INTRODUCTION
Gangotri is the source of river Ganga and is situated in the Uttarakashi district of Uttarakhand and is nearly 250 kms away from Rishikesh.Gangotri is quite famous for it is the place where the sacred water of Ganga, the holiest river of India touches earth for the first time. It is from Gangotri, the river Ganga starts its journey of about 2500 kms flowing through the India and Bangladesh. The water of the river Ganga is also believed to be rich in fertile minerals with its sacred water. It finally forms world's largest and most fertile delta, Sunderban delta in Bangladesh. The holy place Rishikesh is at a distance of about 250 kms from Gangotri.ORIENTATION
Gangotri is situated in the Garhwal hills at an altitude of 3048 meters above sea level in a close proximity to the Indo-Tibetan border. It occupies the northernmost part of Uttar Pradesh.HISTORY
Ganga is also otherwise referred as Bhagirathi and there is a legend behind this name. History says that only after Lord Shiva rewarded King Bhagirath, Ganga came down to earth. But Lord Shiva didn�t let her go for he had her in his locks for the only major factor of her pride and her force which would lead to major destruction of the earth. It was then proclaimed that Goddess Uma or Parvati, Shiva's consort, would bathe in the Ganges daily and only then would she descend on the earth. On your visit to this place one can get to see the stone near the temple denotes the place where Ganga first came down to earth.TIME TO VISIT
The ideal time to visit Gangotri is between April to October.PLACES OF INTEREST
GANGOTRI TEMPLE
There are legends saying that in Mahabharatha, at the time of battle Pandavas performed the great 'Deva Yagna' here to atone for the deaths of their kinsmen.
The temple belongs to the 18th century and the unique feature of this temple is that it is an exquisite 20 ft. high structure made of white granite.
THE SUBMERGED SHIVLING
It is said that a clear sight of the submerged Shivling is got to see only in early winters when the water level goes down.
According to legends the place where Shivling is submerged in water, Lord Shiva stood to receive Ganga in his locks.
NANDANVAN TAPOVAN
Once you reach this tapovan you get the view of the Shivling.
Further on trekking higher at an altitude of 5590 meters you reach Vasuki Tal and Kalindikhal and finally reach the Badrinath.
UTTARKASHI
Thousands of people visit this temple during the 'Magh Mela'to take a holy dip in the Bhagirathi along with the image of their village deity.
The other temples worth visiting here in Uttarkashi are Vishwanath temple, Ekadash Rudra temple, Gyaneshwar temple and Kuteti Devi Temple.
KEDAR TAL
GAUMUKH
Gaumukh is the most attention seeking spot for tourists and the name also means cow�s mouth. This place is 18kms uphill from Gangotri situated at about 4200 metres above the sea level.Gaumukh is supposed to be one of the largest glaciers in Himalayas and source of River Ganga.People trekk to this place and also have a dip in the holy water here.DAYARA BUGYAL
Dayara Bugyal is situated at a distance of about 93kms from Gangotri and at a height of 3,048 mts. above sea level.A motorable road connects Bhatwari with Raithal village, from where follows a 6 kms. long trek to Dayara. The famous Sheshnag Temple enroute is an attraction of the trek. From Dayara, one can also trek down to Dodi Tal which is nearly 30 kms. During winters, Dayara provides excellent ski slopes over an area of 28 sq.kms.NACHIKETA TAL
Nachiketa Tal is situated at a distance of about 131 kms.from Gangotri which is featured by crystal clear water amidst dense forest. From here you can view the splendid mountain peaks. This lake is named after Nachiketa, son of Saint Uddalak and there is also a small temple.TEHRI
Tehri at a distance of about 173 kms is situated at the confluence of the rivers Bhagirathi and Bhilangna.
NARENDRANAGARNarendranagar is about 239kms away from Gangotri.The new capital of erstwhile Tehri state, offers a magnificent view of the Ganga valley of Rishikesh and the plains of Haridwar. SHOPPINGThere is nothing much to shop in Gangotri.If at all you can shop in the nearby capital city of Uttaranchal,Dehradun which is famous for woolen products, paintings, Ornaments and woodcarving. EAT OUTSMeat and eggs are banned in Gangotri. The open air eating place at the Ganga Niketan and the Manisha restaurant, past the bus stand going out of town, are decent places. There are just basic eating places here. ACCOMODATIONGangotri does not provide any major accommodation apart from government run lodges, guesthouses,Dharamshalas and few budget private hotels. Ganga Niketan Hotel |
Travel Guide
Travel Information
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HOW TO REACH
BY AIR
The nearest airport is that of Jolly Grant, which is approximately 270 km from Gangotri, via Rishikesh.
BY RAIL
The nearest railway station is Rishikesh, to which one can get trains from Dehradun and Delhi.
BY ROAD
The best option to reach Gangotri is by road. A network of roads connects Gangotri to Rishikesh, which is again linked to Dehradun, Delhi.