on the black-topped road, which once was meant for ‘Europeans’ only, or along the dirt road that was meant for the ‘Indians’ and was located on the same side of the lake, but at a lower level under the shade of Willow trees (which also is now black topped to allow one way up or down motor vehicle traffic, besides mobile human forms)…And, a few also used ‘Thandi sadak’ or ‘cold road’ along the western side hill (which is still used only by pedestrians) that had fewer buildings constructed thereon at higher levels, compared to the eastern side that now also has all the shops and some hotels on the foot of the hill, by the side of the road and has them also located at higher levelsat Bhimtal from a bus that went beyond it and returned in the evening. We were at that time told by some local person that the lake was formed when Pandavas passed that way - during their journey in search of Shiva for cleansing their sins on account of killing of their own kiths and kins in the battle of Mahabharat – Bhim fell down here and the lake was formed by water getting collected in the socket of his eye! However, this time our taxi driver cum guide told us that the lake was formed when the Pandavas were thirsty and therefore Bhima struck the ground with his mace!

However, reading between lines, now ‘I’ can visualize Bhima/ Hanuman/ Ganesha, ie, all mace holders as models at different