by Siegfried Lienhard, Asian Studies at Hawaii, No. 30, Center for Asian and Pacific Studies, University of Hawaii Press, 1984,