The temple bells ring out through the Gangotri valley which is situated in a more constricted gorge whereas at Harsil the valley opens out and the Ganga gets its first stretch!
One of the most sacred destinations to salvation and redemption, the Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra is meant for the holy devotees round the world. A spiritual trip to the holy lands of Uttarakhand will really bring a piece of pacification and spiritual uplifting among all the tourists coming across the sacred valleys of the Himalayas.
Out of all the pious shrines in Uttarakhand, the Gangotri Dham has its own importance. Being savored as the origin of the river Ganges through the Gangotri basin; the Bhagirathi River acts as the ultimate way of attaining salvation. At a distance of 98 kms from Uttarkashi and 228 kms from the Yamunotri temple, the Gangotri Temple resides at an elevation of 3048 meters. The shrine of Goddess Ganges is the emblem of purity, chastity and power.
According to the mythology, Goddess Ganges descended to the earth to absolve the sins of the humans and for the welfare of mankind to release them from sufferings; being pleased with the meditation of King Bhagirath; and so the name Bhagirathi is also known to the Ganges. Lord Shiva entangled the heavy waves of the river in his deadly locks and since then the river is being considered so sacred and worshipped by the Hindu devotees. It is the Gangotri basin where we find the origin of the sacred river and is being channelized into different forms at different location forming different major confluences.
The water of River Ganga is believed to be amrit (nectar) and is thus considered a holy drink.
The temple of Goddess Ganges was being constructed in the early 18th century by a Gorkha commander, Amar Singh Thapa.
The shrine of Gangotri is open with great ceremonies and illustrations in the April end on the propitious day of Akshaya Tritiya. A special Puja of Goddess Ganga is performed inside the temple as well as on the bank of River Ganges. The temple closes on the biggest Hindu festival, Diwali when again the formal ceremony is performed with a Puja.
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