Uttarkashi or Kalyani, which can be approached by motor. Kalyani to Agoda is a
gradual climb through woods, fields and villages along• a mule track. The trek from
Agoda to Dodi Tal is steep and through thick forests. Dodital is a high altitude lake
at a height of 3307 mts/10847 ft. Situated amidst pine forests with the backdrop
of Darwa Bugyal, a high altitude meadow;Dodital has a serene effect on the mind
and body. Dodital gets its name from Dodi, the local name for trout, which are
found in large numbers in the lake. Like most of the high altitude Tals, Dodital also
has a legend associated with it.
The Legend, another name for this lake is Dhundital. Dhundital means Ganesh – ka -
tal. In Sanskrit Dhundi is synonymous with Lord Ganesha. There is a temple, which
is devoted to lord Ganesha. The legend has it that Ganesha selected this place as
his abode. The story goes that this is the place where Ganesha was born. Shiva is
known to keep away from home for extended periods and it is during one of these
long periods of absence that Ganesha was born. One day Parvati, Ganesha's mother,
was having a bath in the lake. She had instructed Ganesha to guard the entrance to
the lake. Just then Shiva returned from one of his long trips, and was stopped by
Ganesha. Enraged, Shiva cut off Ganesha's head. When Parvati came to know about
this, she was livid and demanded that Shiva restore Ganesha's life. In the interest
of domestic harmony, Shiva set out in search of Ganesha's head. The first animal
that Shiva came across was an elephant and Shiva restored Ganesha's life by
replacing his head with an elephant's head. A book in the Dhundiraj temple relates
this tale in English!
