Tawang Police have issued a strict warning to visitors after a tourist bathed in the sacred Gonkhar La Lake, a high-altitude lake in the remote Mago–Chuna region of Tawang district. The warning asks travellers to respect the religious sentiments attached to the lake and to follow local customs while visiting the area.
According to reports, the incident came to light after the tourist entered the waters of the lake, which local communities hold sacred. Police have cautioned that such acts hurt religious sentiments and have urged visitors to treat the site with the reverence it commands among residents of the region.
A lake held sacred by local communities
Gonkhar La Lake sits in the far eastern corner of Tawang district, beyond the yak-herding village of Mago, close to the Gongkar La pass at an altitude of around 15,600 feet. Prayer flags mark the site, and a Buddha statue stands on a slope above the water, underlining the spiritual significance the place holds for the local Monpa community.
The lake is not an ordinary tourist stop. Reaching it involves a long drive from Tawang through Jang and Mago, followed by a rough off-road climb, and visitors need an Inner Line Permit along with local clearances, as the area lies close to the India–China border. Sacred sites in Tawang draw thousands of devotees, and the district administration has been working to manage the growing flow of visitors to such places.
Rising footfall raises concern
The route to the lake has opened up to tourists in meaningful numbers only in the last few years, and the area still has very limited tourist infrastructure, unreliable mobile connectivity and challenging terrain. Police and local residents have pointed out that the fragile high-altitude ecology and the religious character of the site make careless behaviour particularly harmful.
Visitors are being reminded that the region sits in a sensitive border region, where access is regulated and instructions from local authorities and security personnel must be followed. The warning is also a reminder that not every scenic spot in the mountains is open for swimming, bathing or camping.
What visitors should keep in mind
Travellers heading to the lake are advised to travel with experienced local operators, carry permits and identity documents, prepare for high altitude, and check weather and road conditions before setting out. Above all, the message from the police is simple: admire the lake, photograph it respectfully, and leave its waters untouched.
As Tawang attracts more visitors with each passing season, the incident has renewed the conversation around responsible tourism in Arunachal Pradesh — travel that brings income to remote communities without damaging the places they hold sacred.
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