Renuka Lake is a small place in the hills of Shivalik in North India. More accurately it is situated in Nahan town under Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh.

The state of Himachal Pradesh is full of unknown or lesser known tourist spots which are a treat to visit. One can get really to know interesting and scenic places after talking to local people there. The tradition of talking to locals and gathering information is nothing new for a traveler but I feel it holds more importance in this state.

The words "Himachal Pradesh" are derived from 3 words namely Him meaning Himalayas, anchal meaning lap and Pradesh meaning State. In completeness this is the land which lies in the lap of Himalayas. The snow clad mountains are easily visible from virtually any place in this state.

My visit to Renuka Lake was during my studies when it was a backpack weekend trip accompanied by a friend who happened to be a local from that region. The location is a small, hardly populated place with a small lake.

It can get close to freezing at nights and protective gear is advised for winters. It is beautiful to enjoy the anticipation of first sun rays of the morning after spending the night with angeethi in the room. Angeethi is a portable fireplace made of clay fueled with coal and wood.

There is a small Temple near the lake of goddess Renukaji where evening chants echo in the valley. The chants, matras and shlokas empower you with unknown divine feelings and a feeling of complete relaxation.

As the day progresses the wildlife around the lake becomes active and is a visual treat for wildlife lovers like me.

Here is a GALLERY LINK where I have shared some photos from our trip to this beautiful place.