Gangotri is a town and a Nagar Panchayat (municipality) in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is 99 km from Uttarkashi, the main district headquarter. It is a Hinduism pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi River – the origin of the river Ganges. The town is located on the Greater Himalayan Range, at a height of . According to a popular Hindu legend, the goddess Ganga descended here when Lord Shiva released the mighty river from the locks of his hair.
Significance
Ganga River
Gangotri is one of the four sites in the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. It is also the origin of the Ganges River and, per Hinduism, the seat of the goddess Ganga. The source of the Ganges River is the
Bhagirathi River River, originating from the
Gangotri Glacier.
Once the river confluences with the
Alaknanda River River at a town called
Devprayag it finally acquires the name
Ganga.
Near the river is a stone where Bhagiratha performed penance to Shiva in order to bring the Ganga down to earth and absolve the sins of his ancestors.
Gangotri Temple
The original Gangotri Temple was built by the
Nepalis general Amar Singh Thapa and later restored in the 19th century.
The temple is closed from
Diwali day every year and is reopened on
Akshaya Tritiya.
[ Gangotri Dham [2] [3] [4] [5]] During this time, the idol of the goddess is kept at Mukhba village, near
Harsil. Ritual duties of the temple are supervised by the
Semwal family of
pujaris. These pujaris hail from Mukhba village.
Demographics
According to the 2011 census of India, there are total 47 families residing in Gangotri. The total population of Gangotri is 110 out of which 97 are males and 13 are females. The literacy rate of Gangotri is 99.1%. The entire population of Gangotri identifies as Hindu.
See also
External links
