Gangotri
Quick
Facts
Location : Uttarakhand
Language : Hindi and English
Best Season : April October
Area : 1 sq,km
Introduction
Gangotri,near to the origin of Ganga (Ganges river) and seat of the goddess
Ganga, is one of the four places in the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. At an
altitude of 3,042 m, a Gorkha Commander, Amar Singh Thapa, created the
temple in the early 18th century AD. The Gangotri temple can be reached in a
full day's travel from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun, or in two days from
Yamunotri, formally the first site in the Char Dham circuit. Gangotri is an
ideal location for the tourists looking for peace and adventure
It is also the name of a series of 3 mountain peaks around 6,600 m AMSL in
the region between the Gangotri Glacier and the Khatling Glacier. The river
is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga from
Devprayag onwards where it coincides the river Alaknanda
The Bhagirathi 'Shila' is located near the temple of Ganga where the holy
Ganga first came down on earth from heaven.
Places
of Attractions
Nandanvan Tapovan
A straining trek along the Gangotri Glacier directs to scenic Nandanvan -
the base camp for the Bhagirathi peaks, that gives a broad view of the
encircling Shivaling peak. A trek across the nozzle of the Gangotri Glacier
leads to Tapovan known for its charming meadows that surrounds the base of
the Shivling Peak.
Uttarkashi
An important pilgrimage centre, situated at an elevation of 1,150 mts.
above sea level on the bank of river Bhagirathi. It houses many temples
like- Vishwanath temple, Ekadash Rudra temple, Gyaneshwar temple and Kuteti
Devi Temple.
Kedar Tal
A
raised lake, 4425 mts above sea level, is set against the glorious
background of powerful Thalaiyasagar peak. Approachable through a bumpy
mountain trail, it is actually the base camp for trekking to the encircling
peaks.
Gaumukh
This is the nie of the Gangotri glacier and the present source of the
Bhagirathi River, an important tributary of the Ganga. The Gangotri glacier
is roughly 30 km long and 2 to 4 km wide. Pilgrims trek upto the sacred spot
on foot or on ponies to take a holy dip in the ice-cold water.
Accommodation
There are enough decent accommodation options in Uttaranchal and the whole
scenario is getting better day by day. There are a number of star category
hotels catering to the needs of tourists coming to explore Uttaranchal.
» Ganga Niketan Hotel, Near Gangotri Temple
» Forest Rest House
How to Reach
By Road : The road is well connected to all major cities
like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun and Delhi.
By Train : The nearest railhead is Rishikesh which is 249
kms away from Gangotri.
By Air : The Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun (249 km) is
the nearest airport to Gangotri.