Our Stay at the Sacred Yamdrok Lake in Tibet
Yamdrok Lake (also known as Yamdrok Yumtso or Yamzho Yumco; Tibetan: ཡར་འབྲོག་གཡུ་མཚོ་, Wylie: yar-‘drog. G’yu-mtsho, ZYPY: Yamzhog Yumco; Chinese: 羊卓雍錯) is a freshwater lake in Tibet, China. It is one of the three largest lakes in Tibet. It is over 72 km (45 mi) long.
The lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams. The lake has an outlet stream at its far western end and means turquoise in English due to its color.
Around 90 km (56 mi) to the west of the lake lies the Tibetan town of Gyantse and Lhasa is 100 km (62 mi) to the northeast. According to local mythology, Yamdok Yumtso lake is the transformation of a goddess.
Like mountains, lakes are considered sacred by Tibetan people, the principle being that they are the dwelling places of protective deities and therefore invested with special spiritual powers.
Yamdrok Lake is one of four particularly holy lakes, thought to be divinatory; everyone from the Dalai Lama to local villagers makes pilgrimages there.
It is considered sacred as one of the four “Great Wrathful Lakes” guarded by the goddess Dorje Gegkyi Tso. The others such lakes are Lhamo La-tso, Namtso and Manasarovar.
The lake is revered as a talisman and is said to be part of the life-spirit of Tibet. The largest lake in southern Tibet, it is said that if its waters dry, Tibet will no longer be habitable.
Video Source: TIBET22-Yamdrok Lake, a beautiful holy lake in Tibet. from 天下山水 Tianxia Shanshui on Youtube ⁄ CC BY
