'Nature is the artwork of God'
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Bivash Mukherjee and Zhu Shenshen find divine joy in Tianchi and Kanas lakes
Italian poet Dante Alighieri could not have envisioned it better. It is not just the devout, but even the avowed atheists who would invoke the divine at nature's magnificence when staring down at Xinjiang's twin beauties - Tianchi and Kanas lakes.
Forgive us for repeating the oft-repeated cliche, but it just fits so perfectly here: If there is paradise on Earth, it is here.
Heavenly lake
Blessed with untouched nature, Xinjiang's total lake area accounts for 0.6 percent of the region's total.
Tianchi Lake's turquoise waters, backed by the snow-capped peaks of Mt Tianshan and arrow-shaped pine trees, paint a different picture from the mountains, valleys and deserts of the autonomous region. Understandably, it is on every tourist's itinerary.
But despite the clamor of people and the chaos that comes with it, Tianchi retains a heavenly charm and is justifiably christened "Heaven's Lake."
A little more than a 100-kilometer drive from Urumqi, the capital city, Tianchi Lake can be reached by a circumventing road but it is best enjoyed on a 20-minute cable car ride above pine trees. A quick trek up the paved path brings us face-to-face with nature's glory - pine-covered green valleys, white peaks and blue waters.
You are suddenly alone in a crowd even as the brave wander off on a journey of their own. For the less adventurous, there are golf carts that make for a pleasant ride beside the lake which is a little over 3.5 kilometers and 1.5 kilometers in width.
At 1,980 meters above sea level and with Mount Bogda gleaming in the distance, it is blessed with a cool breeze even in the harshest of summers, making for a perfect heavenly retreat.
Autumn is particularly beautiful when colorful leaves - yellow, orange and shiny red - bristle in the skyline. No amount of adjectives or metaphors can justify the romance of the place. Even the most amateur of photographers and painters suddenly seem to have mastered their art - such is its breathtaking beauty.
Tianchi Lake - originally a glacial lake - was also the muse for the Nanjing University student and Indian poet and author Vikram Seth, whose travelogue through Xinjiang and Tibet is brilliantly detailed in his book "From Heaven Lake." But even that - or any guidebook worth the name - cannot prepare you for the visual treat it has to offer. It is a sight to behold, to be seen and to be believed.
The evenings are particularly blissful as the lake, shaped like a half moon, glistens in the night sky. The nomadic Kazakhs who live around the lake offer horseback rides to the mountain top for more mesmerizing views of the lake and the peaks.
Their yurts (tents), made of hide and canvas, are also available for a night's stay which in itself can be an experience of a lifetime. The "walls" of the yurt are generally blanketed in decorative bright colors while a burning stove drives the evening chill away. The thick quilts at that time seem like a gift from heaven itself as you are lulled away to peaceful slumber.
For those on a day's trip, a minimum of 4-5 hours can make it satisfying, albeit rushed. Tianchi Lake is best enjoyed at leisure and a night's stay is suggested. You can wander away on your own and there would still be so much more to cover.
The good - and the danger of it as well - is that in the wilderness of Tianchi, you are on your own, and cut off from the noise and effluence of our everyday urban existence. Even the few boats and a rare speedboat fail to disturb the tranquility of the place. In that sense, Tianchi Lake offers a great escape.
Mysterious lake
Kanas Lake is in the northern part of Xinjiang, close to the border between China and Kazakhstan. It is a one-day drive from the capital city Urumqi.
Kanas Lake means "lake in canyon" or "beautiful and mysterious lake" in local language.
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