Author : Wahid Ahmad
Roopkund Lake, known as Skeleton
Lake, is one of the world’s most eerie archaeological enigmas, lying in remote
Himalayan heights at 5,029 meters above sea level. In this secluded lake basin,
hundreds of human skeletons are scattered in and around its shallow waters,
presenting an unsettling sight that defies easy explanation. During certain
times of year when the snow melts, the bones become clearly visible, some still
remarkably intact, eerily frozen in time. Alongside these skeletal remains are
fragments of weapons, jewellery, and even well-preserved leather shoes, hinting
at the strange lives—and tragic fates—of those who met their end here. The
spectacle is so mystifying that it has sparked countless legends, making
Roopkund Lake both a sacred and haunting destination for locals and travellers
alike.
The origins of these skeletal
remains have long captivated scientists, local villagers, and religious
pilgrims. One popular local legend speaks of a 9th-century king and queen,
accompanied by a massive entourage, making an annual pilgrimage to the nearby
sacred shrine of Nanda Devi, the powerful mountain goddess. According to the
tale, a royal king of the region, Raja Jasdhaval of Kanauj, decided to
undertake a pilgrimage to honor the goddess Nanda Devi but took it lightly,
treating the sacred journey as an extravagant adventure. Accompanied by his
wife, Rani Balampa, and a large entourage of dancers, musicians, and servants,
the king is said to have disrespected the sacred nature of the journey by
indulging in merrymaking and ignoring religious customs. Nanda Devi, angered by
this disrespect, unleashed a storm of hail and icy winds upon the group, which
ultimately led to their deaths. The skeletons at Roopkund are thought to be
those of the king and his entourage, frozen in time as a warning to future
pilgrims about the perils of disrespecting the gods.
Another legend associated with the Nanda Devi Raj Jat pilgrimage suggests that
the pilgrimage includes an element of sacrifice to appease the goddess. Some
versions of the tale describe a "divine dance" or "dance of
death" wherein certain members of the pilgrimage party would enter a
trance and perish in devotion. The remains at Roopkund, in this context, are
thought to belong to pilgrims who sacrificed themselves for Nanda Devi’s favor
and protection, possibly during harsh weather events that trapped them in the
unforgiving landscape.
In the folklore of the region, it
is also said that Roopkund is watched over by yakshas, spiritual
guardians or nature spirits who inhabit high mountain areas and protect sacred
spaces. According to local beliefs, these spirits do not tolerate outsiders,
and they punish those who intrude or show disrespect in the vicinity of the
lake. In this legend, the individuals who perished at Roopkund are thought to
have been struck down by these spirits as a consequence of wandering into
sacred territory uninvited.
Another story linked to Roopkund involves the tragic fate of a pregnant queen
who attempted to make the pilgrimage to Roopkund Lake, despite being advised
against it due to her condition. She is said to have died en route, with her
companions unable to save her or themselves due to the severe weather. Some
locals believe her spirit still roams the lake area, and they see her remains
and those of her entourage among the skeletons by the lake.
Some villagers claim that the
deaths could be attributed to the mythical Himalayan yeti, believed by some to
inhabit the remote areas around Roopkund. Legends speak of the yeti as a
fearsome creature that protects sacred lands and attacks trespassers. In this
version of events, the bones are thought to belong to unfortunate travelers who
encountered the wrath of this mysterious creature.
The Nanda Devi Raj Jat pilgrimage
is a spiritual tradition that takes place in the state of Uttarakhand, India,
where Roopkund Lake is located. This pilgrimage, held once every 12 years, is
dedicated to the goddess Nanda Devi, one of the most revered deities in the
region. Nanda Devi is seen as a protector of the local people and their lands,
embodying a divine connection to nature and the mountains that surround her.
The pilgrimage is considered one of the most challenging and sacred in Hindu
culture, involving a strenuous journey through high-altitude terrain that spans
over 280 kilometers.
The journey often involves
communities from across Uttarakhand and neighboring regions. It is typically
organized by the royal family of the local Chand dynasty, as per tradition,
with thousands of pilgrims participating in a procession that moves through
various villages, high-altitude meadows, and mountain passes. Pilgrims carry
offerings and statues of the goddess and participate in rituals, dances, and
songs that have been passed down for centuries. The pilgrimage culminates at
Homkund, near Roopkund Lake, where offerings are made to the goddess before
returning.
Though the exact origins of the
pilgrimage are unclear, inscriptions in nearby temples suggest that its roots
could extend back to between the 8th and 10th centuries. Some legends link the
journey to the marriage of Nanda Devi, who is said to have travelled to her
in-laws' place in the mountains, accompanied by a massive entourage. The
pilgrimage re-enacts this journey, symbolizing a respectful farewell to the
goddess, who is believed to be visiting her maternal home in the Kumaon region
and then making a difficult journey back.
For centuries, pilgrims have
braved unpredictable weather, difficult mountain paths, and the possibility of
landslides or altitude sickness to honor the goddess. Many even believe that
participation in this arduous journey will bring blessings and protection to
their families and communities. This enduring ritual provides insight into the
local people’s deep connection to their cultural heritage, spirituality, and
the unforgiving mountain landscape.
Each of these legends reflects the
local people’s reverence for the mountains, their awareness of the dangers in
such high-altitude settings, and the enduring mystery of Roopkund Lake’s
skeletal remains. While science has provided some explanations, these legends
remain a testament to the powerful cultural and spiritual connections the local
communities have with the lake and the surrounding mountains.
Some researchers argue that
Roopkund Lake may have been a gathering site for various pilgrim groups from
distant regions, who all met the same deadly fate.
Yet folklore is only one thread of
the mystery. Some historians speculate that the remains might belong to a lost
army. It has been suggested that a battalion from the 19th-century failed to
cross the mountains due to unforeseen natural disasters or, as some researchers
claim, a fierce snowstorm that overwhelmed the soldiers, leaving them to perish
without a trace of their identities. Another hypothesis posits that the
skeletal remains might belong to a group of traders who braved these
treacherous paths on their way to Tibet or Nepal, possibly caught off guard by
a deadly avalanche or an unexpected storm.
To make the mystery even more
perplexing, some researchers have suggested an epidemic might be the culprit,
hypothesizing that a contagious disease could have swept through a large group,
causing sudden death high in the mountains. While plausible, this theory raises
more questions than answers: What epidemic could reach such an isolated
altitude, and why would it leave skeletons scattered and spread across the
lake’s shore rather than clustered together?
As scientists continue their search
for answers, Roopkund Lake remains an enigma suspended between history and
myth. The site has become both a scientific puzzle and a haunting pilgrimage
destination, where ancient secrets linger in the bones, waiting to be
deciphered. And so, the mystery endures, attracting curious adventurers and
researchers from around the world, each hoping to uncover the truth behind the
chilling story of Skeleton Lake.
The analysis of
the Roopkund skeletons, using ancient DNA, isotope analysis, radiocarbon
dating, and osteological studies, reveals that the remains belong to three
distinct genetic groups and were deposited in multiple events, about 1000 years
apart. This contradicts previous theories that suggested a single catastrophic
event caused their deaths.
DNA was
extracted from long bones of 38 individuals, along with stable isotope analysis
of 45 individuals helped reconstruct their diet, and radiocarbon dating was
done for 37 individuals. The osteological analysis, conducted earlier but
unpublished, showed that the individuals were generally healthy, with some
evidence of unhealed compression fractures, possibly from a violent hailstorm.
The physical traits of the skeletons showed a mix of robust and tall
individuals, as well as more gracile ones, suggesting at least two distinct
groups.
The analysis
found both 23 males and 15 females, which challenges the idea that they were
part of a military expedition. No close relatives were found among the
individuals, indicating that these were not family groups. Additionally, there
was no evidence of bacterial infection, ruling out the theory of an epidemic as
the cause of death, though it's possible that pathogens were too scarce to
detect.
The genetic analysis of the 38
Roopkund individuals reveals three distinct groups: Roopkund_A, Roopkund_B,
and Roopkund_C.
Further analysis revealed that
the Roopkund B group were similar to present-day people from mainland Greece
and Crete, while Roopkund A and Roopkund C show a closer relationship with
populations from Iran.
The analysis of the Roopkund
skeletons shows that they were deposited in multiple events, not all at once.
Radiocarbon dating revealed that the skeletons of Roopkund A (between 7th–10th century CE) and Roopkund_B (between 17th–20th century
CE) are separated by about 1000 years, proving that these groups died at
different times. While individuals in Roopkund_A
have dates that do not overlap, the dates for Roopkund_B and the single Roopkund_C
individual overlap, suggesting they perished in the same timeframe.
Dietary analysis further supports
the presence of distinct groups. The Roopkund individuals show varying carbon
and nitrogen isotope values, indicating different diets. Roopkund_B and Roopkund_C individuals consumed C3 plants like wheat and barley,
while Roopkund_A individuals had
more varied diets, with some eating a mix of C3 plants and C4 plants (like
millet) or animals fed C4 plants. The dietary differences between Roopkund_A and Roopkund_B are statistically significant, supporting the idea of
multiple distinct groups at Roopkund Lake.
The genetic analysis of the
Roopkund skeletons revealed that the Roopkund_B subgroup shares genetic
similarities with present-day populations from Crete. However, this does not
mean the individuals directly originated from Crete, instead, it suggests their
ancestors, or possibly the individuals themselves, came from a region nearby.
This finding supports the idea that the Roopkund_B individuals have West
Eurasian-related ancestry.
On the other hand, the Roopkund_A
subgroup is more genetically diverse, and its individuals cannot be grouped
into a single homogeneous population. The analysis shows that these individuals
are genetically related to a wide range of present-day South Asian populations,
reflecting the heterogeneity seen in modern South Asia. This group does not
form a distinct genetic clade and shows significant variation in their genetic
makeup.
The single individual in the
Roopkund_C group exhibits Southeast Asian ancestry, with approximately 82% of
their genetic heritage related to Malay populations and 18% related to
Vietnamese populations. This indicates that this individual likely had
Southeast Asian origins.
Additionally, when comparing the
Roopkund groups to populations from the Himalayan region, including new data
from northern Ladakh, no direct genetic links were found. Lastly, within the
Roopkund_A group, a weak but significant difference was observed between males
and females in their West Eurasian-related ancestry, with males having lower
proportions of this ancestry. This suggests that males and females in this
group might have originated from different genetic mixtures within South Asia.
The findings from Roopkund Lake have
intrigued scientists due to the large number of skeletons found there, which
have turned out to be both genetically and historically diverse. Using
radiocarbon dating, scientists discovered that these remains are from at least
two separate periods of death, with approximately a thousand years between them.
This alone was surprising, given that the skeletons were initially thought to
belong to a single group who had died in a single catastrophic event. The
scientific evidence, however, paints a more complex picture.
First, there is a group labeled Roopkund_A,
who seem to have died over several centuries rather than in one single event.
Roopkund Lake lies on the path of a present-day pilgrimage, the Nanda Devi Raj
Jat.
The proximity of Roopkund Lake to
the Nanda Devi Raj Jat pilgrimage route has led researchers to hypothesize that
at least some of the ancient human remains at the lake could belong to pilgrims
who met an unfortunate end during one of these journeys. The harsh weather
conditions and high altitude may have contributed to their deaths, leading to
the mysterious accumulation of bones that have puzzled historians and
scientists for years. This raises the possibility that some of the Roopkund_A
individuals could have died during an ancient pilgrimage event.
The second group, labeled
Roopkund_B, presents a different mystery. Unlike Roopkund_A, these individuals
appear to have Mediterranean ancestry, likely from around the eastern
Mediterranean region. Their diet, which was based more on terrestrial foods
rather than seafood, suggests they came from an inland area controlled by the
Ottoman Empire. Remarkably, this group shows no signs of the genetic patterns
typically seen in the people living in South Asia at that time, like the
Indo-Greek or Kalash populations. This rules out the possibility that they were
descendants of Alexander the Great’s soldiers, who are known to have left
genetic traces in some nearby populations. Instead, they seem to be an
unrelated group of men and women who travelled from the eastern Mediterranean
to the Himalayas for reasons still unknown.
What’s puzzling is that Roopkund
Lake’s remote location is not near any major ancient trade route, nor is it a
place where people from the Mediterranean would typically travel. While it’s
possible they were participating in the Hindu pilgrimage, it's unlikely given
the Hindu practices wouldn’t be common in the eastern Mediterranean. It’s more
plausible that this group of travelers had a different reason for journeying to
this remote lake.
A third individual, labeled
"Roopkund_C," also stands out due to ancestry links to Southeast
Asia, adding to the diversity and mystery of the site.
Together, these findings
highlight how advanced techniques in genetic and isotopic analysis can reveal
rich, complex histories even at archaeological sites that have been disturbed
or damaged.