Every temple, mountain, lake, lake, and river of Uttarakhand is related to mythology. Also, being situated in the mountains, they are also the center of adventure among tourists and trekkers. One of these is Vasuki Tal, located 8 kilometers above the Kedarnath Temple.
Yes, you heard it right, Vasuki Tal is situated above Kedarnath, whose trek is a total of 24 kilometers. This Taal is related to Lord Vishnu, hence it is known as Vasuki Taal. Today we will tell you in detail about everything related to Vasuki Tal.
History of Vasuki Tal
It is believed that Lord Vishnu himself took a bath in this lake on the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan. Since then the importance of this place increased among the devotees.
According to another belief, on the full moon day of the month of Shravan, Vasuki Nag himself is seen in this lake. Vasuki Nag is considered the king of all snakes.
In the month of Sawan, Brahmakamal is offered to the Shivling located in Kedarnath. This Brahmakamal is found only around Vasuki Tal. Brahma Kamal is brought by the priests of Kedarnath temple after reaching this pool, which is offered to the Shivling of Kedarnath.
Where is Vasuki Tal situated?
Vasuki Tal is located near Sonprayag in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand state. Its height above sea level is about 4,135 meters (13,565 ft). Its ascent begins from where the ascent of Kedarnath begins.
The beauty of Vasuki Tal
After Kedarnath, the 8-kilometer trek you have done without facilities and the difficulties you have faced will not go in vain after reaching Vasuki Tal. By reaching here you will get to see a wonderful view of its beauty. Along with this, from the peak of Vasuki, you will get to see the beautiful views of the Chaukhambha hills of the Himalayas, which are different.
Vasuki Tal Brahma Kamal Kedarnath
After this, when you reach Vasuki Taal on a slope of one kilometer, you will be surprised to see the Brahmakamal growing here. Here you will get to see innumerable Brahmakamals. That’s why it is also called the Land of Brahma Kamal. These Brahma Kamals are offered on the Shivling of Kedarnath in the month of Sawan.
If you have tents then there are enough places available for camping around Vasuki Tal. That’s why you can easily camp here, but if you do not have a camp, then leave here in time so that you can safely reach the base camp of Kedarnath before the day sets.
When to visit Vasuki Tal?
Since we told you that this lake is located 8 kilometers above the Kedarnath temple by trekking. Therefore, the time to visit here depends on the opening and closing of the doors of Kedarnath temple. The doors of the Kedarnath temple are opened on the day of Akshaya Tritiya in the month of May and then closed from the next day of Diwali.
The portals of Kedarnath remain closed for six months in winter due to heavy snowfall. At that time the local citizens also go to live below and all the routes to Kedarnath are completely closed. That’s why you can visit Vasuki Tal only from the month of May to the month of October.
How to reach Vasuki Tal?
For this, you will have to first reach Rishikesh, Dehradun, or Haridwar in Uttarakhand. Then from there, one has to take a local bus, taxi, or car to Sonprayag. Gaurikund is 5 kilometers away from Sonprayag, from here one has to reach Gaurikund by sitting in a shared jeep.
The 16 kilometer trek to Kedarnath starts from Gaurikund. If you want, you can trek to Kedarnath on foot or you can take the facilities of palanquin, mare, Pittu, mule, etc. available there. Apart from this, you can also reach Kedarnath directly by air service from Phata airbase located near Guptkashi.
After visiting the Kedarnath temple there, you can also visit the Samadhi of Adi Guru Shankaracharya and sit there and meditate for some time. Then stay there for one day and leave for Vasuki Tal early in the morning the next day and reach back to Kedarnath Basecamp on the same day. The next day, after reaching Gaurikund back from Kedarnath, leave for their respective cities.
And apart from this you can also stay in Joshimath, and explore one of the best Chamoli homestays. In Joshimath, Chamoli homestay has its charges based on hospitality, food, and amenities. The cost of one person per night for a homestay in Joshimath, Chamoli ranges approximately from Rs. 700 to Rs. 2,500.
