The Mystery of Roopkund Lake

Within the Himalayas is a remote glacial lake that contains the skeletons of hundreds of people and, to date, it is still unclear who these people were, why they were there, and what happened.

Roopkund Lake is a glacial lake located in Uttarakhand, India. Since its discovery, it has gained fame and notoriety for what lies beneath its surface – the skeletons of hundreds of people. 

Even in 2024, It is still unclear what exactly happened at Roopkund Lake. Following the discovery, many theories and speculations have emerged, attempting to make sense of a mystery that only seems to get more complicated as the more research is done. The question still remains: Who were these people, what were they doing there, and how did they die?

In 1898, Roopkund lake’s skeleton remains were first mentioned by T. G. Longstaff, a British doctor, soldier, mountaineer. However, it would not be until 1942 that the skeleton remains would be officially acknowledged. On an expedition with the purpose of gathering himalayan flowers, H.K. Madhwal, a forest officer, became the first official to discover the skeletal remains on the lake shore.

It is estimated that Roopkund lake is home to 300-800 skeletons. Among the bones are a litany of different items, including tattered clothing, leather sandals, broken pieces of wood (that some believe to be from musical instruments), and a single iron spearhead. In addition, luxury items including beads made of glass and seashells and the remains of bamboo and birch parasols were found.

However, researchers found it difficult to piece together the site due to the remains being largely disarticulated. This scattering is likely due to the area being prone to rockslides and avalanches that would have disturbed the remains.

At the time of this second discovery by H. K. Madhwal, Britain (and by proxy India) was in the middle of WW2. Therefore, it would take 14 years for the remains to finally be recovered and studied for the first time.

The remains at Roopkund Lake are disarticulated, strewn about the site.

Following the discovery of the site in 1942, a myriad of theories emerged as to who these people were, what they were doing there, and how they died. Due to the then current wartime, some people raised concerns that the skeletons belonged to a secret Japanese invasion force that had attempted to cross into India by way of the Himalayas and died. 

However, there were other theories proposed too. One theory speculated that the site was of an unfortunate accident afflicting a trade caravan on the way to the silk road. Another speculated that the site was a mass grave of plague victims, and yet another said that it was a case of ritualistic suicide. The final theory proposed that the bodies were those of pilgrims on a pilgrimage route.

In 1956, the skeletons and artifacts recovered from the lake were studied. This 1956 study concluded, by way of radiocarbon dating (a method which was still in its infancy at the time), that the bones dated to approximately 800 C.E. While this number was later refined in following studies, it still largely holds true and gives a rough timeline of the events of Roopkund lake. 

In and of itself, the age of the skeletons easily disproves the theory of a Japanese invasion force. In addition to this, no uniforms or weapons (with the exception of a lone spearhead) were found at the site, further disproving the theory. Additionally, an invasion force choosing to invade by way of a treacherous natural barrier is in and of itself hard to believe. 

However, this initial 1956 study did not rule out the other four prevailing theories. What it did do was bring academic attention to the mystery of Roopkund lake, resulting in later studies that would help to piece together the mystery further.

Subsequent studies did indeed reveal a litany of new information.

Firstly, these studies revealed that the remains of Roopkund Lake contained men, women, and children (further burying the Japanese invasion force theory). Secondly, most of the bones showed no signs of trauma. In addition, it was noted that there seemed to be two general populations at the lake – one slightly taller than the other. Additionally, a  few of the skeletons did show evidence of blunt force trauma.

With this new information adding to the understanding of the site, many of the existing theories quickly fell apart.

While the suggestion that these people were a part of a trade caravan may have seemed plausible initially, this new information quickly made the theory unreliable. Men, women, and children would have been very unlikely to have been part of a trade caravan. Along with this, there was no evidence of trade goods found at the site nor evidence of animals such as horses or mules that would have assisted the caravan in movement and carrying goods.

Lastly, and possibly most definitively, a trade caravan would likely have not been in the Himalayas. While proponents of the theory suggested that it was a route to get to the silk road, there is no evidence of any trade caravans traveling through the middle of the himalayas in order to reach the silk road. 

Another theory speculated that Roopkund lake was a mass grave of plague victims, however this theory is not backed by anything – there is no record of a mass burial of 300-800 plague victims from people within the region.

A case of ritualistic suicide was another suggested theory, however, it too was minimally backed. There was only one weapon found at the site, a singular iron spearhead. And only a mere six skeletons showed any evidence of having met a violent end.

The final theory suggests that Roopkund Lake is a case of a pilgrimage gone wrong. This theory is based on a key piece of information – Roopkund Lake is located along a treacherous pilgrimage route. 

The pilgrimage route in question is one in the honor of Nanda Devi, a Hindu goddess who is said to live on Trisil Masif, a three peaked mountain nearby to Roopkund Lake. The pilgrimage is one that occurs every twelve years, taking up to three weeks to complete. The pilgrimage is also incredibly dangerous, taking place along steep cliff sides, through treacherous terrain, in a place where the weather is known to take dramatic changes incredibly quickly.

Roopkund Lake is found along a pilgrimage route in worship of the goddess Nanda Devi.

People on the pilgrimage route often bring offerings to Nanda Devi with them, such as beads and parasols – two items that were found at Roopkund Lake.

Taking these facts into consideration makes the pilgrimage route a likely option for who these people were and what they were doing.

However, it still begs the question: how did these people die?

In 2019, a breakthrough study published in the journal Nature Communications utilized DNA analysis on 38 individuals from the lake. This study revealed important and surprising findings. The analysis showed that the skeletons belonged to three distinct genetic groups. The first group (Roopkund_A), aligned more closely with present-day local South Asian populations, while the second group (Roopkund_B) displayed ancestry linked to the Mediterranean region. The final “group” (Roopkund_C), was made up of a singular individual of Southeast Asian descent.

Additionally, the study showed Roopkund_B and Roopkund_C shared a similar diet, while Roopkund_A had a separate, distinct diet from theirs.

This genetic diversity challenges previous assumptions about the group’s origin and suggests a more complex picture of who visited the lake historically – while the theory of a pilgrimage is plausible for Roopkund_A, it does not help to explain the deaths of Roopkund_B and Roopkund_C.

Further research in 2023 aimed to refine the timeline of these visits. While radiocarbon dating in 1956 provided a rough estimate, advancements in the field allowed for a more precise dating of the remains. The 2019 study revealed that the individuals were deposited in at least two events ~1000 years apart.

Despite these advancements, significant gaps remain in our understanding of Roopkund Lake. The pilgrimage theory holds the most weight due to the location and artifacts found at the site. However, the cause of death remains unclear. Theories range from sudden hailstorms to death by attrition. The lack of conclusive evidence on trauma further complicates the picture.

The recent DNA analysis suggests a more diverse group of visitors than previously thought. This, along with the extended timeframe revealed by the 2023 dating, points towards Roopkund Lake being a frequented location over a long period. While the purpose of these visits – pilgrimage, trade, or something else entirely – remains unclear, the evidence suggests that Roopkund Lake held some form of significance for these travelers for centuries.

Roopkund Lake is a haunting mystery of the tragic ends of multiple groups of people, whose story is still attempting to be found.

Further studies and research could very well help to untangle the mystery that is Roopkund Lake. However, there is a problem – time is running out. 

In recent years, Roopkund Lake has gained some attention in the media, leading to it becoming a known tourist destination, hard as it is to reach. Hikers that make the trek to the lake often disturb the skeletons, rearranging them into unnatural piles and shapes. Some even take fragments of the skeletons back with them, as a souvenir of sorts – despite the fact that these skeletons are not only invaluable pieces of evidence to unlocking the mystery of the site, but also remains of real people deserving of respect and proper handling.

Hikers and tourists disturbing the site is such a big issue due to the archaeological phenomenon known as context. The context an artifact was found in gives the artifact meaning. Context could be the location of an artifact (especially in its relation to others), the layer of soil it was found in, the cultural context of it, or the type of site itself. For example, if a skeleton were found under a rock, this would be valuable information that assists in researcher’s understanding of a site, such as how the person died. For this skeleton to be removed from this context would deplete much of its value as an artifact, the vital information that it brought lost. 

As Roopkund lake is further decimated by tourists and hikers each year, its value to researchers is being destroyed. As every skull is moved away from the items near it, the shreds of fabric removed from bodies, bones stacked upon each other, knowledge that could have been learned disappears forever. And much of it has already been lost.

Research on the site has not yet stopped – however as the site is further desecrated, it may meet its final end once and for all.