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Tso Chigma or Chandra Taal (meaning the ''Lake of the Moon''), or Chandra Tal is a lake in the spiti part of the Lahul and Spiti district of
Chandra Taal is a tourist destination for trekkers and campers. The lake is accessible by road from Batal and by road as well as on foot from Kunzum Pass from late May to early October. The road to Chandra Taal branches off from NH-505 about from Batal and from Kunzum Pass. This motor road runs as far as a parking lot from the lake. One has to travel on foot for the final 1 kilometre. It takes approximately two hours from Kunzum Pass to Chandra Taal. Chandra Taal is also accessible from Suraj Tal, away.
There are vast meadows on the banks of the lake. During springtime, these meadows are carpeted with hundreds of varieties of wild flowers. In 1871, Harcourt, Assistant Commissioner of Kullu, reported that there was a plain of good grass to the north of Chadra Taal, where shepherds brought large herds for grazing from Kullu and Kangra. Due to overgrazing, the grasslands are now degraded.
Chandra Taal is home to a few species such as the Snow Leopard, Snow Cock, Chukor, Black Ring Stilt, Kestrel, Golden Eagle, Chough, Red Fox, Himalayan Ibex, and Blue Sheep. Over time, these species have adapted to the cold arid climate, intense radiation, and oxygen deficiency by developing special physiological features. Migratory species such as the
File:Chander Taal Wildlife Sanctuary sign. Lahul & Spiti.jpg, Chander Taal Wildlife Sanctuary sign. Lahaul & Spiti.
File:Chandratal.JPG, View of Chandra Taal, 2008
File:Chandrataal-splendour.jpg, Chandra Taal
File:Chandrtaal Sunset.JPG, Chandra Taal reflecting evening sun
File:Chandratal July 2017.jpg, Footpath around the lake, Jul 2017
File:ChandraTaal Ruddy Shelduck Wildflowers Jun18 D72 7932.jpg, Ruddy shelduck & wildflowers, Jun 2018
File:ChandraTaal Wildflowers Jun18 D72 7961.jpg, Wildflowers, Jun 2018
File:ChandraTaal Grass Flowers Jun18 D72 7973.jpg, Grass flowers by the lake, Jun 2018
Chandra Taal photos on Trek Earth
Hampta Pass Chandratal Trek
{{Ramsar sites in India Lakes of Himachal Pradesh Cirques Hiking trails in Himachal Pradesh Glacial lakes of India Geography of Lahaul and Spiti district Ramsar sites in India Protected areas established in 2005
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several pea ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
. Chandra Taal is near the source of the Chandra River. Despite the rugged and inhospitable surroundings, it is in a protected niche with some flowers and wildlife in summer. It is a favourite spot for tourists and high-altitude trekkers. It is usually associated with Spiti,though geographically it is separated from spiti . Kunzum La separates Lahaul and Spiti valleys.
Description
Chandra Taal lake is on the ''Samudra Tapu'' plateau, which overlooks Chandra river (a source river of theChenab
The Chenab River () is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul ...
). The name of the lake originates from its crescent shape. It is at an altitude of about in the Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...
. Mountains of scree
Scree is a collection of broken rock fragments at the base of a cliff or other steep rocky mass that has accumulated through periodic rockfall. Landforms associated with these materials are often called talus deposits. Talus deposits typically ...
overlook the lake on one side, and a cirque
A (; from the Latin word ') is an amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion. Alternative names for this landform are corrie (from Scottish Gaelic , meaning a pot or cauldron) and (; ). A cirque may also be a similarly shaped landf ...
encloses it on the other.
Access
Chandra Taal is a tourist destination for trekkers and campers. The lake is accessible by road from Batal and by road as well as on foot from Kunzum Pass from late May to early October. The road to Chandra Taal branches off from NH-505 about from Batal and from Kunzum Pass. This motor road runs as far as a parking lot from the lake. One has to travel on foot for the final 1 kilometre. It takes approximately two hours from Kunzum Pass to Chandra Taal. Chandra Taal is also accessible from Suraj Tal, away.
Fauna and Flora
There are vast meadows on the banks of the lake. During springtime, these meadows are carpeted with hundreds of varieties of wild flowers. In 1871, Harcourt, Assistant Commissioner of Kullu, reported that there was a plain of good grass to the north of Chadra Taal, where shepherds brought large herds for grazing from Kullu and Kangra. Due to overgrazing, the grasslands are now degraded.
Chandra Taal is home to a few species such as the Snow Leopard, Snow Cock, Chukor, Black Ring Stilt, Kestrel, Golden Eagle, Chough, Red Fox, Himalayan Ibex, and Blue Sheep. Over time, these species have adapted to the cold arid climate, intense radiation, and oxygen deficiency by developing special physiological features. Migratory species such as the Ruddy shelduck
The ruddy shelduck (''Tadorna ferruginea''), known in India as the Brahminy duck, is a member of the family Anatidae. It is a distinctive waterfowl, in length with a wingspan of . It has orange-brown body plumage with a paler head, while the ...
are found in summer.
Other details
The lake is one of two high-altitude wetlands of India which have been designated asRamsar sites
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O)
*** Permanent 8 ha (P)
*** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
** Marshes on inorganic soils:
*** Permanent (herb dominated) (Tp)
*** P ...
. Tourism seems to be having its effect on this pristine hidden paradise.
Tent accommodation is available from the lake.
Gallery
References
External links
Chandra Taal photos on Trek Earth
Hampta Pass Chandratal Trek
{{Ramsar sites in India Lakes of Himachal Pradesh Cirques Hiking trails in Himachal Pradesh Glacial lakes of India Geography of Lahaul and Spiti district Ramsar sites in India Protected areas established in 2005