Gangotri is a town in the Uttarakhand state of North India. It is famous for the Gangotri temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga (river Ganges). It is a part of the Chota Char Dham Yatra. The temple is situated at a height of 3100 meters. It is the highest temple in terms of it’s location dedicated to Goddess Ganga. From touristic point of view, there are many places near Gangotri to visit. Once you are at Gangotri you can also visit them.
Gangotri – The origin of River Ganges
The river Ganges originates from Gaumukh which is situated at the bottom of Gangotri glacier in the Himalayan range. Bhagirathi river (one of the head streams of Ganga) flows beside this temple. It was constructed by Amar Singh Thapa, a Nepali General in the 18th century and was reconstructed by the Maharaja of Jaipur.
Story of the River
Near the temple, there is the Bhagirath Shila (rock) where it is believed that King Bhagirath prayed to Lord Shiva to bring Goddess Ganga to earth. One can also find the legends hard to shrug off as there is a Shivlinga under waters. This is the spot where it is believed that Shiva spread his locks and Goddess Ganga thus ascended on earth in seven different streams.
Legends
Another legend associated to this place is that from the epic Mahabharata. The Pandavas after defeating the Kauravas performed “Deva Yagna” (God worship) in order to remove the sin of killing their relatives.
Opening time of Gangotri Temple
The temple is open for 6 months from Akshaya Tritiya in the month of May till Bhai dooj in the month of October/November. The idol of the Goddess is shifted to a temple in the nearby Mukhba village for the rest 6 months.
Best for trekking
Tourists of all age groups flock to this place as it is an ideal pilgrimage site as well as an ideal destination for the young generation especially the adventure seekers. 19 km from the temple is the Gaumukh (the origination point of Ganga in the foothills of the Gangotri glacier). It is an ideal place for trekkers and adventure seekers.