Gangotri

Gangotri is a popular pilgrimage center located in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand at an altitude of 3750 meters above sea level, situated on the banks of the river Bhagirathi. Gangotri is a sacred site for both pilgrims to char Dham and Do Dham. According to mythology, Goddess Ganga took the form of Ganga to wash away the sins of King Bhagiratha and his ancestors. Lord Shiva stopped it in his jats to keep the earth from flowing. 'Gaumukh' the source of the Ganges River, is located 19 km from Gangotri. The river Ganga is known as 'Bhagirathi' at its place of origin. The water reservoir of the Bhagirathi River is in dense forests. The region has icy mountains, glaciers, long mountain ranges, deep gorges, cliffs, and narrow valleys, and tourists get an opportunity to see alpine conical tree forests, alpine shrubs, and lush green grasslands. This forest area is declared as Gangotri National Park and extends to the Indo-China border. Famous for its ancient temples and religious beliefs, Gangotri Temple is a major Hindu pilgrimage site here. This temple was built by the Gorkha king, Amar Singh Thapa in the 18th century and visited by a large number of devotees to worship Goddess Ganga. Tourists can also see Dnyaneshwar Temple and Ekadash Rudra Temple. The latter temple is famous for the celebration of Ekadashi Rudrabhishekam Puja. Many religious beliefs are associated with the submerged Shivalinga of Bhagirathi rock and Gangotri. This natural Shivling is visible only when the water level decreases during the winter season. Bhagirathi is a piece of rock stone. Tourists can enjoy visiting the beautiful Gauri Kund and Surya Kund located near Gangotri Temple. The nearby Auli, Mandali, Kush Kalyan, Kedar Kanth, Tehri Garhwal, Bedni Bugyal, and Chiplakot Valley are places that are ideal for skiing. Gangotri town is the base camp for trekking Gangotri-Gaumukh-Tapovan. There is also a trekking route from this destination to Kedartal. Other popular tourist attractions around Gangotri are Glacier Ganga, Maneri, Kedar Tal, Nandanvan, Tapovan Vishwanath Temple, DD Tal, Tehri, Kooteti Devi Temple, Nachiketa Tal, Gangnani. The destination is easily accessible by air, rail, and road. Tourists can reach the destination by taxi from Jolly Grant Airport located in Dehradun. Regular flights are available from Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi to Dehradun. Trains are also available from the Rishikesh railway station. Tourists can also avail regular bus services to Gangotri from nearby cities.