THE GANGOTRI GODDESS TEMPLE OF UTTARAKHAND (INDIA)
About Gangotri Temple ::- Gangotri Is A Town And A Nagar Panchayat (Municipality) in Uttarkashi District In The State Of Uttarakhand, India. It Is 99 Km From Uttarakashi, the Main District headquarter. It Is A Hindu Pilgrim Town On the Banks Of the River Bhagirathi - The Origin Of The River Ganges. The Town Is Located on The Greater Himalayan Range, At A height Of 3,100 Meters (10,200 Ft). According To Popular Hindu Legend, Goddess Ganga Descended Here When lord Shiva Released The Mighty River From The Locks Of His Hair.
A temple Dedicated To Goddess Ganga is Located Near A Sacred Stone Where king Bhagiratha Worshiped Lord Shiva. According to Hindu Culture, Goddess Ganga Took The Form Of A River to Absolve The Sins Of King Bhagiratha's Predecessors, Following His Severe Penance Of Several Centuries. Bhagirathi Shila Is Sacred Slab Where King Bhagiratha Meditated. Ganga Is Believed To Have Touched Earth At This Spot. According To Another legend, Pandavas Performed The Great "Deva yagna" Here to Atone The Deaths Of Their kinsmen in The Epic Battle Of mahabharat. Hindus Believed That Performing The Ancestral Rites on The Banks Of Bhagirathi Frees The Spirit Of The Ancestor From The Cycle Of Rebirth And A Holy Dip In Its Waters Cleanses Sins Committed In The Present Also Past Births.
The Gangotri Temple Opens On The Auspicious Day Of Akshaya Tritiya Which Falls In The Month Of May And Closes On Yama Dwitiya Or Bhai Dooj Which Falls in The Month Of November. The Gangotri temple Remains Closed For The Rest Of Six Months. The Goddess Shifts To The Village Mukhba During The Winter Months. In The Month Of May Ganga Dussehra Is Celebrated With Great Fanfare As The Day Of Birth Of Ganga. Gangotri Is One Of The Four Sites In The Chota Char Dham Pilgrimage Circuit. It Is Also The Origin Of The Ganges River And Seat Of The Goddess Ganga.
The River Is Called Bhagirathi At The Source And Acquires The Name Ganga From Devprayag On wards Where it Meets The Alaknanda. The Origin Of The Holy River Is At Gaumukh, Set In The Gangotri Glacier, And Is A 19 Km Trek From Gangotri. The Original Gangotri Temple Was built By The Nepalese General Amar Singh Thapa. The Temple Is Closed From Diwali Day Every Year, During This Time, The Idol Of The Goddess Is Kept At Mukhba Village, Near Harsil. Ritual Duities Of The Temple Are Supervised By The Semwal Family Of pujaris. These Pujaris Hail From mukhba Village.
A Shivling Made From Natural Rock Is Submerged Under Water And Is Easily Visible In Winters When The water Recedes. It Is Said To Be The Place Lord Shiva Sat On While He Tied Ganga In His Matted Hair. Dividing It Into 7 Streams, Shiva Saved Earth From The Massive Force Of Devi Ganga. To Witness the Holy Birth Of River Ganges At Gaumukh, One Can Take Up A Picturesque And exciting Trek Surrounded With Peaks ANd Soaring Peaks. One Can Further Trek to Tapovan Which Is About 4 Km From Gaumukh. Tapovan has Meadows Beautiful Flowers, Streams And Incredible Views Of Surrounding Himalayan Peaks Such As Shivaling And Bhagirathi River.
How To Go ::- Gangotri Is Connected With Motorable Roads, And Buses And Taxis From Important destinations like Rishikesh, Derhadun, Uttarkashi And Tehri Garhwal Are Easily Available.
By Train ::- Regular Trains to Haridwar And Derhadun Are Available At All Times Of the Year. Hire A Cab Or get A Bus From here.
By Air :;- Jolly Grant Airport, Rishikesh road Derhadun Is The Nearest Airport To Gangotri.
Best Time To Visit ::- The Best Time To Visit The Gangotri temples Is From April/May to September/October. Monsoon Bring A very Danger Landslides, Floods And Other problems While Winters Are Characterized With Heavy Snow And Freezing Temperatures.
