All about Gangotri Dham:-
Gangotri may be a city and a Nagar council in Uttarkashi district within the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a Hindu pilgrim city on the banks of the watercourse Bhagirathi and the origin of the watercourse Ganges. Gangotri Dham, located at the height of 3,100 meters (approx.) on the Himalayan range in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, holds a very special place in the hearts of Hindus. It is one of the four sacred and vital pilgrim journey sites of Chota Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand. The sacred Gangotri city is made around the holy Gangotri shrine, having it is the epic centre.
The aboriginal Gangotri temple was in-built the first eighteenth century by the mighty Gorkha General, Amar Singh Thapa and was later rebuilt by the Maharaja of Jaipur. Gangotri tends to stay cold for the foremost part of the year; but, the ideal time to visit this place is between April to June and from September to October. This Himalayan place is believed to be the spot where Ganga, the Ganges River goddess, touched earth for the first time.
By Rail: The nearest railway station to Gangotri is Rishikesh 234kms before Gangotri on NH58 and is well connected by a railway network with major destinations of Asian nations. Trains to Rishikesh are frequent. Taxis and buses are available from Rishikesh, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarkashi and many other destinations to Gangotri. The upper Valley of the Bhagirathi River, the primary source of the Ganges River, flows from the glaciers of the Gharwhal Himalaya, India. The trek from Gangotri Village in Uttarakhand State to the front of the receding glacier is now more than 18 km. It is around 30 km long and originates in the Chaukhamba massif, a ridge formed by four mountains. Several smaller tributary glaciers feed it on either side.
The glacier flows northwest and terminates at Gaumukh where its melt-water feeds the Bhagirathi River, one of the main tributaries of the Ganga. The Gangotri temple remains open from Akshay Tritiya until Diwali which is roughly six months. The portals of Char Dham including Gangotri remain closed for winters. Gangotri can be reached only via road in a bus, privately operated jeeps, SUVs/ other vehicles.
The journey from Rishikesh takes about 12 hours. … Rishikesh is the best place to start the trip in the morning. If needed, you’ll rest in Uttarkashi before reaching Gangotri. Tehri Dam on Bhagirathi watercourse is the biggest, highest and tallest dam in India and also the eighth highest dam in the world, located in Uttarakhand. It is the best and therefore the most significant temple of the watercourse Ganga.
The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda and is one of the four sites in the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. According to standard Hindu legend, it was here that Goddess Ganga descended when Lord Shiva released the mighty river from the locks of his hair. Gangotri is additionally the place to begin for a few 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, Pandava Gufa, Tapovan, Bhairon Ghati, the Gaumukh glacier, and the submerged Shivalinga.
The hanging presence of the snowy mountains within the section and therefore the pure crystal clear water of the Ganges flowing around increase the holiness of the place. Vegan food dominates the culture and is obtainable within the native food joints or dhabas. Non-vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks are a strict no-no. Gangotri is immensely famous as the base of several treks in the Garhwal Himalayas. Treks to Gaumukh ice mass, Tapovan, and Mt Shivling are amongst the most popular things to do near Gangotri.
Apart from this, nature lovers can relish the bucolic beauty of the surroundings and sight places like Harsil.
Trek to Gaumukh ice mass to Witness the Originating purpose of watercourse Ganga
Trek to Tapovan for out-of-this-world expertise of the Garhwal range of mountains
Trek to Mt Shivling, one in the foremost stunning range of mountains Peaks in the Asian nation
Sightseeing tour of the breathtaking Harsil
Witness the Natural Rock Submerged Shivling
Visiting the surreal Bhairo Ghati.