Yamdrok Tso
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Yamdrok Tso or
Yamdrok Yumtso is a holy lake located about 100 km to the
south-west of the capital city of Tibet, Lhasa. In Tibetan
language the word Yamdrok means upper pasture and Tso
refers to lake, thus literally Yamdrok Tso means Upper
Pasture Lake. This beautiful turquoise blue lake is
situated at an altitude of 4,441 meters above sea level.
It is the largest freshwater lake at the south foot of the
Himalayas with an area of about 678 square kilometers. The
lake has a length of 130 kilometers and a width of 70
kilometers. It is quite a deep lake with the average depth
of about 20-40 meters and the deepest point is almost 60
meters below the surface. |
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It
is the third largest lake on the Tibetan Plateau and
one of the most holy lakes in Tibet. It has no outlet
and no permanent source of incoming water, however the
snow melted from the surrounding mountains
occasionally feed the lake.
This lake
has some interesting names that have been coined from
its unique features. For example, the name Coral Lake
is derived from its irregular shape. It has many short
streams snaking into the nearby mountains and provides
it a coral like appearance. It is also called Green
Jade Lake because the pure clean
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water
the lake looks as smooth as the surface of fine jade. When
overlooked from the nearby high mountain, the Lake appears
like a holy sapphire, set in the group of mountains. The
reflection of sunshine in different depths of lake gives
it attractive and mysterious colors. Situated amidst
snow-capped mountains and dotted with several small
islands with their fertile grasses and groups of wild
birds, Yamdrok Tso Lake offers a heavenly magnificence and
tranquility. |
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According to the Tibetan believes, Yamdrok Yumtso Lake is
the female Guardian of Buddhism in Tibet. Tibetan people
believe that it will bless and protect them. It is one of
the popular pilgrimages in Tibet and every year, large
number of devotional followers in Tibet or from other
places would come here for pilgrimage. Some devotees start
on foot and give one prostration every three steps even
from hundreds of kilometers away. It shows their respect
and devotion for this charming holy lake. |
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