Suraj Tal Lake also called Surya taal, is a sacred body of water, literally means the Lake of the Sun God, and lies in the Lahaul and Spiti valley of Himachal Pradesh state in India and is the third highest lake in India, and the 21st-highest in the world. Suraj Tal Lake is the source of Bhaga River which joins the Chandra River downstream at Tandi to form the Chandrabhaga River in Himachal Pradesh territory, and as it enters Jammu and Kashmir it is renamed as the Chenab River.The Bhaga River (Chandrabhaga or Chenab) originates from Surya taal. The other major tributary of the Chandrabhaga, the Chandra originates from the glacier close to the Chandra Taal lake in the Spiti district. The lake is surrounded by arid mountain ranges on all sides. It displays
the perfect visual combination of arid hills, with clear blue color
waters in their midst, giving a sigh of relief to all passersby. During
the winters the mountains are completely covered in snow.During summers, the snow melts and the water of the lake is warm and one
can swim in the lake and enjoy various water activities. It is believed
that taking a dip in the holy water of this lake cleanses the body from
spiritually and is considered to be holy. One can also plan trekking
and hiking trips to this lake. The capturing beauty and peaceful scenery
around the lake is surely a visitor delight.The best time to visit Suraj Tal-Lahaul is during summer i.e. from
mid-May to mid-October, since Spiti Valley remains cut off for the rest
of the year.
