Skip to main content

Senegal’s Dead Sea - Lake Retba (Pink Lake)

Senegal’s Lac Rose (meaning Pink Lake) is an incredible sight. It lies north of the Cap Vert peninsula of Senegal, 36 kms from north-east of the capital, Dakar in West Africa (an hour drive). 


The lake is nestled between pearly white sand dunes and the Atlantic ocean. The lake was then the finishing point of the Dakar Rally before the rally moved to South America in 2009. 


The Dunaliella salina bacteria gives the lake its distinct color and is known for high salt content. The bacteria produce a red pigment to absorb sunlight and voila, that's how you get a pink lake.

Locals work on extracting salt from the lake. I was informed that an estimated 1,000 people work around this lake -- 600 men and 400 women collecting 24,000 tons of salt each year. Over 70% is exported around West Africa and to Europe.


People working here as harvesters are Malians, some are Guineans, few Ivorians, Burkinabe and even some from Guinea-Bissau. It is safe to dive-in and swim (float easily in this lake). 

Lake Retba is most vividly pink during the dry season (November through June) and less during the rainy season (July through October). The three square kilometer Lake Retba with depth of three meters is under consideration as a World Heritage Site. 

As part of my #CSCSenegal5 pro-bono assignment to Dakar, I visited the lake on
Oct 20, 2018 and it is worth a visit. 

Popular posts from this blog

The 7 Main Chakras

Chakra pronounced in Hindi as Pali, in Chinese as Chakka and in Tibet as Khorlo is a sanskrit work meaning "Wheel".   Chakras are depicted as flower like or wheel like. When it is depicted as flower like, a specific number of petals are shown around the circle. It is said that human body contains hundreds of chakras that are key to the operation of our being. According to ancient scriptures, a chakra is where 216 nadis (energy channels) cross over each other, forming energy spirals. The 7 main chakras in human body refer to the 7 energy centers of which our consciouness and energy system is composed. The 7 chakras are aligned along the spinal column. Each of the 7 main chakras is their own intelligence center. It means each chakra is not only associated with our physical health but also controls aspects connected to our physical, emotional, mental and belief system.   1.Muladhara/Base Chakra (last bone in spinal cord) 2.Svadhisthana/Sacral Chakra (ovaries and prostrate) 3.M...
Read more

Ratha Sapthami

Ratha Sapthami comes on maaga shudda sapthami. Ratha means chariot and Sapthami means 7th day. This festival is in the month of January-February. It is the day when Sun God will ride on the chariot drawn by 7 horses. On this day, Sun moves from Southeast to Northeast. The day is also known as Surya Jayanthi as it celebrates the power of Sun God, believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. On Ratha Sapthami day, people take bath with 7 leaves of Ekka or Arka or Jilledu or Erukku (Calotropis Gigantea). Place 1 on head, 2 on shoulders, 2 on knees, 2 on foot. Perform puja to Lord Sun/Surya and do 12 surya namaskaras. The worship of Sun on Ratha Sapthami signifies the spread of energy and light from Sun God. Sun is the ruler of all planets and it is he who disburses energy. The Sun is approximately 149,600,000 kilometers from earth and sunlight takes 8.3 minutes to reach the earth. Mantra chanted while taking bath, Saptha Saptha Maha Saptha Saptha Dweepa Vasundara Saptharka Parn...
Read more

Importance of Dhanurmasa

Dhanur Masa or Dhanurmas is a month in the Hindu calendar. It corresponds to the zodiac sign of Saggitarius (Sun transits through Saggitarius). The Dhanus month or masa is called Margazhi (Margali) in the Tamil Hindu calendar. Dhanurmasa is also called as Shoonya Masa as it is considered inauspicious to do any good thing other than God and Holy functions. According to tradition, Gods wake up early in the morning during the month of Dhanurmasa. Special prayers are offered to Sri Maha Vishnu during the auspicious period of "Brahm Muhurta", i.e one and half hours before sunrise. During this month, devotees offer prayers to the Lord very early in the morning. The month of Dhanurmasa is considered a very special month for performing Puja of Vishnu. Vishnu Sahasranama is chanted during the period. The 30 pasurams/verses of Thiruppavai will be recited to wake up Lord Vishnu. Thiru means Sacred and Ppavai means Vrat. It is believed that Goddess Goda Devi, also known as Andal has comp...
Read more