Gangotri Dham

Gangotri Dham

About Gangotri Dham

Gangotri Temple is an ancient temple situated on the left bank of Bhagirathi River. The temple is nestled amidst the beautiful surroundings of deodar and pine trees. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga and was built by a Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa in early 18th century. In 20th century, Maharaja of Jaipur rebuilt the temple. It is the highest and the most important temple of River Ganga.

Gangotri is the origin of the River Ganges and one of the four sites in the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. River Ganges originates at Gaumukh in Gangotri Glacier, which is located about 19 km away from Gangotri town. As per legends, Goddess Ganges took the form of a river in order to absolve the sins of King Bhagiratha's ancestors, after his severe penance.

Places to Visit in Gangotri

Surya Kund / Gauri Kund

At a distance of 500 m from Gangotri Temple, Gauri Kund and Surya Kund lie on either side of an iron bridge near GMVN Tourist Bungalow in Gangotri.

Surya Kund is known for the Surya Kund waterfalls and is the most spectacular part of Gangotri. The Bhagirathi River falls spectacularly through deep gorges into downstream here. One has to cross an iron bridge to have a clear view of the magnificent falls. The waterfall with vibrant sounds at Surya Kund is a spectacular sight. Visitors could reach the waterfalls by taking the walkway past the Dandi Kshetra and Tapovan Kuti ashrams.

Gaumukh

Gaumukh is the source of Bhagirathi River situated in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The word Gomukh literally means Face of a Cow because earlier the snout exactly looked like face of a cow. It is one of the trekking site near Gangotri.

Gaumukh is one of the primary sources of the Ganges River. The sight of Gaumukh is incredible with Bhagirathi emerging out of an enormous cavern. The place is situated at a height of 13,200 feet and is the second largest glacier of India with 30 km in length and 4 km in width. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda.

Vasuki Tal

Vasuki Tal is surrounding with very high mountains and provides beautiful view of several peaks of Himalayas. This is the lake where Lord Vishnu is believed to have bathed in ancient times. Crystal clear water flowing through the lake revealing the rock stacks inside is an amazing view in Vasuki Tal. There are several beautiful, colorful flowers around the Vasuki Tal and one of the famous flowers is Brahma Kamal.

Vasuki Tal is quite large in size and also the trekking is difficult. The total distance of Vasuki Tal trek is about 8 km from Kedarnath. The trek from Kedarnath to Vasuki Tal is a continuous ascent along a narrow track.

Agastmuni

Agastmuni town is famous for Agastyamuni Temple. It is believed that the sage had meditated here for almost one year. The temple is locally known as Agasteshwar Mahadev. The temple has few stunning carvings of the Hindu Gods and Goddess on the walls. There is also a Shiva temple named as Agastheswar Mahadev temple in this place.

Agastyamuni plays host for a large fair that takes place during the festival of Baisakhi. Devotees throng to this temple in large numbers during this festival, while they worship and pay their homage to the deity. Tourists can also enjoy fishing in the Mandakini River and have an unforgettable experience.

Deoria Tal

Deoria Tal is a beautiful mountain lake located near Saari village in Uttarakhand. It lies at an altitude of 2438 m about 3 km uphill trek from Saari on Ukhimath-Chopta road. It is a popular destination for trekking near Badrinath and also one of the top Uttarakhand places to visit for trekking.

The lake is surrounded by thick forests and the crystal clear water of this lake offers the reflection of the mighty Chaukhamba peak. It offers a splendid view of Chopta, Tungnath and Chandrashila peak to the right and the breathtaking view of mountains like Chaukhamba, Nilkantha, Bandarpunch, Kedar Range, and Kalanag to the left. It is located in the Nanda Devi Biodiversity Park and has an abundance of colorful birds and mammals.

Triyugi Narayan Temple

At a distance of 27 km from Kedarnath, 13 km from Gaurikund and 10 km from Sonprayag, Triyugi Narayan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated in Triyuginarayan village in Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand.

Triyugi Narayan Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The present temple, believed to have been built by Adi Shankaracharya. This temple offers panoramic views of snowcapped mountains with beauty of Garhwal hill region. The word Triyuginarayan is formed of three words tri means three, yugi denotes Yuga and Narayan is another name of Vishnu. This place is associated with marriage of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. Brahma Shila in front of the temple also marks the exact place of the wedding.