Temso – A High Altitude Sacred Lake in Kinnaur

Temso (also spelled as Tem Tso) is a sacred glacier fed lake located high (4979 meters) above Lippa and Labrang villages of Kinnaur. Each year, on 20 bhado, a flower festival — called Fluiach/Ukhayang/Minthko — is celebrated by the villagers of Lippa, Labarang, Kanam and Ropa valley at the shores of this Lake. 

The word “tso” is also used in other languages of the Tibetan cultural sphere, such as Ladakhi and Balti. In Ladakhi, it is pronounced “tso” or “tsho”, while in Balti, it is pronounced “tsho”.

This mystical glacier-fed lake has a profound significance in the local culture and traditions.