Mebar Tsho – The Burning Lake

Located merely 30 minutes’ drive away from the Chamkhar town in Bumthang Valley; along the Ura-Tang route, Mebar Tsho or ‘Membartsho’ is a mystique as well as sacred lake to the Bhutanese locals. Known for its miraculous beauty and serenity, it is often revered as the ‘The Burning Lake’ by the locals, and has many legends.

According to the legends, Guru Rinpoche on his visit to Bhutan had strewn numerous relics and religious texts, which were meant to remain hidden until any ‘Terton’; or righteous treasure finder, descends down to find them. However, this later became a sceptical thought among the ruler and locals of Tang. Thus, to claim the legendary beliefs, Pema Lingpa; one of the renowned righteous treasure finders in Bhutan, dived into the lake with a burning butter lamp.

Pema Lingpa claimed that if he is a true ‘Terton’, he would come back with the lamp still lit, and if he is a deceiver, he would drown. To everyone’s surprise, the treasure finder re-emerged with a chest of ancient relics in his hand while the lamp still burning, and claimed his prophecy along with proving Guru Rinpoche’s legacy.

Since then, the locals started calling Membartsho as the ‘Burning Lake’. On a visit to this sacred lake, one can find mystical bubbles appearing on the lake’s surface. According to the locals, there exists a series of complex tunnels at the bottom of Membartsho, and these bubbles originate from there. Visitors can enjoy the views of this lake from a wooden bridge or from the rocky ledges around Membartsho. Views of the colourful Bhutanese prayer flags, devotees offering butter lamp into the lake, and an altar of Terton Pema Lingpa is a common sighting near Membartsho or the ‘Burning Lake’ in Bhutan.