Gangabal Lake
| Gangabal Lake | |
|---|---|
Gangabal Lake at the foot of Harmukh | |
| Location | Ganderbal district, Jammu and Kashmir |
| Coordinates | 34°25′50″N 74°55′30″E / 34.43056°N 74.92500°E |
| Type | Oligotrophic lake |
| Primary inflows | Melting glaciers |
| Primary outflows | Nundkol Lake, which drains into Sind River |
| Basin countries | India |
| Max. length | 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) |
| Max. width | 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 3,576 metres (11,732 ft) |
| Frozen | November to April |
Gangabal Lake (lit. 'place of Ganga'), also called Haramukh Ganga, is an alpine high-altitude oligotrophic lake situated at the foot of Mount Harmukh in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The lake has a maximum length of 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) and a maximum width of 1 kilometre (0.62 mi). It is fed by precipitation, glaciers, and springs, and is home to many species of fish, including the brown trout. Water from the lake flows into the nearby Nundkol Lake and then into Sind River, of which it is considered the source per tradition, via Wangath Nallah. This lake is considered sacred in Hinduism as one of the abodes of Shiva, and Kashmiri Hindus perform an annual pilgrimage to the lake called the Harmukh-Gangabal Yatra.