Serolsar lake and the Budhi Nagin

Himachal Pradesh is well-known for its thousands of 'Devi Devtas.' A number of stunning temples can be found in Kullu, one of Himachal Pradesh's districts, that are located away from the bustle of the city in scenic settings. One such temple in the Kullu district is the Serolsar temple, which is well-known for the stunning Serolsar lake but whose mystery and story are largely unknown.

The Serolsar lake, Source: Tripoto

Due to the abundance of temples and monasteries, Himachal Pradesh is also known as Devbhoomi Himachal (Land of Gods). Himachal Pradesh, the most northern state in India, has a lot of legendary and well-known facts attached to it, which grabs everyone's interest and makes everyone an admirer of the Himalayas.

One such is a story associated with Serolsar lake, also known as Saryolsar Lake which is located at a distance of 5 km from Jalori Pass, at an altitude of 10,496 feet in the outer Seraj valley of Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, surrounded by Alpine forests.

A fascinating legend surrounding this lake says that a Brahmin from a local village once visited Serolsar Lake. While ambling around the lake, the Brahmin accidentally drowned himself. Budhi Naagin, the mother of all Nag (Snake) Deities of Himachal like SheshNag, KamruNag, GhundaNag, and MahuNag to name a few, is believed to live at the bottom of the Serolsar Lake, where she is said to reside in her golden palace. The story goes that the man was about to drown when Budhi Naagin saved him. Budhi Naagin then permitted the Brahmin to reside in her golden palace for three years, however the Brahmin desired to return home after that time. The Brahmin was sternly warned by the Budhi naagin not to share his whereabouts with any members of his family or friends, and he was also forbidden from exposing the Budhi naagin's personal space.

Budhi Naagin temple in Serolsar, Source: BCM Touring

Brahmin's entire family was astounded and delighted to see him alive after such a long time because they had assumed he was dead. Everyone wanted to know where he had been for all these years, but the Brahmin refused to answer their questions. Whereas one day, he discreetly revealed his whereabouts to everyone, and it is said that he passed away immediately after doing so. The Brahmin's family was heartbroken over his passing, and they were interested to learn the details of the tale he had told them about the lake and Budhi Naagin’s golden palace. However, it is believed that the Brahmin's family met with a mishap and died while traveling to the Saryolsar Lake to learn the truth.

The depth of the lake has yet not been precisely determined by any geological research. At the temple next to the lake, visitors are welcome to make prayers to the Budhi Naagin. No visitors are permitted into the lake, or even stand on it when it is frozen.