“As the dew is dried up by the morning Sun, So are the sins of Mankind by the sight of The Mighty Ganga.”

The Eternal Gift Of Lord Shiva’s and Bhagirath's Penance Hindus consider Gangotri the source of the Ganges, although the actual source is the glacier at Gaumukh, another 18 miles upstream. Gangotri is an ideal location, here is the mystical aura that India is so famous for. The town has two important ritual centers. The first is the Ganges itself, which is considered the Goddess Ganga in material form. Pilgrims bathe in it, and perform rituals beside it. The other important center is the temple to the goddess Ganga. Gangotri also has a strong historical past and bears the eternal feel of antiquity, But Gangotri is equally favorite destination for an intrepid traveler. One who is looking for solace in the Himalayas. The river itself begins at Gangotri which literally means Ganga Uttari or Ganga descending. She came to be called Bhagirathi at her legendary source.

Mythological story of the Ganga :-
The Immortal story of the Immortal Ganga, aeons age, when the Himalayas in the process of creation, The Great king Sagar who reigned in what is now India, having slain the demons of the earth, decided to stage a “horse sacrifice”, or Ashwamedh-yajna as a proclamation of his supremacy. The horse was to be escorted on an uninterrupted journey around Earth by his 60,000 sons born of ueen Sumati and the one and only son, Asamanjas, born of his second queen Kesoni, Meanwhile, Indra, Supreme Ruler of the kingdom of the Gods, was filled with fear that he might lose his celestial throne if the ‘yagya’ was success. He came down the Earth and, stealing the horse in an unguarded moment, tied it at a post near the ‘ashram’ of the meditating Sage kapil, from whom even the gods trembled. Meanwhile who had challenged the sovereignty of their father. Finally they reached storm the place and attack the meditating ‘rishi’, when kapil, his meditation disturbed, opened but one furious eye and reduced the 60,000 hords to ashes. Asamanjas, alone live to tell the tell to the sorrowing parents. It fell to king Sagar’s grandson, Anshuman to recover the horse and attain salvation for his 60,000 kin. Kapil returned the horse and told him that they were burnt because of his anger at being disturbed, they could, he said save their souls if the Goddess Ganga come down from the heaven to cleanse their ashes.

The great task of bringing her down went on but the goddess was adamant. Anshuman failed and so did his son, Dilip, but his grandson was equally determined and meditated on the glacial.Years rolled on, but king Bhagirath’s meditation and devotion did not cease. Finally, gods relented and asked him his desire- he wanted but one boon- the descent of the Divine Lady who was still adamant and threatened to destroy the earth if forced to leave the heaven. As the matter was of some gravity, Goddess Ganga, the daughter of heaven, manifested herself in the form a river to absolve the sins of king Bhagirath's predecessors, following his severe penance of 5500 years. shiva agreed to receive the full force of the waters unleashed by the tempestuous goddess of his head. The Ganga descended and remained suspended on the coils of Shiva’s matted hair. Sitting on his slab of ice (Bhagirath Shila) in a deep gorge enclosed by glistening granite walls of the central axis of the great Himalayas, Bhagirath now meditated to propitiate Shiva.The god was pleased and released the Ganga as three streams one of which came to earth in the form of the Bhagirathi. Blowing a conch shell, the king proceeded across the Himalayas which rifted apart to allow the Bhagirathi to follow him and redesm the ashes of the 60,000 souls who rose to their eternal rest.

GANGA JAL-THE HOLY WATER :-
Water collected from Gangotri is in a pure state and even after being kept for a number of years, retains its original flavor and state. The medicinal properties of Ganga water are ascribed to the several herbs that mix with the waters which already have a mineral content. ARCHITECTURE STYLE :- The temple to the goddess Ganga, first built about in the 18th century almost 300 years ago by the Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa, and restored in the late 19th century by the royal house of Jaipur. Gangotri is at an altitude of 3141 meters above sea level, is located right at the river Ganga. There is also the Shila, which is present at the exact spot of Ganga's descent into earth. The temple A huge and extensive stone slabe roofs the entire outer chamber of the temple.

Visiting Time :-
The Shrine of Gangotri opens during the last week of April or the first week of May, on the auspicious day od Akshaya Tritiya. The temple opening is preceded by a special Puja of Ganga both inside the temple as well as on the river bank. The temple's closes on the day of Diwali followed by a formal closing ceremony amidst a row of oil lamps. It is believed that the Goddess retreats to Mukhwa, her winter abode (12 km downstream).

Puja and Rituals:-

The mother Ganga is worshipped as Goddess and the holy river in the temple. Before performing the Puja rituals, a holy dip in the Ganga flowing nearby the temple is must. The Pujari's (priest) belong to Brahmin community from Mukhwa village. Ten of them are selected by rotation every year to perform all the functions covering the temple and they also perform the duties of pandas. You can also pray for your ancestors on bank of Divine Ganga. Worships are belongs in every aspects of life one can perform here with Holy Ganga.

SIGHT SEEING & EXCURSION :
Submerged Shivling: Submerged in the river, this natural rock Shivling is the place where, according to mythology Lord Shiva sat when he received the Ganga in his matted lock. It is visible in winter months when water level decreases.

Kedar Ganga Sangam: Around 100 Yards from the Ganga Temple flows the river Kedar Ganga. Starting from the Kedar Valle, this river meets the Bhagirathi on its left bank.

Kedar Tal : This spectacular and enchanting lake is situated at a distance of about 18 Kms. from Gangotri, negotiable through a rough and tough mountain trail. The trek is very tiring and there are testing moments even for a hardly trekker. There is no facility of any kind on the way and one has to make all arrangements in advance. A local guide is a must. The lake is crystal clear with the mighty Thalaysagar (Sphatikl-ing) peak forming a splendid backdrop. The place is about 4000 mts. above sea-level and is the base camp for trekking to the Thalaysagar, Jogin, Bhrigupanth and other peaks.

Dayara Bugyal : Bugyal in the local language means "high altitude meadow," The road to Dayara Bugyal branches off near Bhatwari a place on Uttarkashi-Gangotri road about 28 Kms. from Uttarkashi. Vehicles can go up to the village of Barsu from where one has to trek a distance of about 8 Kms. to reach Dayara and other route is via village Raithal, 10 Kms. from Bhatwari, from where one has to trek about 7 Kms. to Dayara Bugyal. Situated at an elevation of about 3048 mts., this vast meadow is second to none in natural beauty. During winter it provides excellent ski slopes over an area of 28 sq. Kms. The panoramic view of the Himalayas from here is breathtaking. There is a small lake in the area and to camp by this side is a memorable event. From this spot one can trek down to Dodi-Tal which is about 22 Kms. away, through dense forests.

Sat-Tal : Sat-Tal, meaning seven lakes, is situated just above Dharali, 2 Kms. beyond Harsil. The trek of about 5 Kms. is rewarding as this group of lakes is situated amid beautiful natural surroundings. It also provides lovely camp sites.

Gaumukh : The Gaumukh glacier is the source of Bhagirathi (Ganga) and is held in high esteem by the devotes who do not miss the opportunity to have a holy dip in the bone chilling icy water. It is 18 Kms. trek from Gangotri. The trek is easy and at times people come back to Gangotri the same day.

General Information :
Altitude : 3048 mts.
Climate : Summer - Cool during day and cold at night Max: 20°C & Min: 6°C;
Winter - Snow bound touching sub zero.
Season : April to October
Clothing : Heavy woolen throughout the season.
Languages : Hindi, Garhwali and English.

Accessibility :
Air : Nearest Airport is Jolly Grant (262 Kms.).

Rail : Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh, 226 Kms. away.

Road : Gangotri is connected by road to Uttarkashi, Tehri Garhwal and Rishikesh and from there to other parts of the country. Bus services of Samyukt Rotation Yatayat Vyawastha Samiti connect Gangotri with many centre in the region like Haridwar, Rishikesh, Tehri, Uttarkashi etc.