Gangotri is a sacred town in the Garhwal Himalayas of
Uttarakhand. The town is famous for the Gangotri temple; a temple dedicated to
the River Goddess, Devi Ganga. This temple perched at an elevation of 3415m
above the sea level is the highest among all Ganga temples that our country
has. The Gangotri Tour thus can be a
true soul exhilarating experience for anyone who wishes to experience divinity,
serenity and beauteous nature all at one place.
Importance
Gangotri is one of the Chardhams of the Chota Chardham
circuit and is the most important pilgrimage site for someone who wishes to
absolve one’s mortal sins by the sacred waters of the Ganges. Also, Gangotri is
believed to be the place where River Ganga had descended from the heavens for
the first time on earth in order to respond to the request of King Bhagirath
who had undertaken penance in order to bring Ganga down to earth so that the
souls of his ancestors could get salvation through the holy waters of Ganga.
Thus, as per myths, Gangotri is the much-revered source of the holy Ganges.
How to Reach
If you wish to travel by flight, you have to take a flight
from your city to Dehradun’s Jolly Grant airport at about 226kms. On reaching
Jolly grant airport you can complete the rest of the journey by means road
transport like cabs, buses. If you wish to travel by train, Rishikesh railhead
is the station you have to reach. It falls nearest to Gangotri at about 250kms
away and trains regularly run between Rishikesh and all other major cities and
junctions of the country. Once you reach Rishikesh you can proceed for the rest
of the journey via buses or cabs. Those who prefer the road trip can reach
Gangotri from any city of Uttarakhand via public or private buses.
When to Visit
The best time to visit Gangotri is around the months
April-May and then again around the months September-October. April-May marks
the summer season at the high Himalayas while September-October marks the
pre-winters. Temperatures during those months are bearable and the general
weather at Gangotri remains pleasantly cool. Beyond October it is pretty
impossible to set out for Gangotri tour as temperatures during that time drop
below the freezing point and thick layers of snow-clad the region. The temple
thus shuts down for the winters during that time. Also, the monsoon months of
July-August need to be avoided strictly as the risk of landslides may pose
enough threat to life.
Where to Stay
Gangotri has accommodations ranging from budget range hotels
to medium range hotels to GMVN Guesthouses and even Dharamshala where you could
put up for a nominal fee. Since Gangotri is high up there, you may not find too
many luxury resorts for your accommodation at the place. All accommodation
facilities at Gangotri come with all the basic amenities and promise a
comfortable stay for visitors.
What to Eat
Gangotri is a religious place steeped in religious
sentiments which reflect in the food culture of the place. People of the region
take a purely vegetarian diet along with lots of lentils. The same is available
for the tourists and pilgrims. You are strictly barred from taking
non-vegetarian food and alcoholic beverages at Gangotri. You can sample the
traditional Garhwali thali at the local dhabas. The thali may include dishes
like phaanu, Kafuli, gahat ke parathe, Aaloo gutook, shishunaga sag etc. Also,
you can taste Garhwali street foods such as aloo ke pakode, puris, samosas etc.
Sightseeing
At Gangotri, there are many places to see apart from the
main Gangotri shrine such as Bhairon Ghati, jalmagna Shivling, Tapovan, Harsil,
Kedar Tal, Nandavan which you could consider visiting when you are at Gangotri.
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