AANSOO LAKE

The lake in the Katas Raj Temple complex is the setting for many stories about the Pandavas in Maha Bharat. During their exile, the Pandava brothers came upon the lake and were about to drink from the water when a Yaksha (protecting spirit of the lake) appeared and said that only people who correctly answered his questions could drink from the lake. The four Pandavas failed the test and were killed by the Yaksha. However the fifth brother, Yudhishtar, used mystical knowledge to answer the questions and brought his brothers back to life. The lake is still said to have magical powers. The Etymology of this place as narrated in the old edition of "Tarikh-e-Jhelum" is that according to Brahaman's belief, Shiv Devta wept so profusely on the death of his beloved wife Satti that two holy pounds one at Pushkar of Ajmair and other at Katak shell came into being with his tears. In Sanskrit, the word "Katak shell" means chain of tears that later on was pronounced "Katas".