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On a Chota Char Dham tour, Gangotri is one of four stops. It is also the source of the Ganges River and the home of the goddess Ganga. The river is known as Bhagirathi, but from Devprayag onwards, it is known as Ganga (Ganges) when it meets the Alaknanda. Gaumukh, located in Gangotri Glacier and 19 kilometres from Gangotri, is the source of the sacred river. Amar Singh Thapa, a Nepali General, built the first Gangotri temple. After the annual Diwali festival, the temple is shuttered until Akshaya Tritiya. The Semwal family of pujaris oversees the rituals of the temple. These pujaris come from the Mukhba village.
Importance of Gangotri
Gangotri is nestled amidst the beautiful graceful mountains with amazing landscapes. It is one of the most sacred sites due to its close connection to the river Ganga (Ganges). Gangotri is one of the most revered places in India, and several pilgrims visit the holy Dham each year. Gangotri Temple opens its darshan pilgrimage gates every year in April-May on the auspicious day of Akshay Tritya, and the sanctuary is closed after Diwali on Bhai Dooj. The Gangotri Temple is closed to pilgrims for six months during the winter.
Legend has it that Ganga Maa (mother), a highly esteemed Hindu deity who hailed from the snow-covered Gangotri region of Gaumukh, about 11 miles [18 km] from the city of Gangotri, came to earth to wash away the sins of King Bhagirath’s ancestors. Steeped in mythology, the river Ganga has been a sacred water source to purify and cleanse people of all their sins. Visiting Gangotri on a pilgrimage is not just a religious activity but a spiritual calling.
Legends of River Ganga
When the goddess Ganga agreed to descend into the earth in answer to King Bhagirath’s prayers, she was firm in her decision that the whole land should be submerged underwater. To save the world from such devastation, Lord Shiva captured the Ganga River. To please Lord Shiva, King Bhagirath meditated for a very long time. Seeing the great devotion of King Bhagirath, Lord Shiva was pleased and liberated Ganga in the form of three streams, one of which reached the earth and became known as the Bhagirathi River. As soon as the waters of Ganga touched the ashes of King Bhagirath’s ancestors, 60,000 sons awoke from eternal rest. The stone on which King Bhagirath is believed to have meditated is the Bhagirath Shila near the Gangotri Temple.
In another legend, Ganga was a beautiful living woman born in the kamandalu (water vessel) of King Brahma.
Gangotri Glacier
Gangotri Glacier is located in Uttarkashi and is one of the main sources of the river Ganges. It is one of the largest glaciers in the Himalayas, with an average volume of more than 27 cubic kilometres. Gangotri glacier is a traditional Hindu pilgrimage. Zealous Hindus consider bathing in the icy waters near the city of Gangotri a sacred ritual, and many take a trip to Gomukh, with a few proceeding to Tapovan. Scientists at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) in Dehradun have revealed that black carbon deposits have been found on the Himalayan ice cap for the first time. This was based on data collected from two observatories with aerosol monitors set up near the Gangotri ice in 2016. The presence of black carbon can accelerate the melting of ice. This profoundly affects the highly populated valleys as the rapid melting of snow could swell the river so that it could overflow its banks and cause flooding.
Architecture of the Gangotri temple
The magnificent architecture of the Gangotri temple attracts millions of tourists, pilgrims, architects, and historians. The features of the temple are as follows:
- The buildings of the Gangotri Temple are built in the Nagara style with five small apexes, 20 metres long.
- The temple has beautiful exterior sculptures rarely seen in any Hindu temple.
- The temple is built according to the Katyuri architectural style, common in Nepal and its surroundings. This style originated in the Nepalese Katyuri dynasty.
- The interior of the temple follows a pattern of regular temple construction.
- After entering the courtyard, the pilgrims are directed to the inside of the assembly hall or the Sabhagriha of the temple. This meeting hall leads to GarbhaGriha, or the temple’s inner sanctum, where the statue of the supreme deity is erected.
- The inner sanctum contains a raised platform where the Ganga idol is placed with idols of various goddesses such as Yamuna, Saraswati, Annapurna, etc.
- The sanctuary is built such that the idol of the goddess faces the East to reflect the first rays of the sun.
Conclusion
On a visit to Chota Char Dham, Gangotri is usually visited after Yamunotri (west of Garhwal Hills). Pilgrims usually make Uttarkashi their base camp. The distance from Uttarkashi to the Gangotri temple is about 4 hours by road. Bhagirath Shila is one such site near Gangotri that should be visited. It is believed to be a sacred rock on which King Bhagirath prayed to Lord Shiva. Also, Pandava Gufa, located 1.5 km from Gangotri, should be visited. Pandavas are believed to have meditated and rested in this place. This article has extensively discussed the historical significance of the Gangotri Temple.
