| Kausar Nag | |
|---|---|
 Kausar Nag Lake in August | |
  Kausar Nag Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India | |
| Location | Kulgam, Kashmir valley, India |
| Coordinates | 33°30′44″N74°46′08″E / 33.5123°N 74.7688°E /33.5123; 74.7688 |
| Type | Oligotrophic lake |
| Primary inflows | Melting of snow |
| Primary outflows | Veshaw River |
| Max. length | 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) |
| Max. width | 0.9 kilometres (0.56 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) |
| Frozen | November to July |
Kausar Nag, also calledKonsarnag, is a high-altitudeoligotrophic lake located at an elevation of 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) above sea level.[1] Kausar Nag is located in thePir Panjal mountain range inKulgam district ofJammu and Kashmir, India. The lake is roughly 3 km (2 mi) long and .75 km (0 mi) at the widest point.[2] The lake is the primary source of theVeshaw River, a tributary ofJhelum.
The lake was originally known asKramasaras inSanskrit.[3]
According to theNilamata Purana, after thegreat flood, the boat ofManu that carried theVedas and theSaptarishi was stuck in the mountains above the lake.[4] According to another belief, the lake was created byVishnu by stamping with his foot, and thus it is also referred to asVishnu Pad.[5] SultanZain ul Abedin is said to have visited the lake, as a symbolic gesture to persuade the exiled Hindus of Kashmir to return.[6][7] Visits to the lake by Hindus forablution were also recorded in the late 1830s.[5]
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There are two routes traditionally used for Hindu pilgrimages (calledyatra) to the lake, one throughKulgam in the Kashmir Valley and the other viaReasi in theJammu region.[8] The Kashmir Valley route, used byKashmiri Pandits, was abandoned during the1990s militancy in the region. Plans to revive this route in 2014 failed after stiff opposition and protests from separatists.[9] The Reasi route continues to be used for the pilgrimage.[8]
The Kausar Nag Lake is accessible during the summer and can be reached from its trail-headAharbal, by a 36 km hiking trail. Aharbal is connected withSrinagar, a 70 km motorable road passing through the towns of Shopian and Pulwama.[10] The lake can also be reached through a tougher alternate trail from the south, primarily used by pilgrims.[9]
Emissaries were sent to persuade Hindus in exile to return. To give meaning to the promise, Zainul Abidin abolished jiziya, the cremation tax, and banned cow slaughter. The Sultan personally visited Hindu shrines and places of pilgrimages Iike Kausar Nag, Naubandana Tirath, and the famous Amanath.
