Mansar Lake -Narinder Anthal Fringed by low-lying hills on the outskirts of the Surinsar-Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary, Mansar Lake is a popular picnic spot and pilgrimage site, together with its twin lake, Surinsar, nearby. Over 1½ km long and almost a km wide, Mansar Lake is revered by locals for its mythological connection to the sacred Mansarovar Lake in Tibet. The faithful take holy dips in its waters during festivals, while newlyweds circumambulate the lake’s perimeter to seek the blessings of Sheshnag, Lord of Serpents, whose shrine is located on its eastern bank. Mansar is also considered an auspicious site for mundan ceremonies, where children’s hair is shorn for the first time, symbolising freedom from past lives. Sheshnag Temple, Mansar Lake In...