29 MAY 2024
From Yamunotri to Gangotri – The Journey Deepens
The first leg of this pilgrimage was Yamunotri – abode of goddess Yamuna, now lets proceed to the next shrine.
Where is it located?
- Location – Town of Gangotri; UTTARKASHI district
- Country – India
- State – Uttarakhand.
- While there are motorable roads upto Gangotri temple, if you want to visit Gaumukh, the glacial source of River Ganges, you have to trek up 19 km through the Gangotri National Park
How to get here?
- By Air – The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, 250 kms; from Dehradun airport to Janki Chatti – approximately 7 hrs by road.
- By Air – Another option is Delhi airport (flights are more frequent and cheaper to Delhi from various parts of India). From Delhi a train can be considered till Dehradun or Rishikesh, and yet another 210 kms from Dehradun airport to Janki Chatti – approximately 7 hrs by road.
- By train – Take a train from any part of India to Dehradun station, and a taxi can be hired from Dehradun to Janki Chatti. Dehradun is very well connected by air and train as well as road.
UTTARKASHI
The morning after Yamunotri trek, we leave Barkot and head toward Uttarkashi. The drive winds through forested hills and deep valleys, the landscape constantly changing with every turn. Small villages and terraced farms pass by like scenes from a storybook. By afternoon, I reach our hotel here.
A spiritual town resting quietly along the banks of the Bhagirathi River, Uttarkashi is also home to Kashi Vishwanath temple. Bhagirathi, which is the origin of river Ganga. We take a short walk along the river and visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, seeking blessings for the journey ahead. It is said that Lord Shiva considers Uttarkashi as his second abode in the second part of Kaliyuga. Belief is that when Kashi or Varanasi will be submerged under water, Lord Kashi Vishwanath will be moved to Uttarkashi shrine.
If you happen to spend some time in Uttarkashi, then do not miss the evening aarti of Bhagirathi river. Though not as majestic as Haridwar Ganga aarti, here you get to perform the aarti, as there is lesser people.
GANGOTRI
The next day, I set off for Gangotri early in the morning. The road from Uttarkashi to Harsil is breathtaking. The Bhagirathi River flows beside us, carving its path through tall cliffs and pine forests. At **Harsil