Holy Pilgrimage – Char Dham (Gangotri) at 10:47 PM

Holy Pilgrimage – Char Dham (Gangotri)   

Gangotri

Gangotri (Hindi: गंगोत्री) is a town and a Nagar Panchayat (municipality) in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi. It is on the Greater Himalayan Range, at a height of 3,100m

Gangotri Temple

Gangotri, the origin of the River Ganges and seat of the goddess Ganga, is one of the four sites in the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga (the Ganges) from Devprayag onwards 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.

Mythological relation

According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Ganga took the form of a river to absolve the sins of King Bhagiratha's predecessors, following his severe penance of several centuries.

Submerged Shivlingam

According to this legend, King Sagar, after slaying the demons on earth decided to stage an Ashwamedha Yajna as a proclamation of his supremacy. The horse which was to be taken on an uninterrupted journey around the earth was to be accompanied by the King's 60,000 sons born to Queen Sumati and one son Asamanja born of the second queen Kesani. Indra, supreme ruler of the gods feared that he might be deprived of his celestial throne if the 'Yagya' (worship with fire) succeeded and then took away the horse and tied it to the ashram of Sage Kapil, who was then in deep meditation. The sons of the King Sagara searched for the horse and finally found it tied near the meditating sage. Sixty thousand angry sons of King Sagara stormed the ashram of sage Kapil. When he opened his eyes, the 60,000 sons had all perished, by the curse of sage Kapil. Bhagiratha, the grandson of King Sagar, is believed to have meditated to please the Goddess Ganga enough to cleanse the ashes of his ancestors, and liberate their souls, granting them salvation or Moksha.

Bhavishya Badri Temple

Dense forests near Tapovan surround the Bhavishya Badri. The Bhavishya Badri is at a distance of about 17 km. east of Joshimath. Pilgrims trek beyond Tapovan up the Dhauliganga River to reach this holy spot. The idol of narsingha (the god with the head of lion) is enshrined here. Traditionally, it is believed that a day will come when the present route to the Badrinath will be inaccessible and the Lord Badrinath will be worshipped here and this is why the place is called Bhavishya Badri.

Ganges

The Ganges ( /ˈɡændʒiːz/ GAN-jeez) or Ganga (IPA: [ˈɡəŋɡaː] ( listen)), is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The 2,525 km (1,569 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. It is the longest river of India and is the second greatest river in the world by water discharge.^[4] The Ganges basin is the most heavily populated river basin in the world, with over 400 million people and a population density of about 1,000 inhabitants per square mile (390 /km²).^[5]
The Ganges is the most sacred river to Hindus and is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs.^[6] It is worshiped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism.^[7] It has also been important historically: many former provincial or imperial capitals (such as Patliputra,^[8] Kannauj,^[8] Kara, Kashi, Allahabad, Murshidabad, Munger, Baharampur and Kolkata) have been located on its banks.
The Ganges was ranked among the five most polluted rivers of the world in 2007,^[9] with fecal coliform levels in the river near Varanasi more than one hundred times the official Indian government limits.^[10] Pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species and the endangered Ganges river dolphin.^[9] The Ganga Action Plan, an environmental initiative to clean up the river, has been a major failure thus far,^[11][12][13] due to corruption and lack of technical expertise,^[14] lack of good environmental planning,^[15] Indian traditions and beliefs,^[16] and lack of support from religious authorities.

Course

The Ganges begins at the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers. The Bhagirathi is considered to be the true source in Hindu culture and mythology, although the Alaknanda is longer.^[18][19] The headwaters of the Alakananda are formed by snowmelt from such peaks as Nanda Devi, Trisul, and Kamet. The Bhagirathi rises at the foot of Gangotri Glacier, at Gaumukh, at an elevation of 3,892 m (12,769 ft).^[20]
Although many small streams comprise the headwaters of the Ganges, the six longest and their five confluences are considered sacred. The six headstreams are the Alaknanda, Dhauliganga, Nandakini, Pindar, Mandakini, and Bhagirathi rivers. The five confluences, known as the Panch Prayag, are all along the Alaknanda. They are, in downstream order, Vishnuprayag, where the Dhauliganga joins the Alaknanda; Nandprayag, where the Nandakini joins; Karnaprayag, where the Pindar joins, Rudraprayag, where the Mandakini joins; and finally, Devprayag, where the Bhagirathi joins the Alaknanda to form the Ganges River proper.^[18]
After flowing 250 kilometres (160 mi)^[20] through its narrow Himalayan valley, the Ganges emerges from the mountains at Rishikesh, then debouches onto the Gangetic Plain at the pilgrimage town of Haridwar.^[18] At Haridwar, a dam diverts some of its waters into the Ganges Canal, which irrigates the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh, whereas the river, whose course has been roughly southwest until this point, now begins to flow southeast through the plains of northern India.
The Ganges follows an 800-kilometre (500 mi) arching course passing through the cities of Kannauj, Farukhabad, and Kanpur. Along the way it is joined by the Ramganga, which contributes an average annual flow of about 500 m³/s (18,000 cu ft/s).^[21] The Ganges joins the Yamuna at the Triveni Sangam at Allahabad, a holy confluence in Hinduism. At their confluence the Yamuna is larger than the Ganges, contributing about 2,950 m³/s (104,000 cu ft/s),^[21] or about 58.5% of the combined flow.^[22]
Now flowing east, the river meets the Tamsa River (also called Tons), which flows north from the Kaimur Range and contributes an average flow of about 190 m³/s (6,700 cu ft/s). After the Tamsa the Gomti River joins, flowing south from the Himalayas. The Gomti contributes an average annual flow of about 234 m³/s (8,300 cu ft/s). Then the Ghaghara River, also flowing south from the Himalayas, joins. The Ghaghara, with its average annual flow of about 2,990 m³/s (106,000 cu ft/s), is the largest tributary of the Ganges. After the Ghaghara confluence the Ganges is joined from the south by the Son River, contributing about 1,000 m³/s (35,000 cu ft/s). The Gandaki River, then the Kosi River, join from the north, contributing about 1,654 m³/s (58,400 cu ft/s) and 2,166 m³/s (76,500 cu ft/s), respectively. The Kosi is the third largest tributary of the Ganges, after the Ghaghara and Yamuna.^[21]
Along the way between Allahabad and Malda, West Bengal, the Ganges passes the towns of Chunar, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur, Patna, Bhagalpur, Ballia, Buxar, Simaria, Sultanganj, and Saidpur. At Bhagalpur, the river begins to flow south-southeast and at Pakur, it begins its attrition with the branching away of its first distributary, the Bhāgirathi-Hooghly, which goes on to become the Hooghly River. Just before the border with Bangladesh the Farakka Barrage controls the flow of the Ganges, diverting some of the water into a feeder canal linked to the Hooghly for the purpose of keeping it relatively silt-free. The Hooghly River is formed by the confluence of the Bhagirathi River and Jalangi River at Nabadwip, and Hooghly has a number of tributaries of its own. The largest is the Damodar River, which is 541 km (336 mi) long, with a drainage basin of 25,820 km² (9,970 sq mi).^[23] The Hooghly River empties into the Bay of Bengal near Sagar Island.^[24]
After entering Bangladesh, the main branch of the Ganges is known as the Padma. The Padma is joined by the Jamuna River, the largest distributary of the Brahmaputra. Further downstream, the Padma joins the Meghna River, the second largest distributary of the Brahmaputra, and takes on the Meghna's name as it enters the Meghna Estuary, which empties into the Bay of Bengal.
The Ganges Delta, formed mainly by the large, sediment-laden flows of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, is the world's largest delta, at about 59,000 km² (23,000 sq mi).^[3] It stretches 322 km (200 mi) along the Bay of Bengal.^[5]
Only the Amazon and Congo rivers have a greater average discharge than the combined flow of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Surma-Meghna river system.^[5] In full flood only the Amazon is larger

Religious and cultural significance

Embodiment of sacredness

The Ganges is a sacred river along every fragment of her length. All along her course, Hindus bathe in her waters.^[47] All along her course, they pay homage to their ancestors and to their gods by cupping her water in their hands, lifting it and letting it fall back into her; they offer flowers and rose petals and float shallow clay dishes filled with oil and lit with wicks (diyas).^[47] On the journey back home from the Ganges, they carry small quantities of her water with them for use in rituals (Ganga jal, literally water of the Ganga).^[48] When a loved one dies, they return to the Ganges to consign the ashes to her custody.^[48]
The Ganges is the embodiment of all sacred waters in Hindu mythology.^[49] Local rivers are said to be like the Ganges, and are sometimes called the local Ganges (Ganga).^[49] The Kaveri river of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in Southern India is called the Ganges of the South; the Godavari, is the Ganges that was led by the sage Gautama to flow through Central India.^[49] The Ganges is invoked whenever water is used in Hindu ritual, and is therefore present in all sacred waters.^[49] In spite of this, nothing is more stirring for a Hindu than a dip in the actual river, especially at one of the famous tirthas such as Gangotri, Haridwar, Prayag, or Varanasi.^[49] The symbolic and religious importance of the Ganges is one of the few things that Hindu India, even its skeptics, are agreed upon.^[50] Jawaharlal Nehru, a religious iconoclast himself, asked for a handful of his ashes to be thrown into the Ganges.^[50] "The Ganga," he wrote in his will, "is the river of India, beloved of her people, round which are intertwined her racial memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her defeats. She has been a symbol of India's age-long culture and civilization, ever-changing, ever-flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga."^[50]

Avatarana or Descent of the Ganges

In late May or early June every year, Hindus celebrate the avatarana or descent of the Ganges from heaven to earth.^[51] The day of the celebration, Ganga Dashahara, the dashami (tenth day) of the waxing moon of the Hindu calendar month Jyestha, brings throngs of bathers to the banks of the river.^[51] A soak in the Ganges on this day is said to rid the bather of ten sins (dasha = Sanskrit "ten"; hara = to destroy) or alternatively, ten lifetimes of sins.^[51] Those who cannot journey to the river, however, can achieve the same results by bathing in any nearby body of water, which, for the true believer, in the Hindu tradition, takes on all the attributes of the Ganges.^[51]
The avatarana is an old theme in Hinduism with a number of different versions of the story.^[51] In the Vedic version, Indra, the Lord of Svarga (Heaven) slays the celestial serpent, Vritra, releasing the celestial liquid, the soma, or the nectar of the gods which then plunges to the earth and waters it with sustenance.^[51]
In the Vaishnava version of the myth, Indra has been replaced by his former helper Vishnu.^[51] The heavenly waters are now a river called Vishnupadi (padi: Skt. "from the foot of").^[51] As he completes his celebrated three strides—of earth, sky, and heaven—Vishnu as Vamana stubs his toe on the vault of heaven, punches open a hole, and releases the Vishnupadi, which until now had been circling around the cosmic egg within.^[52] Flowing out of the vault, she plummets down to Indra's heaven, where she is received by Dhruva, the once steadfast worshipper of Vishnu, now fixed in the sky as the polestar.^[52] Next, she streams across the sky forming the Milky Way and arrives on the moon.^[52] She then flows down earthwards to Brahma's realm, a divine lotus atop Mount Meru, whose petals form the earthly continents.^[52] There, the divine waters break up, with one stream, the Alaknanda, flowing down one petal into Bharatvarsha (India) as the Ganges.^[52]
It is Shiva, however, among the major deities of the Hindu pantheon, who appears in the most widely known version of the avatarana story.^[53] Told and retold in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and several Puranas, the story begins with a sage, Kapila, whose intense meditation has been disturbed by the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara. Livid at being disturbed, Kapila sears them with his angry gaze, reduces them to ashes, and dispatches them to the netherworld. Only the waters of the Ganga, then in heaven, can bring the dead sons their salvation. A descendant of these sons, King Bhagiratha, anxious to restore his ancestors, undertakes rigorous penance and is eventually granted the prize of Ganga's descent from heaven. However, since her turbulent force will also shatter the earth, Bhagiratha persuades Shiva in his abode on Mount Kailash to receive Ganga in the coils of his tangled hair and break her fall. Ganga descends, is tamed in Shiva's locks, and arrives in the Himalayas. She is then led by the waiting Bhagiratha down into the plains at Haridwar, across the plains first to the confluence with the Yamuna at Prayag and then to Varanasi, and eventually to Ganga Sagar, where she meets the ocean, sinks to the netherworld, and saves the sons of Sagara.^[53] In honour of Bhagirath's pivotal role in the avatarana, the source stream of the Ganges in the Himalayas is named Bhagirathi, (Sanskrit, "of Bhagiratha").^[53]

Redemption of the Dead

Since Ganga had descended from heaven to earth, she is also the vehicle of ascent, from earth to heaven.^[54] As the Triloka-patha-gamini, (Skt. triloka= "three worlds", patha = "road", gamini = "one who travels") of the Hindu tradition, she flows in heaven, earth, and the netherworld, and, consequently, is a "tirtha," or crossing point of all beings, the living as well as the dead.^[54] It is for this reason that the story of the avatarana is told at Shraddha ceremonies for the deceased in Hinduism, and Ganges water is used in Vedic rituals after death.^[54] Among all hymns devoted to the Ganges, there are none more popular than the ones expressing the worshipers wish to breathe his last surrounded by her waters.^[54] The Gangashtakam expresses this longing fervently:^[54]
O Mother! ... Necklace adorning the worlds!
Banner rising to heaven!
I ask that I may leave of this body on your banks,
Drinking your water, rolling in your waves,
Remembering your name, bestowing my gaze upon you.^[55]
No place along her banks is more longed for at the moment of death by Hindus than Varanasi, the Great Cremation Ground, or Mahashmshana.^[54] Those who are lucky enough to die in Varanasi, are cremated on the banks of the Ganges, and are granted instant salvation.^[56] If the death has occurred elsewhere, salvation can be achieved by immersing the ashes in the Ganges.^[56] If the ashes have been immersed in another body of water, a relative can still gain salvation for the deceased by journeying to the Ganges, if possible during the lunar "fortnight of the ancestors" in the Hindu calendar month of Ashwin (September or October), and performing the Shraddha rites.^[56]
Hindus also perform pinda pradana, a rite for the dead, in which balls of rice and sesame seed are offered to the Ganges while the names of the deceased relatives are recited.^[57] Every sesame seed in every ball thus offered, according to one story, assures a thousand years of heavenly salvation for the each relative.^[57] Indeed, the Ganges is so important in the rituals after death that the Mahabharata, in one of its popular ślokas, says, "If only (one) bone of a (deceased) person should touch the water of the Ganges, that person shall dwell honoured in heaven."^[58] As if to illustrate this truism, the Kashi Khanda (Varanasi Chapter) of the Skanda Purana recounts the remarkable story of Vahika, a profligate and unrepentant sinner, who is killed by a tiger in the forest. His soul arrives before Yama, the Lord of Death, to be judged for the hereafter. Having no compensating virtue, Vahika's soul is at once dispatched to hell. While this is happening, his body on earth, however, is being picked at by vultures, one of whom flies away with a foot bone. Another bird comes after the vulture, and in fighting him off, the vulture accidentally drops the bone into the Ganges below. Blessed by this happenstance, Vahika, on his way to hell, is rescued by a celestial chariot which takes him instead to heaven.^[59]

The purifying Ganges

Hindus consider the waters of the Ganges to be both pure and purifying.^[60] Nothing reclaims order from disorder more than the waters of the Ganges.^[61] Moving water, as in a river, is considered purifying in Hindu culture because it is thought to both absorb impurities and take them away.^[61] The swiftly moving Ganges, especially in its upper reaches, where a bather has to grasp an anchored chain in order to not be carried away, is considered especially purifying.^[61] What the Ganges removes, however, is not necessarily physical dirt, but symbolic dirt; it wipes away the sins of the bather, not just of the present, but of a lifetime.^[61]
A popular paean to the Ganges is the Ganga Lahiri composed by a seventeenth century poet Jagannatha who, legend has it, was turned out of his Hindu Brahmin caste for carrying on an affair with a Muslim woman. Having attempted futilely to be rehabilitated within the Hindu fold, the poet finally appeals to Ganga, the hope of the hopeless, and the comforter of last resort. Along with his beloved, Jagannatha sits at the top of the flight of steps leading to the water at the famous Panchganga Ghat in Varanasi. As he recites each verse of the poem, the water of the Ganges rises up one step, until in the end it envelops the lovers and carry them away.^[61] "I come to you as a child to his mother," begins the Ganga Lahiri.^[62]
I come as an orphan to you, moist with love.
I come without refuge to you, giver of sacred rest.
I come a fallen man to you, uplifter of all.
I come undone by disease to you, the perfect physician.
I come, my heart dry with thirst, to you, ocean of sweet wine.
Do with me whatever you will.^[62]

Consort, Shakti, and Mother

Ganga is a consort to all three major male deities of Hinduism.^[63] As Brahma's partner she always travels with him in the form of water in his kamandalu (water-pot).^[63] She is also Vishnu's consort.^[63] Not only does she emanate from his foot as Vishnupadi in the avatarana story, but is also, with Sarasvati and Lakshmi, one of his co-wives.^[63] In one popular story, envious of being outdone by each other, the co-wives begin to quarrel. While Lakshmi attempts to mediate the quarrel, Ganga and Sarasvati, heap misfortune on each other. They curse each other to become rivers, and to carry within them, by washing, the sins of their human worshippers. Soon their husband, Vishnu, arrives and decides to calm the situation by separating the goddesses. He orders Sarasvati to become the wife of Brahma, Ganga to become the wife of Shiva, and Lakshmi, as the blameless conciliator, to remain as his own wife. Ganga and Sarasvati, however, are so distraught at this dispensation, and wail so loudly, that Vishnu is forced to take back his words. Consequently, in their lives as rivers they are still thought to be with him
It is Shiva's relationship with Ganga, that is the best-known in Ganges mythology.^[65] Her descent, the avatarana is not a one time event, but a continuously occurring one in which she is forever falling from heaven into his locks and being forever tamed.^[65] Shiva, is depicted in Hindu iconography as Gangadhara, the "Bearer of the Ganga," with Ganga, shown as spout of water, rising from his hair.^[65] The Shiva-Ganga relationship is both perpetual and intimate.^[65] Shiva is sometimes called Uma-Ganga-Patiswara ("Husband and Lord of Uma (Parvati) and Ganga"), and Ganga often arouses the jealousy of Shiva's better-known consort.^[65]
Ganga is the shakti or the moving, restless, rolling energy in the form of which the otherwise recluse and unapproachable Shiva appears on earth.^[63] As water, this moving energy can be felt, tasted, and absorbed.^[63] The war-god Skanda addresses the sage Agastya in the Kashi Khand of the Skanda Purana in these words:^[63]
One should not be amazed ... that this Ganges is really Power, for is she not the Supreme Shakti of the Eternal Shiva, taken in the form of water?
This Ganges, filled with the sweet wine of compassion, was sent out for the salvation of the world by Shiva, the Lord of the Lords.
Good people should not think this Triple-Pathed River to be like the thousand other earthly rivers, filled with water.^[63]
The Ganges is also the mother, the Ganga Mata (mata="mother") of Hindu worship and culture, accepting all and forgiving all.^[62] Unlike other goddesses, she has no destructive or fearsome aspect, destructive though she might be as a river in nature.^[62] She is also a mother to other gods.^[66] She accepts Shiva's incandescent seed from the fire-god Agni, which is too hot for this world, and cools it in her waters.^[66] This union produces Skanda, or Kartikeya, the god of war.^[66] In the Mahabharata, she is the wife of Shantanu, and the mother of heroic warrior-patriarch, Bhishma.^[66] When Bhishma is mortally wounded in battle, Ganga comes out of the water in human form and weeps uncontrollably over his body.^[66] Hence Ganga is not different from Parvati.
The Ganges is the distilled lifeblood of the Hindu tradition, of its divinities, holy books, and enlightenment.^[63] As such, her worship does not require the usual rites of invocation (avahana) at the beginning and dismissal (visarjana) at the end, required in the worship of other gods.^[63] Her divinity is immediate and everlasting.

Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage in which Hindus gather at the Ganges river. The normal Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 3 years, the Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at Haridwar and Prayag,^[78] the Purna (complete) Kumbh takes place every twelve years,^[79] at four places (Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik). The Maha (great) Kumbh Mela which comes after 12 'Purna Kumbh Melas', or 144 years, is held at Allahabad.^[79][80][81]
The major event of the festival is ritual bathing at the banks of the river in whichever town it is being held. Other activities include religious discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men and women and the poor, and religious assemblies where doctrines are debated and standardized. Kumbh Mela is the most sacred of all the pilgrimages.^{[citation needed]} Thousands of holy men and women attend, and the auspiciousness of the festival is in part attributable to this. The sadhus are seen clad in saffron sheets with ashes and powder dabbed on their skin per the requirements of ancient traditions. Some, called naga sanyasis, may not wear any clothes even in severe winter.^{[citation needed]}. Next Kumbh Mela will start on 27-January-2013 at Allahabad. For Kumbh Mela 2013 shahi snan

Bhagirathi River

The headwaters of the Bhagirathi are formed at Gaumukh (elevation 3,892 metres (12,769 ft)), at the foot of the Gangotri glacier and Khatling glaciers in the Garhwal Himalaya. It is then joined by its tributaries; these are, in order from the source:

• Kedar Ganga at Gangotri (elevation 3,049 m (10,003 ft)),
• Jadh Ganga at Bhaironghati (elevation 2,650 m (8,690 ft)),
• Kakora Gad and Jalandhari Gad near Harsil (elevation 2,745 m (9,006 ft)),
• Siyan Gad near Jhala (elevation 2,575 m (8,448 ft)),
• Asi Ganganear Uttarkashi (elevation 1,158 m (3,799 ft)),
• Bhilangna River near Old Tehri (elevation 755 m (2,477 ft)).

The Bhilangna itself rises at the foot of the Khatling Glacier (elevation 3,717 m (12,195 ft)) approximately 50 km (31 mi) south of Gaumukh.
The river flows from its source for 205 km (127 mi) before meeting the Alaknanda River at an elevation of 475 m (1,558 ft) in the town of Devprayag. Downstream of this confluence, considered holy by Hindus, the river is known as the Ganga Ji, or Ganges River by westerners

Devprayag

Devprayag (Devaprayāg) (Devanagari: देव प्रयाग) is a town and a nagar panchayat (municipality) in Tehri Garhwal district^[1][2] in the state of Uttarakhand, India, and is one of the Panch Prayag (five confluences) of Alaknanda River where Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers meet and take the name Ganga or Ganges River

Overview

Traditionally, it is considered to be the place where sage Devasharma led his ascetic life, giving birth its present name, Devprayag. It is one of the five sacred confluences in the hills and is an important place of pilgrimage for devout Hindus.^[3]
"Devaprayaga" means "Godly Confluence" in Sanskrit. As per Hindu scriptures, Devaprayaga is the sacred event of merging two heavenly rivers, Alakananda and Bhagirathi, to form the holy Ganges.
On a terrace in the upper part of the village is the temple of Raghunathji, built of huge stones, pyramidal in form and capped by a white cupola.
Devprayag is the home of the late Acharya Shri Pt. Chakradhar Joshi (a scholar in Astronomy and Astrology) who established Nakshatra Vedh Shala (an observatory) in the year 1946. This is located on a mountain called Dashrathanchal at Devprayag. The observatory is well equipped with two telescopes and many books to support research in astronomy. It also contains about 3000 manuscripts from 1677 AD onwards collected from various parts of country. Apart from the latest equipment, it also has the ancient equipment like Surya Ghati, Jal Ghati and Dhruv Ghati which showcase the pride of Bharatiya progress in the field of astronomy. Shri Dr. Prabhakar Joshi and Acharya Shri Bhaskar Joshi (Popularly known as Guruji) are currently in charge and caretakers of the observatory.
Devprayag is full of natural beauty. Other than Sangam and Raghunath Ji Temple in Devprayag, one can visit nearby sacred places like Danda Naggaraja (Lord of Snakes) temple and Chandrabadni temple

The Alaknanda rises at the confluence and feet of the Satopanth and Bhagirath Kharak glaciers in Uttarakhand near the border with Tibet. The headwaters of the Bhagirathi are formed at Gaumukh, at the foot of the Gangotri glacier and Khatling glaciers in the Garhwal Himalaya. These two sacred rivers join to form the Ganges (Ganga) in Devprayag.
Devprayag is 70 km from Rishikesh. Devprayag has an average elevation of 830 metres (2,723 feet)

Alaknanda River

The Alaknanda (or Alakananda; Sanskrit: अलकनन्दा) is a Himalayan river in the state of Uttarakhand, India that is one of the two headstreams of the Ganges which is the major river of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism. The other headstream, Bhagirathi which is longer, is the source stream.

Overview

The Alaknanda rises at the confluence and feet of the Satopanth and Bhagirath Kharak glaciers in Uttarakhand. It meets the Bhagirathi River at Devprayag after flowing for approximately 190 km (118.1 mi) through the Alaknanda valley. Its main tributaries are the Mandakini, Nandakini, and Pindar rivers. The Alaknanda system drains parts of Chamoli, Tehri, and Pauri districts.

Following the merging at Devprayag, the river is known as the Ganges. The Alaknanda contributes a significantly larger portion to the flow of the Ganges than the Bhagirathi. The Hindu pilgrimage centre of Badrinath lies along the banks of the Alaknanda river. The Alaknanda is also known for adventure sports like rafting.
In mythology, the Goddess Ganga descended to earth at Gangotri, the original source of the Bhagirathi before the Gangotri Glacier receded to its current location at Gomukh. The Alaknanda is believed to have split off from the celestial Ganges when it descended from heaven.
The origin of Alaknanda River is of special interest to the tourists who dare to visit the important pilgrimages in Uttarakhand. The Ganges rises in the southern Himalayas on the Indian side of the Tibet border. The five headstreams of the Ganges including the Bhagirathi, Mandakini, Alaknanda, Dhauliganga and Pindar all rise in the northern mountainous regions of Uttarakhand.
At Alaknanda's origin, Lake Satopanth is a triangular lake, located at a height of 4402 meters above the sea level and named after the Hindu trinity Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva.
Nanda Devi is the highest point of the Alaknanda basin.
Near the border with Tibet, the Alaknanda merges with the present Saraswati River at Keshavprayag beyond Sri Badrinath at Mana

Recreation                                                                                         

Rafting
Alaknanda River origin is of great interest for the tourists who visit the pilgrimages in Uttarakhand. Rise of the Ganges in India is from the southern part of the Indian Himalaya, near the Tibet border. This river is among the best for river rafting in the world due to its high rafting grade.
Several rivers in the Garhwal region merge with the Alaknanda at Panch Prayag or 'holy confluence of rivers'. These are:^[2]

1.   Vishnuprayag, where the Alaknanda is met by the Dhauliganga River

2.   Nandaprayag, where it is met by the Nandakini River

3.   Karnaprayag, where it is met by the Pindar River

4.   Rudraprayag, where it is met by the Mandakini River

5.   Devprayag, hwere it meets the Bhagirathi River and officially becomes the Ganges

Gomukh

 

Gomukh, the terminus or snout of the Gangotri Glacier, from where Bhagirathi River originates. The place is situated at a height of 13,200 ft. It is one of the largest in the Himalayas with an estimated volume of over 27 cubic kilometers.
Gomukh is also referred to as "Gaumukh" or "Gomukhi" (গোমুখ or গোমুখী). The word "Gomukh" (go + mukh) literally means "Mouth of a Cow". According to some sayings, earlier the snout exactly looked like "Mouth of a Cow"

In ancient times

Gomukh is mentioned in the Puranas. It is said there that searching a lost sheep a shepherd boy reached near a glacier in Gangotri, the snout of which exactly looked like the mouth of a cow, and thus it got its name 'Gomukh'. From then many saints, holy travellers, as well as religious people went there to worship the place

Geography

Gomukh is 18 km from Gangotri in the foot hills of Bhagirathi at a height of 4255m. It is the snout of the Gangotri Glacier. The Bhagirathi river here is pretty speedy. Around the snout, nature presents a wild topography. There are bolders scattered here and there with some pieces of broken snow, along with the hard clayey snow of the glacier. The Gomukh snout is rapidly moving backwards. According to the modern research the snout has moved 1 km in just 70 years.

Trek route

The trail to Gomukh begins from Gangotri, about 22 km (13.7 mi) from Gomukh.
9 km ahead of Gangotri is Chirbasa, the abode of Chir trees. After 3 km of Chirbasa comes the dangerous Gila Pahar, the place well known for its landslides. Here the Bharals, a type of mountain antelope are sometimes seen
The Bharals are found above the altitude of 10,000 ft. Only 4 km from here is Bhujbasa, the only night halting place on the way. One can stay at the GMVN Bunglow, or at the Lalbaba's Ashram or at Ram Baba's ashram; both ashram charge Rs 300 for a day that includes lodging and food. After trekking 4^1/₂km from Bhujbasa, one reaches Gomukh, the snout of the Gangotri Glacier. A little before Gomukh, the majestic view of Mt. Shivling welcomes the trekkers to the place.
On the trail no horses are allowed, so one must take preparations to walk on foot. The trek to Tapovanan and Nandanvan starts from here
Some boulders make the route after 'Bhujbasa' quite difficult. One has to cross a boulder zone to reach near the Gomukh snout. The trek beyond Gomukh is quite difficult. Crossing the glacier & going towards Tapovan is become quite dangerous nowadays (because of the landslides). There is actually no road, one must have a guide and should be prepare to face any type of accident which can even a life-threatening one. The last climb to reach Tapovan is very stiff, within 2 km a stiff of about 70 degree, which gain a height of around 1500 foot and is quite a challenging experience.

Gangotri Temple Guide

The Shrine of Gangotri opens during the last week of April or the first week of May, on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya. The temples opening is preceded by a special Puja of Ganga both inside the temple as well as on the river bank. The temple 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).
In summer, Gangotri Temple is open for devotees from 6:15 am to 2 pm and 3 pm to 9:30 pm
As winter approaches the Gangotri Temple open from 6:45 am to 2 pm and 3 pm to 7 pm
Mangalaarti is done by priests at 6 am behind the closed doors and it is not open for public. Sandhya Aarti is performed at Gangotri at 7:45 pm during summer and at 7 pm as winter approaches. Special pooja is done on Janamshtami, Vijaydashmi and Diwali

The Opening and Closing Date of Gangotri Temple 2013

Note: The kapat of Gangotri Temple will open on last week of Apri 2013. Gangotri Temple exact opening date will be updated soon.

Gangotri in Winter

It is believed that the Goddess retreats to Mukhwa, her winter abode (12 km downstream) Mangalaarti is done by priests at 6 am behind the closed doors and it is not open for public. Sandhya Aarti is performed at Gangotri at 7:45 pm during summer and at 7 pm as winter approaches. Special pooja is done on Janamshtami, Vijaydashmi and Diwali

Places to visit in and around Gangotri

Submerging 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 locks. It is visible in winter months when water level decreases.

Nandanvan Tapovan

These two spots are situated opposite the Gangotri glacier further up from Gaumukh, at a distance of 6 km from where visitors can have a superb view of the majestic Shivling peak.

Kedartal

A spectacular lake situated at a distance of about 18 km trek from Gangotri, negotiable through a rough mountain trail. The trek is very tring and testing even for a hardy trekker. There no facility of any kind on the way and one has to make all arrangements in advance.

Kedar Ganga Sangam

Around 100 yards from the Ganga temple, flows the river Kedar Ganga. Starting from the Kedar valley, this river meets the Bhagirathi river on its left bank.

Bhaironghati

10 km from Gangotri. Astride the to Uttarkashi and near the confluence of Jat Ganga and Bhagirathi rivers is situated, Bhagirathi.
The temple of Bhairav Nath surrounded by thick forests is worth visiting

Harsil

26 km from Gangotri. Located in the topographically mountainous district of Uttarkashi, this hamlet is famous for its natural beauty and delicious apples.
Harsil is situated at a distance of 72 km from Uttarkashi on the main highway to Gangotri and is at a height of 2,620 mt, above sea-level.
From Harsil, the adventurous tourist can trek to Sat Tal, situated just above Dharali, 2 km beyond Harsil, to be greeted by the rewarding sight of seven lakes situated amidst beautiful natural surroundings.
The Harsil-Jangala Chatti route is amidst dense Deodar forest.

Bhairon Mandir

After traveling by road from Lanka to Bhaironghati one has to cross the Jahanvi river on foot. After crossing the Jahanvi river and moving uphill, the Bhairon temple can be seen.

Gangnani

55 km from Gangotri. Noted for its thermal springs and close-up views of famous mountain peaks, its peaceful and tranquilising environment provides an ideal setting for meditation.

Maneri

92 km from Gangotri. It has lately emerged as a place of tourist interest as a result of the construction of a dam across the Bhagirathi river, from where the water is fed to the turbines through an 8 km long tunnel at Tiloth in Uttarkashi. The resultant lake at Maneri has added to the charm of the place

Best time to visit Gangotri

The best time to visit Gangotri is between May-June and September-November. Due to heavy rainfall in the area, visitors may face difficulty reaching the temple during monsoon season (late June to Aug). The temple usually remains open from last week of April to 2nd week of November.

Check out the latest Gangotri Packages: Gangotri Tours : Gangotri Yamunotri Tours : Badrinath Gangotri Tours

CLIMATE
Summer: Cool during the day and cold at night.
Winter: Snow-bound. Touching sub-zero.

Average Temperature in Gangotri
Month	Max Temp.	Min Temp
Apr	3 °C	0 °C
May	5 °C	0 °C
Jun	14.5 °C	5.9 °C
Jul	18.2 °C	10
Aug	18 °C	10.5
Sep	16 °C	8.5
Oct	12.5 °C	5.6 °C
Nov	5 °C	0 °C
Dec-Mar	Covered with snow

CLOTHING
Summer: Light Woollens.
Winter: Very Heavy Woollens

Gangotri Road Route Plan

Haridwar - Rishikesh - Chamba - Tehri - Uttarkashi - Harsil - Gangotri (Gaumukh)

 

How to reach Gangotri

Gangotri is well connected through road. The National Highway (NH 58, total length 538 km) from Delhi to Mana is accessible throughout the year.
Air: Nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun (26 km from Rishikesh)
Rail: Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh, 249 km.
Road: Gangotri is connected by road to Uttarkashi, Tehri Garhwal and Rishikesh and from there to other parts of the country. Important road distances are Uttarkashi 97 km, Tehri 167 km, Dharasu 125 km, Yamunotri 232 km, Mussoorie 250 km.
Bus: Bus services of Samyukt Rotaion Yatayat Vyawastha Samiti connect Gangotri with many centers in the region like Haridwar, Rishikesh, Tehri, Uttarkashi etc.
Distance Chart to Gangotri Pilgrimage
Dharasu - 129 kms.
Yamunotri - 224 kms.
Mussoorie - 247 kms.
Tehri - 172 kms.
Uttarkashi - 99 kms
ISD/STD Code for Gangotri
If calling from within India : ++01381 (number)
If calling from outside India : 91-1381 (number)

 

Air

The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun 116 km (72 mi) away.

Railway

The nearest railway stations is at Rishikesh. However, Rishikesh is a small railway station not connected by fast trains. Haridwar railway junction, 24 km farther from Rishikesh, has train connections to most of the major cities in India and is, therefore, the railhead for Devprayag.

Road

Devprayag lies on national highway NH58 that connects Delhi with Badrinath and Mana Pass in Uttarakhand near Indo-Tibet border. Therefore all the buses and vehicles that carry pilgrims from New Delhi to Badrinath via Haridwar and Rishikesh in pilgrim season of summer months pass through Devprayag on the way to Joshimath and further north. Rishikesh is the major starting point for road journey to Devprayag and regular buses operate from Rishikesh bus station to Devprayag. The road distance from Rishikesh to Devprayag is 74 km (46 mi).

• Haridwar to Rishikesh 24 km
• Rishikesh to Devprayag 74 km
• Devprayag to Srinagar 34 km
• Srinagar to Rudraprayag 33 km

Om Tat Sat

                                                        

(Continued...)                                                                                                                              

(My humble  salutations to the great devotees ,  wikisources  and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the collection )