Gangotri-The Seat of goddess Ganga.
Gangotri ( गंगोत्री ) is a small town and a Nagar Panchayat (municipality) in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi .
Gangotri is a town centered around the temple of Gangotri temple and it is the origin of the Holy River Ganga and seat of the goddess Ganga, is part of the four sites in the Chota Char Dham Yatra.
Located at an elevation of 3048 mts in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. Every Year lakhs of pilgrims does chardham yatra. the shrine of Gangotri give out the pious aura of divinity and stands on the posture of one of the most pilgrimage centers among Hindus.
River Ganga is worshipped as the Goddess. People here believed that Gangotri is the place where Ganga takes the place after descended from Lord Shiva’s hair locks.
Gangotri has so much to give to people. It is not only popular among pilgrims as well as trekking lovers. The origin of the holy river is at Gaumukh, set in the Gangotri glacier that can be accessed by a short 19 km trek from Gangotri. But according to Hindu mythology,Gangotri is the place where river Ganga descended from heaven when Lord Shiva released the mighty river from his luscious locks.
Gangotri is also the starting points for some trek routes like Tapovan, Bhojwasa, Gaumukh, Gangotri glacier, Gangotri national park, Shivling peak etc. Some of the popular tourist attractions in and around Gangotri town are the Gangotri temple, Bhagirath Shila, Pandava Gufa, Tapovan, Bhairon Ghati.
Reason to visit Gangotri?
Reason to visit Gangotri? Gangotri is a perfect place to enrapture in the serenity and sanctity as the place has a picturesque landscape. With the snow-clad Himalayas located in the vicinity and the Bhagirathi River flowing in eternity at this heavenly place, one can feel close to God in the blissful aura of Gangotri. One can pay obeisance at the Gangotri temple which stands at an altitude of 3,415 metres above sea level. Gangotri offers scenic vistas of rugged terrains, gushing water of Bhagirathi River and snow clad peaks.
History of Gangotri
It begins with the arrival of River Ganga on Earth for the first time. The story entails the chapter that discloses the penance offered by King Bhagiratha to Lord Shiva for the salvation of his predecessors. As per the sources, his prayers were answered by Lord Shiva who then released River Ganga from his luscious locks and Ganga touched the feet of earth for the first time on this place. The River Ganga got the name of Bhagirathi after this incident.
Another story covers the birth story of a beautiful woman Ganga who was born out of Lord Brahma’s water vessel (Kamandal). It was believed that When Lord Vishnu freed the universe by the curse of Demon Bali by playing the character of Vaman, Lord Brahma washed Lord Vishnu’s feet with water and collected it in his Kamandal.
Another story claims the birth of Ganga in the form of human being. In the story, she married King Shantanu, the Pandava’s ancestor. During her married life, she throws back all her seven children into River Ganga. But when she is trying to throw her eighth child into the river, King Shantanu interrupted and she left him. The eighth child was Bheeshma, who played an important role in epic of Mahabhrat.
The original Gangotri Temple was built in early 18th century by the Nepalese general Amar Singh Thapa, who was Gorkha commander. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga (the Ganges) from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda. Gangotri temple was later re-built by the Maharaja of Jaipur.
Mythology of Gangotri
There are two mythological tales associated with Gangotri, the first one state that King Sagar, the great grandfather of King Bhagirath wanted to extend his empire, for which he performed the 'Ashwamedha Yagya'. When he was busy in performing the yagya, his horse was let loose to roam freely across the empire.
When the soldiers were unable to locate the horse, the 60,000 sons of King Sagar were asked to find it. While searching for the horse, the sons of King Sagar came across a place where sage Kapila was meditating and noticed that the horse was tied next to him. They interrupted sage Kapila's meditation and accused him of stealing the horse.
Sage Kapila who was pot boiled turned all the 60,000 sons of King Sagar into ashes, cursing them to attain heaven only when the ashes will come in contact with the holy water of river Ganga, (which used to flow only in the heaven). Therefore, King Bhagirath did a serious penance to please river Ganga so that his ancestors could achieve ‘moksha’ or salvation. The penance lasted for more than 1,000 years and King Bhagirath was able to appease the holy river Ganga, to come down to Earth from the heavens above.
Things to Do in Gangotri
Trekking: The area surrounding the Gangotri Shrine is full of lush green hills that allow the adventure lovers to enjoy trekking. The areas like Gaumukh and Tapovan offers the tourists with the best places to enjoy for trekking.
Pilgrimage: Gangotri is the one of the best pilgrimage place. Being the part of the Chardham Yatra, the region receives thousands of devotees every year.
Shopping: Being Gangotri is a revered place; it beholds several shops that sells images of deities and other related materials. Also, shopping freaks can find a great deal of useful items such as shawls, woolens, handicrafts here.
Best Time to Visit Gangotri
Gangotri lies in the Uttarkashi region of the Uttarakhand State. The best time to visit the holy Shrine of Gangotri is during the month of April, May, June, September, October and November. The temple of Gangotri remains open from April’s last week to November first week.
Weather in Gangotri
Gangotri experience a cool environment all throughout the year. The average maximum temperature ranges somewhere 10-15 degree Celsius; while the minimum temperature turned into zero many times. The chilled environment raises the necessity to carry warm and woolen clothes while on the go to Gangotri.
Summer season: During the summer season (April to June); the town experiences a pleasant temperature with maximum temperature of around 25 degree Celsius. The nights are quite chilly but then also the environment is enjoyable and allows smooth trip.
Monsoon season: Monsoon season starts from end of July and continues till August end. During the monsoon season, it’s hard to reach to the temple as the area is prone to face landslides. Visitors are strictly advised to avoid the trip to Gangotri during the Monsoon season.
Winter season: The winter season starts from November and continues till April and the weather is extremely chilled with heavy snowfall. During this season, the Gangotri temple remains closed. However, the trekkers and mountaineers find the season most appropriating for the adventure trip.
Opening closing time of Gangotri Yatra.
The Gangotri temple is opened on the day of Akshaya Tritiya, which falls in April – May for the visit by pilgrims and closes on Diwali day during October – November every year. Following the closure of the temple after this season, the entire region is grappled in silence being covered by white snow all around.
Gangotri Temple Daily Opening and Closing Timing
The Gangotri temple premises opens up for the devotees around 7-8 am in the morning. However, Badrinath temple opening timing is 4:30 am when the morning rituals begin After that, darshan hours continue till 1 pm. A short recess sort of period is maintained between 1 pm and 4 pm. After that, darshan hours resume again. The Gangotri temple closing timings is 9 pm.
Opening and Closing Date of Gangotri yatra 2018
Trekking sights near Gangotri.
The glacier is the geographical origin of the Ganges located at a distance of 18 km from Gangotri, following a steady uphill track. Here Ganges is known as the Bhagirathi.
The source of the Bhagrithi for a dip in its icy waters is dip in almost a must for pilgrims; and to the temple of Bhairavanth at Bhairon ghati, (10 km.).
GMVN Tourist Bungalow is located at Bhojbasa, about 14 km, from Gangotri, on the road to Uttarkashi, at the confluence of the Jat Ganga and Bhagirathi rivers. Pilgrlims also trek to Nandanvan (6km) and Kedartal (18km) from Gangotri.
Other related Links: Chardham Packages, Chardham Registrations, Chardham Car rental, Chardham Info, Chardham Hotels Chardham Route. Chardham shrines Opening & closing in 2018 Yamunotri yatra Gangotri yatra Kedarnath yatra Badrinath yatra
