Kagbhusandi lake, Uttarakhand
Located in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, is the Kagbhusandi lake. The meaning of its name is ‘Kaag‘, which is the Sanskrit for crow, and bhusandi, which is usually translated to ‘Sage’.
The lake is covered with stories and legends, both good and bad, and while some consider it a revered site, others think of it as a bad omen. The lake is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, a rugged terrain, and stories of the old and ancient, from the Ramayana’s narration to a sage’s curse.
The story of Garuda’s dilemma
Garuda, the eagle and mount of Lord Vishnu, is an important character in the legends and stories of Kaagbhusundi. One of the most famous legends say that when Garuda became curious about Lord Ram, his nature, his energy, and if he really was a divine creature, he wanted answers. Narada directed him to Brahma, Brahma asked him to approach Lord Shiva, and Lord Shiva sent him to ‘Kakbhushundi’, a crow, who told Garuda all about Lord Ram, his virtues, and more.
Kakbhushundi and the lake
Kabhushundi was a sage who was turned into a crow by the curse of Sage Lomasha. Eventually, he was given boons and blessings by Lord Shiva and other Gods, and one of his most famous qualities became that he could travel back or forward in time, basically time travel. Kakbhushundi is known as the only being who saw the Ramayana 11 times, and the Mahabharata 16 times.
It is said that during the later years of his life, Kakbhushundi sought refuge near the lake, now known as Kaagbhusandi, and was the first crow to give up his life near the lake.
Dying crows and withered feathers
Another famous legend and lore of the Kaagbhusandi lake is that when crows are nearing their death, they travel long distances to Kaagbhusandi and give up their life near the lake. Many tourists, trekkers, nearby villagers, and devotees who travel to Kaagbhusundi say that they have seen crow feathers withered all over the lake, and even some dead crows around, but they have never seen a crow die in front of their eyes in Kaagbhusundi.
It is said that this lake is like the stairway to heaven for crows.
When Kakbhusandi narrated Ramayan to Garuda
Apart from the dying crows, Kakbhusandi narrating the Ramayan to Garuda is the most famous legend about the lake. It is believed that when Meghnad, Ravan’s son, caught Lord Ram in a ‘Nagpash’, Garuda helped him get free. But, he started to doubt that if Lord Ram is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, how could he not save himself? To get his answers, Garuda was directed to Kakbhushundi who narrated the Ramayan to Garuda in such depth and detail that even Garuda was awestruck. Some people also say that Kabhushundi narrated the Ramayan and its conclusion even before it happened!
