Credit: Hemchandra Nikhurpa
The Himalayas are home to many alpine freshwater lakes. Wildlife enthusiasts love to explore such pristine lakes that give them the option of enjoying the beauty of the Himalayas.
Munsiyari is home to such lakes. Maheshwari Kund and Thamri Kund are some of the lakes nearby Munsiyari that you can explore in a day. Situated at 9,100 feet above sea level, Thamri Kund is 150 meters long and 70 meters wide. The trek to the lake starts from Betuli Dhar, which is 7 km from Munsiyari town and takes around 4-5 hours.
A trekking trail covered with rhododendron, pine, and oak trees is 3.5 km long from Betuli Dhar to Thamri Kund. Kund is a great scenic point, The entire range of Panchachuli peaks is visible from here.
If you are lucky, you can see herds of musk deer, barking deer, hog deer, and monal birds, who often come to the lake for drinking water.
Religious significance
Thamri Kund is sacred to locals. In any season when rainfall falls less in the region, locals offer to pay for the lake. It’s also believed a local bird cleaned the lake, but nobody knows which one.