Satopanth Tal

Satopanth Tal in Uttarakhand is a sacred lake located amidst the mighty peaks of the Garhwal Himalayas, beyond Badinath, in the Chamoli district. Lying 4600 meters above sea level, the snow-clad peaks of Mt. Neelkanth, Chaukambha, Swargarohini, Parvathi and Balakun surround its pristine emerald-green waters.

This fresh-water and triangular shaped sacred lake is visited by the Trimurtis i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva on every Ekadashi. It is said that they take a holy bath in the lake on every Ekadashi, standing separately on the three sides of this triangular lake.

The water of this sacred lake never freezes inspite of being at such a high altitude. The water is so crystal clear that you can clearly see the bottom of the lake. Satopanth Tal is considered as one of the origins of Alakananda River.

The word Satopanth implies ‘The Path of Truth’ or the ‘path traversed by the truthful people’. It is formed from the words satya and pantha. It could be said that it is the sacred lake which lies on the path of truth through which the Pandavas traversed.

Visiting this sacred lake will give you lifelong memories apart from the spiritual merits you will receive. The Satopanth valley leading up to the Satopanth Tal is full of mesmerizing scenery filled with rich flora, fauna, waterfalls and ridges.

The local belief is that only those with true devotion can cover the entire Satopanth valley and reach Satopanth Tal. As per local talk, a few special birds come here to pick the dirt found in and around the lake. These birds are deemed to be Gandharvas from the celestial world.

Origin of Satopanth Tal

The Satopanth Tal is mentioned historically in the Mahabharata’s Swargarohan Parva. The Pancha Pandava brothers along with Draupadi Devi and a dog went through the Satopanth valley while on their way to the heavens called as the Swargarohini yatra.

Very specifically, it is called as the Satopanth Swargarohini Yatra. Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers, left his body near the Satopanth Tal. He was the last person to leave his body on earth while ascending heaven.

Lord Narayana ascends daily to Satopanth Tal to take a dip in the afternoon. And particularly on Ekadashi day, Lord Narayana along with Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva take a holy bath in Satopanth Tal. This itself is enough to ascertain its purity as it is the sacred waters touching the auspicious body of Lord Narayana especially His lotus feet.

Satopanth Swargarohini Trek

The route from Mana village to Satopanth Tal is not an easy one but breathtaking. Devotees undertake the Satopanth Swargarohini Yatra to pay their respects to the Pancha Pandavas and have a look at the doorway to heaven – the Swargarohini Steps.

It is an arduous trek and classified as Moderate to Difficult. Not everyone can take up this sacred journey. Those who have unflinching devotion to Lord Narayana can easily surpass all the difficulties and take up this yatra. Enroute, one gets an opportunity of having darshan at various holy places.

Lakshmivan

As one begins to the journey to Satopanth Tal, one comes across Lakshmivana. This is the place where Lakshmi Devi performed tapasya by becoming the shed over Lord Narayana. Nakula, the Pandava brother gave up his body here.

Mata Murti Mandir

A mini temple dedicated to Mata Murti, the mother of Nara-Narayana and the wife of Dharma Prajapati. This is the site of her tapasya to beget austere children. Draupadi Devi had given up her body here. Every year the utsava-vigrahas of Lord Badri Vishal are brought to this place for a festival.

Vasudhara Falls

This scenic waterfall lies en route the lake. This water is the manifestation of Lord Narayana’s body. Eight vasus performed tapasya here and pleased the Lord. It is said that the waters of Vasudhara Falls do not touch the body of a sinner.

Sahasradhara Falls

Also known as Sahastradhara. Here, the water falls as 100s of different streams or waterfalls from the Narayana Mountain. Sahadeva, the Pandava brother gave up his body here.

Chakra Tirtha

This is a flat land just before the Satopanth Mountain. This is the site where Arjuna could not move further and left his body.

Alkapuri

This is the kingdom of Kubera. Only spiritually advanced devotees can view this enchanting city.

Swargarohini Steps

These are the steps always covered with thick layer of snow. These steps are to ascend to the kingdom of Indra or the upper planetary systems. Only the first three steps are always visible, remaining steps are covered with clouds or fog and not visible.

This area is categorized as extreme weather zone. It is impossible for an average human being to even begin the trekking on the Swargarohini peaks. Basically only if one has acquired enough punya, one can ascend these steps.

Best season to visit Satopanth Tal

In summers, the best season to trek to Satopanth Tal is between May to mid-July. The clear skies and balanced temperature make the entire trek both spiritually and materially satisfying.

Post-monsoons, the best season to visit Satopanth Tal is between September to October.

How to Reach Satopanth Tal

If you are excited about a spiritual trek to Satopanth Tal without any arrangement hassles and with the finest guidance from expert Yatra directors, you don’t have to think twice about joining the Satopanth Swargarohini Yatra by Tirtha Yatra. You’ll be with the finest tour company!

The trek to Satopanth Tal begins from the Mana village officially. To join this exciting journey, you have to reach the holy dham of Badrinath which is three kilometers away from Mana. Badrinath is well-connected nationwide through multiple modes of transportation. You can choose from amongst the following as per your convenience –

By Road: Badrinath is well connected to cities in Uttarakhand via bus services and taxis. You can get direct buses or taxis from Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, etc. From cities outside Uttarakhand, you can reach cities like Dehradun or Haridwar and then catch a taxi or bus for the journey forward to Badrinath.

By Rail: The nearest railway station is at Rishikesh 289 kms away. You can board a train to Rishikesh Railway Station (RKSH) and then board a bus or hire a taxi to Badrinath from Rishikesh. If you are traveling to Badrinath from other cities in Uttarakhand by rail, you can adopt the same procedure.

By Air: Jolly Grant International Airport at Dehradun is the nearest airport 306 kms away. You can fly in here and use the rail or road route to reach Badrinath.

Helicopter services are available from Dehradun to Badrinath.

Satopanth Tal: The Heavenly Lake

There are many sacred water bodies throughout Bharat bhumi. And each of them has its own story and sanctity. But amongst them, Satopanth Tal stands out unique due to its location. The effort and devotion required to reach Satopanth Tal followed by a holy dip in it is worth mentioning. It is said that only people with true devotion can ever reach the lake.

As you trek the path to Satopanth, each holy spot en route prepares you to advance further until the destination, provided you don’t take it as a leisure trek. Once you reach Satopanth Tal in devotion, you slowly start realizing the worth of your efforts. Be it the joy of a holy dip in the crystal-clear waters or the spectacular view of the snow-clad mountain peaks, your satisfaction is simply inexpressible in words.

It is said that Bhima, the Pandava brother gave up his body near the lake. The local populace of Mana immerse the ashes of their dead here with firm faith in its sanctity to award liberation. No matter what, Satopanth Lake never deviates from its heavenliness. And no wonder why, the Trimurtis love a holy bath in its pristine waters every Ekadashi leaving their abode.