Gangotri Temple
Gangotri Temple where Bhagwati Ganga Devi resides is regarded as the place where the river came down on earth. Gangotri Dham with an elevation of 3100 mts above sea level is in the same Uttarkashi region of Uttarakhand, also being called devbhoomi. Garhwali lies in the middle of the huge mountains, forests, and glaciers of the Garhwal Himalayan ranges. It lies in the heart of the vast mountains, forests, and glaciers in the Garhwal Himalayan ranges. Many ashrams, small shrines, and temples are located in Gangotri Dham tourist place.
The term "Tripathaga" refers to someone who travels between the three worlds: The rivers of Swarga where Ganga takes the name of Goddess Mandakini, Prithvi, where she is also called Ganga and Patala where she is called Bagirathi. That is why, occasionally, the whole Ganga is called Bhagirathi thanks to the efforts of the sage Bhagirath.
From the dawn of civilization, Hindus have considered the Ganga River as the foremost of all the rivers in India. However, Ganga is also worshipped as Deity Ganga and has a form of a goddess. She is, therefore, an important goddess in the divine Hindu world.
The ganga originated in the heaven. King Sagara’s grandson Bhagirath prayed for a thousand years to please Ganga and propitiate her to come on earth and release his ancestors from the sage Kapila curse. Ganga Devi gave in to his appeal as the Ganga River prepared to descend to earth. The ground would not have been able to subside and yield itself to the ferocity of the river Ganga. Bhagirath then prayed to lord shiva to prevent the catastrophe on this planet. Lord Shiva was pleased with his devotion and somehow tempted the ganga into his hairlocks. The Bhagirathi River was thus born out of one-third portions of the river Ganga which lord Shiva let out.
Other Origin Stories of Ganga
As there are countless tributaries of Ganga, there are hundreds of myths associated with her birth. A few are as follows:
- Vaishnavite Origin from Brahma’s Kamandalu : She is our divine goddess who originated in the creation of a water pot (kalash) from a drop of water that was formed from the sweat of Lord Brahma.
- Shaivite Perspective : Ganga is also said to be the daughter of Meena and Himavan and thus a sister of Parvati. The gods personified her waters and released her and she was then checked by Shiva who held her force in his jata (hair locks).
Structure and Integral Architecture of Gangotri Temple
White granite is part of the formation in the Gangotri temple. The construction of the shrine and its design were conceived by the traditional process of the North Indian architectural design. The Sabha Mandap which leads to the Garbhagriha which contains the Ganga Devi deities is the entrance of the Gangotri temple. Garbhagriha is located in the frontal area of the Mandap. People go there for puja and aarti.
The inner sanctum boasts the idols of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, Shiva linga, Bhagirath, devotee, sage Adi Sankar, and of goddesses Yamuna, Annapurna, Saraswati and Lakshmi. Tiny Lord Ganesha Temple, Hanuman, Bhagirathi, and a small temple of Lord Shiva are also present here. Shivling of natural granite is submerged in water at a distance of 5 km from the Gangotri Mandir
Gangotri Temple – Gateway to the Ganga’s Source
The Uttarakhand’s Himalayan ranges are situated above the Gangotri Glacier, which is taught as the main source of the Ganga. It spreads further 30 km long and 4 km wide and rises near Chaukhamba peaks and flows down to the Bhagirathi which joins the Alaknanda at Devprayag to form Ganga.
The starting point of the glacier frequently visited being a pilgrim site is known as Gomukh located 19 km from Gangotri. Situated at the base of divine mountains like Shivling and Sudarshan it is approachable for trekkers from May through October through the Gaumukh Tapovan Nandanvan trek. This is a glacier with links to myths and mentioned in the Puranas, and which has started melting, due to the campaign to save it, the number of visitors is limited to 100-150 per day.
Schedule of the Temple – Seasonal and Daily
According to the Hindu calendar, the temple of Gangotri swings open its doors on the great day of Akshaya Tritya for pilgrims, devotees, and tourists from across the world. Before the inauguration of the temple, there is the traditional Puja of the Ganges both inside the Gangotri temple premises and on the river bank.
The Gangotri Mandir is closed in the winter which runs from November up to April and is regarded as the coldest months of the year in this region.
Date of Gangotri Temple’s Closure : The Day After Diwali
Mangal aarti is performed in the early morning, at 6 a.m. The devotees cannot watch the aarti as the doors are shut when the proceedings are going on. An enchanting aarti that is done in the night. The Sandhya Aarti is conducted at 7:00 PM in the winter and about 7:45 PM during the summer.
Further Details About Mukba Temple – Winter Seat of Gangotri
Mukhba (Mukhwa), a tiny hamlet located about 5 km from the town of Harsil, lies on the banks of the River Bhagirathi on the route to the religious yatra of Gangotri. The altitude of the place is 2620 meters above sea level.
Ganga Mata is worshipped in the Mukhba Village during the cold period since the track to Gangotri Temple in the upper Himalayas is blocked due to a great deal of snowfall. During the Diwali festival, the Ganga deity is taken by the public and devotees to Mukhba temple with a ceremonial proceeding.
Gangotri Dham is around 250 kilometers from Rishikesh, 105 kilometers from Uttarkashi, and 300 kilometers from Dehradun. It is one of the many centers on the Chota Char Dham yatra. This is how one can reach this shrine:
By Road : All the major cities of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and NCR region are touched by road and are in relatively easier reach from Gangotri Dham. Situated about 452 kilometers from New Delhi.
Hanuman Chatti, Janki Chatti, Dehradun, Kotdwar, Roorkee, Chamba, Tehri, Rishikesh, etc., all have good facilities of transport.
By Air : 26kms away from Gangotri, is the Jolly Grant Airport which is located in Rishikesh town. If one wants to travel from the airport to Gangotri then the available transports are cabs or one of the most luxurious buses.
By Rail : One has to travel by pre-arranged luxury bus or take a taxi or taxi cab from the nearest railway terminal of Rishikesh which is 249 Km away from the site. While driving to Gangotri, the best rail head is Haridwar you could use to get up to Gangotri by train. This small town enjoys a good railway network connection with other parts of the country with many trains originating from this place to different parts of the country.
Gangotri Climate – When To Go
The Gangotri temple opens as the snows start to melt around the region. The best chance to visit Gangotri and Gomukh starts in May/ June. Most of the day is sunny and clear.
In July rain can be expected and has an impact on landslides. August’s weather is relatively mild, but sometimes unexpected rain showers will try to spoil your travel plans. Monsoon months are discouraged because there are often landslides in the region with such tours. September is the start of cool weather which means fine days and rather crisp nights.
The winter season continues through October, and it is one of the best times to Enjoy Your Yatra in Gangotri Dham due to the very low temperature and extremely freezing nights. No matter the time of year that you arrive Gangotri is long, and the winter is brutal, particularly between November and March.
For any traveler planning for the Gangotri Yatra, it would be a pity not to catch some festive celebrations around the region. Festivals are observed on:
Ganga Dussehra : This sacred festival is celebrated for ten days. On these days, many people think that, if they can pray to the Goddess Ganga, they can wash off the 10 major sins. Therefore the pilgrims make sure they never let this excellent opportunity go.Akshaya Tritiya: Akshaya Tritiya is a holy holiday that is commemorated each year in April and May. This auspicious day when the Gangotri temple’s kapat is opened after a six-month shutdown.
Diwali : Kapat of Gangotri Dham is closed for six months because of the weather after this celebration.
Harsil : Harsil is one of the beautiful villages which attracts maximum environmental lovers. It is situated on the main road when going to Uttarkashi which is 72 Kms from the main city and is situated at an altitude of 2623 metres. It is therefore characteristic of the area to observe that the majority of them are filled with apple orchards.
Nandanvan Tapovan : It takes a lot of effort to get to the incredible Nandanvan that is situated beside the Gangotri Glacier trek. The starting point of the Bhagirathi trek, also leads to Tapovan famous for stunning pastures at the base of the Shivalik Peaks, it offers a marvellous picture of the Shivalik Peak.
Surya Kund is an attractive waterfall where Surya Dev, the Hindy god is worshipped hot. It is located just 500 meters away from Gangotri Mandir. While people visit this place to pay their offerings for the idol of Gangotri Mata, they also visit Surya Kund to pray to God Surya Dev.
Bhaironghati : Nested in the Uttarkashi district of the state of Uttarakhand, it is located 10 kilometers away from Gangotri town. Bhaironghati has the Bhairav Nath temple there.
