Tso Pema

Nestled in the green hills of Himachal Pradesh, Tso Pema with its unique stature of a holy spot for Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs, is a truly special place which captures your heart. As the legend goes, the lake is a creation of Guru Padmasambhava (Rinpoche), who, when he was ordered to be burnt by the king of Mandi, turned the raging fire into a lake and reappeared on a lotus, hence the name Tso Pema which means "Lotus Lake". Steeped in spirituality, the lake has three monasteries, some ancient temples and a gurudwara which was built to commemorate visits by the Sikh Spiritual Leader, Guru Gobind Singh. Here are some wonderful memories of early morning walks, trips to the mountains above the lake, meeting varied travelers in the local cafes and watching life go by in the single lane around the lake...