Gangotri is one of the places with religious significance combined with the natural beauty. Gangotri gets all the importance as it is the place of origin of the holy river Ganga and one of the Char Dhams. Uttarakhand Tourism is more attractive owing to Gangotri.
Location of Gangotri temple:
Gangotri is a small municipal town in the district of Uttarkashi, located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is located at an altitude of 3048 mts. above sea level and on the greater ranges of Himalayan Mountain.
Famous places of Gangotri:
The best part about Uttarakhand is that, it has all the four abodes of famous Hindu pilgrimage centers which are known as Char Dham yatra.
Gangotri temple:
Gangotri temple is one of the most important temples of Hindu’s. The temple was constructed in the 18th century and is known as the holy throne of divine Goddess Ganga. The place is also known as the earthly throne of Goddess as it is believed that Ganga touched the earth at this spot. Gangotri temple is beautifully made out with white granite and the temple attracts huge number of pilgrims ever year for the famous yatra of Gangotri Yatra.
Gaumukh glacier:
Gaumukh glacier is one of the attractions of Gangotri as it is the source of the river Bhagirathi and is located at 18 kms from Gangotri. It is also the second largest glacier after Siachen in India. People also throng this place for trekking purposes apart from religious visits. Gaumukh glacier is one of the sacred spots and hence people trek up to the spot for the holy dip.
Bhavishya Badrinath temple:
The other religiously important place in Gangotri is the Bhavishya Badrinath temple which is located in the woodlands of Uttarakhand. The idol of Narasingha, which is an avatar of Lord Vishnu with the lion headed- face is worshipped here.
Legendary importance of Gangotri:
There is a sanctified black stone which is denoted as rock Shivling, submerged under the water and is seen during winters when the water level is low. The stone is located near the temple of Gangotri and it is said that it denotes the place from where Ganga came down on earth.
Access to Gangotri:
- By road: Gangotri is easily accessible by road through various modes of transport like public buses or cars. Gangotri is connected to Rishikesh and Dehradun by Highways/
- By train: Nearest stations connecting to Gangotri is Haridwar.
- By air: Nearest airport to Gangotri is Dehradun and later Bhuntar.
One should never miss the trip to Gangotri once in Uttarakhand. The place with such legendary importance and serene beauty is amazing to visit.
