Trilokinath Temple
temple · 12.4 km away
lake56 min from Mandi
Rewalsar Lake
Rewalsar Lake, known to Tibetan Buddhists as Tso Pema, is sacred to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists alike, at about 1,360 m near Mandi in Himachal Pradesh.
What it is
A mid-altitude lake at about 1,360 m, known to Tibetan Buddhists as Tso Pema — "Lotus Lake" — and sacred to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists alike. Tibetan tradition credits the lake's own creation to Padmasambhava and the princess Mandarava, whose story unfolds around a king's anger, a seven-day fire and the lotus that appeared once the smoke cleared.
Getting there
About 56 minutes by road from Mandi, roughly 23 km — the furthest of the standard day trips from town, genuinely its own outing rather than a quick add-on.
The visit
A colossal Padmasambhava statue, a separate shrine honouring Mandarava and three Buddhist gompas sit around the lake, alongside three separate Hindu temples dedicated to Krishna, Shiva and the sage Lomasha. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, is said to have stayed here a month, adding a third tradition to the same small body of water. Islands of floating reed drift across the surface, believed locally to carry the spirit of Padmasambhava himself.
> different shrines and monasteries around the lake, not just viewing the water itself.
When to go
March, April, September, October or November, matching the rest of Mandi district's clearer windows outside the summer heat and the monsoon.
Around it
Pandoh Dam, on the way back towards Mandi, pairs naturally with Rewalsar Lake on the same day — see the two-day plan. Closer to town, Trilokinath, Ardhnareshwar and Panchvaktra temples fill the shorter one-day loop instead.
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Questions people ask
Why is Rewalsar Lake called Tso Pema?
Tso Pema, or "Lotus Lake" in Tibetan, refers to the Buddhist origin story: the princess Mandarava's tryst with Padmasambhava angered her father, who condemned them to a fire that burned seven days, after which a lake with a lotus appeared.
What can visitors see at Rewalsar Lake?
A colossal statue of Padmasambhava, a separate shrine honouring Mandarava, and three Buddhist gompas sit around the lake, alongside three Hindu temples dedicated to Krishna, Shiva and the sage Lomasha. Islands of floating reed drift slowly across the water itself all year.
Is Rewalsar Lake connected to Sikh history too?
Yes — Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, is said to have resided at Rewalsar for a month. The lake's pull across three different faiths at once is what makes it genuinely unusual among sacred sites in this part of Himachal Pradesh.