A Gem Called Gangotri

Maneri Dam, Uttarkashi

Sometimes tiresome but always fun, my trip to Gangotri and Uttarkashi gave me some of my fondest memories. What started as a religious holiday went on to become one of the most rejuvenating experiences!

At Uttarkashi and Gangotri, I experienced what I thought could only be found in exotic destinations or seen on travel channels. The trip started from Dehradun with an en route halt at Kempty Falls in Mussoorie.

River Bhagirathi en route to GangotriAs it started to rain, we drove to Uttarkashi that took us about eight hours to reach. The route was full of little streams flowing from the mountains, beautiful shells and pebbles, lush green plants and some wild animals. Upon reaching Uttarkashi, we could hear the Ganges roaring and lashing on the rocks. We stayed in a dharmshala on the banks of the river and the spent the evening and the next morning admiring its beauty and volume.

On day two, we headed towards Gangotri where cold wind and rain welcomed us. We visited the temple and  paid our homage. The white marble temple in Gangotri looked splendid in the background of the lofty green mountains and the majestic Ganges. In Gangotri, divinity is not just specific to the temple, the whole town exudes tranquillity.  We then decided to trek to Gomukh, the beginning point of the Gangotri glacier. The treRiver Bhagirathik to Gomukh is 19 km long with two stoppage points, namely Chirbasa and Bhojwasa on the way. We stopped at Bhojwasa for an overnight stay. Spending the night in a cottage near the roaring Bhagirathi River left us with renewed energy for our trek to Gomukh early the next morning.

After hours on the trek and mammoth efforts to stop myself from slipping on the wet, muddy track, I finally saw the origin of the Bahagirathi River. What a sight it was! Watching the pristine river pouring out of the snow-clad mountain and lashing on the smoothened yellow rocks made the entire trip worth it.