The Krishansar Lake is an alpine high elevation
oligotrophic lake situated near
Sonamarg, in the
Ganderbal district of
Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to:
* Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent
* Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory
* Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...
in
India at an elevation of . It is located less than one kilometer northwest of
Vishansar Lake, and has a maximum length of 0.95 km and maximum width of 0.6 km.
Etymology, geography
Krishansar in
Sanskrit and
Kashmiri Kashmiri may refer to:
* People or things related to the Kashmir Valley or the broader region of Kashmir
* Kashmiris, an ethnic group native to the Kashmir Valley
* Kashmiri language, their language
People with the name
* Kashmiri Saikia Barua ...
means ''the lake of
Krishna.'' It is home to many types of fishes among of which is the
brown trout
The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...
. It freezes during winter, and is inaccessible during this season due to heavy snowfall. It is surrounded by green lush meadows and attracts local shepherds who graze their flocks of sheep and goat during summer. The Krishansar Lake is adjacent to
Vishansar Lake, at its back are the mountains standing covered with snow in which lies the Gadsar Pass, a mountain pass which leads to the
Gadsar Lake. The lake is a famous trekking site just north of the
Kashmir Valley
The Kashmir Valley, also known as the ''Vale of Kashmir'', is an intermontane valley concentrated in the Kashmir Division of the Indian- union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The valley is bounded on the southwest by the Pir Panjal Range and ...
. It is mostly fed by melting of snow and
glaciers
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...
. It drains out through a small stream which falls into the
Vishansar Lake and gives rise to
Neelum River.
Access
The Krishansar Lake is situated 115 km. northeast from
Srinagar
Srinagar (English: , ) is the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its natu ...
and 35 km from Shitkadi
Sonamarg. It can be accessed from Srinagar or
Srinagar Airport
Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport also known as Srinagar Airport and Budgam Airbase, is an international airport serving Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is owned by the Indian Air Force, and the Airports Autho ...
80 km by road
NH 1D up to village Shitkadi from which ponies can be hired to cover an alpine trek of 35 km to reach the Krishansar Lake, which takes a complete day of trekking passing Nichnai Pass of 4100 meters above sea level. The
Gadsar Lake is some 9 kilometers in the north westwards. The best time to visit the lake is from the month of June to September.
Gallery
File:Krishansar10.jpg,
File:Krishansar11.jpg,
File:Krishansar12.jpg,
File:Krishansar13.jpg,
References
{{Hydrography of Jammu and Kashmir
Lakes of Jammu and Kashmir
Geography of Ganderbal district
Tourist attractions in Ganderbal district