World’s Highest Lake, Gurudongmar (17600 ft) commemorates Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s visit and is one of the holiest Sikh pilgrim shrines in the Himalayas. Guru Nanak visited the place during his third udasi in order to solace the Karmapa Nyingmapa sects then being hounded out from Tibet by the Gelugpa sect. These sects had fled […]

World’s Highest Lake, Gurudongmar (17600 ft) commemorates Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s visit and is one of the holiest Sikh pilgrim shrines in the Himalayas.

Guru Nanak visited the place during his third udasi in order to solace the Karmapa Nyingmapa sects then being hounded out from Tibet by the Gelugpa sect. These sects had fled from Tibet to the Himalayan belt of Northern India. Many from the Karmapa Nyingmapa sect were the followers of Guru Nanak, as their Head Lamas became Guru Nanak’s followers in Kailash Mansarovar area after being impressed by Guru Nanak’s discussions with the famous Sidhas of the age.

Lake Guru Dongmar, it never completely freezes over.

According to local history some people approached Guru Ji with an appeal for help. The lake remained frozen during most of the year and rendered it incapable as a source of water. Guru Nanak Dev Ji is said to have hit his walking stick (dong) into the frozen ice the lake and it has never frozen since. Thus the Lake got its name Gurudongmar Lake.

Guru Nanak’s footprints, a robe and a water-carrying utensil are preserved in a nearby place called Lachen Gompha. Here the locals refer to Guru Ji as Rimpoche Nanak Guru who on his way to Tibet had rested there.

Some grazers projected another problem to Guru Nanak Ji. Due to the effect of altitude, their virility was affected. They requested the Guru to do something about it. Guru Nanak blessed the lake, saying,” Whosoever takes the water of this lake will gain virility and strength and will be blessed with children.” The people of the area have firm faith in Guru’s words and consider the water of the lake as nectar. A Gurdwara was constructed in eighties to commemorate Guru Nanak’s visit to the place

A story they tell is that Guru Ji had brought with him a rice meal packed in banana leaves, as is the custom even today in banana growing areas. The two commodities were unknown to the hill folks. Guru Ji having noticed their inquisitiveness bestowed them with a share of this strange cereal. They displayed forethought andinstead of eating it sprinkled the rice over the meadow and buried the banana packing in a corner. Today the village harvests a rich crop of rice and bananas

The local people of the area and Lamas of Karmapa Nyingmapa Sect confirm Guru Nanak’s visit to these areas. The Lamas from these areas have been visiting Golden Temple, Amritsar, regularly to pay obeisance to their beloved Guru Rimpoche, Guru Nanak, also known as Nanak Lama in their areas. Guru Nanak’s footprints, a robe and a water-carrying utensil (kamandal) are preserved in Lachen Gompha, Sikkim, commemorating his visit to the place.

Records show that during his journeys to the Himalayas and the Far East, including China, Guru Nanak visited all these states around 1516 AD.