The mystery behind the skeleton lake in Uttarakhand's Roopkund has finally been solved.





Scientists have concluded that the skeletons of about 200 people discovered near the frozen lake belonged to the people of a 9th century Indian tribe who died due to hail storm.The skeletons were first found by a British forest guard in 1942. Initially, it was believed that the skeletons were those of Japanese soldiers who had died while crossing that route during World War II.But scientists have now found out that the skeletons were of pilgrims and locals as the bodies dated to around 850 AD.

Research reveals that the skeletons were of two main groups - one a family group and the other who were relatively short.

The researchers concluded that the death was due to a fatal blow on the back of their heads and not due to any wound by weapons, avalanche or landslide. The marks on their skulls and shoulders indicated at being hit by something round, like a cricket ball. The absence of injuries to other body parts indicated that hard round objects, possibly cricket ball sized hail stones or ice balls, fell from above.The lake, known as 'Skeleton lake', is situated at an altitude of 5,029 meters, in the Himalayas.Every year, when the snow melts, one can see hundreds of scattered skulls.It was earlier believed that the skulls were of General Zorawar Singh of Kashmir and his men, who had got lost and died in the middle of the Himalayan region after they got caught in bad weather while returning from the battle of Tibet in 1841. Or it could have been an epidemic or a suicide ritual performed near the lake.Roopkund is known as a mystery lake and is surrounded by rock-strewn glaciers and snow-clad mountains. The lake is about two metres deep and invites hundreds of trekkers and pilgrims every year.Pilgrims attend the Nanda Devi Raj Jat that takes place once every twelve years at Roopkund, during which Goddess Nanda is worshipped.