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Gangotri is a town and a nagar panchayat in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi. It is on the Greater Himalayan Range, at a height of 3,042 m.
According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Ganga - the daughter of heaven, took the form of a river to absolve the sins of King Bhagirath's predecessors, following his severe penance of several centuries. Lord Shiva received Ganga into his matted locks to minimize the impact of her fall.
According to this legend, King Sagar, after slaying the demons on earth decided to stage in Ashwamegh Yagya as a proclamation of his supremacy. The horse which was to be taken on an uninterrupted journey around the earth was to be accompanied by the King's 60,000 sons born to Queen Sumati and one son Asmanjas born of the second queen Kesani. Indra, supreme ruler of the gods feared that he might be deprived of his celestial throne if the 'Yagya' (worship with fire) succeeded and then took away the horse and tied it to the ashram of Sage Kapil, who was then in deep meditation. The sons of the King Sagar searched for the horse and finally found it tied near the meditating sage. Sixty thousand angry sons of King Sagar stormed the ashram of sage Kapil. When he opened his eyes, 60,000 sons had perished by the curse of sage Kapil. Bhagirath, grand son of King Sagar, is believed to have meditated to bring down the Ganga to cleanse the ashes of his ancestors and liberate their souls, granting them salvation or Moksha. The Bhagirathi 'Shila' is located near the temple of Ganga where the holy Ganga first descended on earth from heaven.
Places of Religious Interest
These include a trip to theGaumukh glaciers(18 km.) - the sourse of the Bhagrithi for a dip in its icy waters is dip in almost a must for pilgrims; and to the temple of Bhairavanth at Bhaironghati, (10 km.). GMVN Tourilst Bungalow is located at Bhojbasa, about 14 km., from Gangotrli, on the road to Uttarkashi, at thle confluence of the Jat Ganga and Bhagirathi rivers. Pilgrlims also trek to Nandanvan (6km) and Kedartal (18km) from Gangotri.
Gangotri Temple - The shrine is about 300 years old and first built by the Gurkha monarch Amar Singh Thapa, and was later restored in the late 19th century by the royal house of Jaipur.
The shrine of Gangotri is around 300 years old. Renovated in the 20th century, the shrine is a 20-feet high structure of white granite. During the winters the statue is taken to Mukhimath village where it is worshipped.
Jalamagna Shivalinga - There is a natural rock Shivalinga, called the Jalamagna Shivalinga. This is the place where Lord Shiva received Ganga in his locks. Visible only during winters.
Bhavishya Badri Temple
Dense forests near Tapovan surround the Bhavishya Badri. The Bhavishya Badri is at a distance of about 17 km. east of Joshimath. Pilgrims trek beyond Tapovan up the Dhauliganga River to reach this holy spot. The idol of narsingha (the god with the head of lion) is enshrined here. Traditionally, it is believed that a day will come when the present route to the Badrinath will be inaccessible and the Lord Badrinath will be worshipped here and this is why the place is called Bhavishya Badri.
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