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Apart from the famous gompa, another draw of the place is a small circular lake with three-quarters of a mile in diameter. The natural islands moving on the water surface is a veritable feast to the eyes. Rewalsar is an old village where Hindu and Buddhist cultural influences can be marked. When the islands broke off from the mainland and started floating in the lake is a mystery to man, but both the Hindus and the Buddhists have woven two different tales around it.
Here, too, as is usually the case with water springs and reservoirs in the Himalayas, the lake is associated with Nag cult or serpent worship.The lake-water is believed to be flowing underground from Rewalsar to Nagchala, meaning serpent-path, a place ten kilometers from Mandi on the Manali-Simla National Highway. Nagchala is a small pool of translucent water with a small shrine by its side. Apart from the tourist influx Rewalsar bustles with life at least on two occasions.
One is Baisakhi in mid-April when thousands of people from the adjoining area flock to this ancient village and the people have a ritual dip in the sacred water of the lake. The Hindus believe that it was here that the Rishi Lomas held his penance in devotion to Lord Siva. Overwhelmed, Siva gave the Rishi the seven floating islands in reward.
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