GAUMUKH
Gaumukh
TREK TO THE MOTHER SOURCE OF RIVER GANGA
TREK TO THE MOTHER SOURCE OF RIVER GANGA
Gangotri Temple
Gangotri, a temple town, is a holy place for most Indians. It also marks the end of pilgrimage for some and the beginning for others. Being at a height of 3140m above sea-level, you can feel here the piercing sharpness of the wind. The religious significance of the place is immense, as many mythological legends are associated with it. The most popular one has it that King Bhagirath, unable to bear the suffering of his people due to water scarcity, worshipped Lord Shiva at Gangotri. His devotion so pleased Lord Shiva that He asked him for a boon. Bhagirath prayed that Ganga be released from Lord Shiva.s hair locks for the benefit of his people. So was granted Ganga to the earth. It is named after Bhagirath as river Bhagirathi from the point of its descent at Gaumukh upto Dev Prayag. At Dev Prayag, river Alaknanda merges with Bhagirathi and thence onwards it is called Ganga. An arched gate at Gangotri, gifted by the Border Police to the town, welcomes all visitors. Everyone has to pass through it . whether the destination is Gangotri temple, the bathing ghats or the steps leading to the 18-km trek to Gaumukh .
Upper Part Of Gaumukh Glacier Having Face like Holy Cow
From where Ganga emanates. Gangotri temple is small. It is erected on the sacred stone where as per tradition King Bhagirath worshipped Lord Shiva. The building is non-ornamental, rather ordinary in appearance. There are no statues on the exterior and its height is also about 12 feet. E.T. Atkinson wrote of it in the 19th century. It is quite plain, coloured white with red mouldings, and surmounted with the usual melon-shaped ornament commonly known as Turk. The temple is quite the same save that the colour combination is now white walls and silver top. The serious trekkers take to the steps, which connect the Gangotri ghats and the trek route. Buy a walking stick . You might need three legs on the way ahead. The river Bhagirathi is a pleasant companion allthrough right upto Gaumukh.
Way To Heaven (Gaumukh)
Sometimes the mountain rocks to your side echo the forceful holler of rushing waves. Yes, the river makes them sing. The snow peaks enveloped forever in a clouded embrace sit happily above their unsteady glaciers. It is a treat to lift the eyes from a rivulet meeting the river bed; slowly caress first the green cover, then theblack, rough and prominent crags then allow the vision to melt in the snow at upper reaches. The trekking route is tough, full of uneven stones, even dusty at times. It is a real test for the muscles of the legs. You really get to know more about your own legs than you believed. Tree trunks have been used to bridge rivulets and one has to balance steps lest the boulders in the water have the last laugh. The trek is a story of ascents and descents. You rise again as the path decides to lift itself from the riverbed. It is good to feel the heights. You tend to pause before every new face of a snow peak, which is revealed to you. The edges of the black crags are to be admired. The eyes can feel their razor thin sharpness and also their blunt prominence. The peaks represent human aspirations, leaping towards the sky, past the fluffy clouds. They have left the river of trials and tribulations, ascended beyond the temptation laden green conifers; they cannot be held back by sentinel-like black mountain precipices, they have to glow like sunshine on the summit and aim for the sky. What is their destiny? What is the treasure they seek? Perhaps, they will see the face of beauty or have a vision of the ultimate truth.
Gaumukh
Shacks enroute provide plastic comfort to weary travellers. They offer simple snacks and even meals . Besides bottled water. Bite into something at Chirbasa, nine kilometer deep, from the origin of the trek at Gangotri. Have some tea with a dash of salt, it will pep you up. The hamlet of Chirbasa is a cluster of pines rushing from the heights in a straight descent to the riverbed. Shacks are perched on space created between boulders on the ridge. This ridge you cross. Do not halt too long lest the legs refuse to lift again. Bhojbasa, five kilometres ahead, has to be reached for a night halt. And of course, sunset must be enjoyed at Bhojbasa before you hit the sack. The flora along the trek route is different and interesting. Ganga Tulsi, a shrub with a heady scent, used as an accompaniment during Hindu worship, and White Jungle Rose, each flower with only four petals, almost line the route. Yellow wildflowers too have a word to say! Some concerned environmentalist groups are trying not only generating public awareness but also giving a green cover to the Himalayas where it is most needed. So we see plantations of Spruce, Silver Fir, Blue Pine and Himalayan Cedar along the way. A little ahead of Chirbasa, some educationists nurse a Bhojpatra nursery. This effort at preserving a threatened specie is laudable. The Bhojpatra Utilis has a distinct white bark and round green leaves. Its botanical name is Betula Utilis. The bark of this tree served as paper for recording ancient Hindu religions texts.
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