Sri Gangotri Temple- Uttarakhand

Address

Sri Gangotri Temple- Gangotri, Uttarakhand 249135

Diety

Shiva, Amman: Gangotri

Introduction

Gangotri Temple, a religiously important temple in Hinduism, is located in the quaint town of Gangotri, Uttarkashi District in the Indian State of Uttarakhand. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga and is the highest and the most important shrine dedicated to the deity. Located at an altitude of 3,100mts, Gangotri Temple, the highest temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga, is one of the four Chota Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand. Goddess Ganga is the personification of the revered Ganga River. The peaceful white temple is surrounded by Deodar and pines and the Greater Himalayan Range. The holy river Bhagirathi, which is one of the two head-streams of Ganga, flows alongside Gangotri Temple. Gangotri is one of the four sacred Dhams (Char Dham) in Uttarakhand including Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath. Thousands of devotees from all over visit the glorious temple every year to seek blessings from Goddess Ganga. Perched at an elevation of over 3000 metres above sea level, amidst lush green hills with the captivating Ganga flowing by its side, the shrine is a cynosure. According to a legend, it is here that River Ganga originated. Around 1000 years ago, a Nepalese General, Amar Singh Thapa built this temple as a symbol of respect towards the Goddess.

Puranic Significance

The Gangotri temple was built by the Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa, in the 18th century and later renovated by the Royalty of Jaipur. According to the legend of Gangotri, Indra, the supreme ruler of the Gods, feared he might lose his throne when King Sagara decided to perform an Ashwamedha Yajna to announce his supremacy after killing the demons on the planet. Indra, therefore, captured King Sagara’s horse and hid it in an ashram where Sage Kapil was meditating. King Sagara and his 60,000 sons searched for the horse all around. When the sons found the horse in Sage’s ashram, they attacked the sage but when the sage opened his eyes, he cursed all the sons, and they all perished in no time. King Sagara’s grandchild, Bhagiratha, is said to have meditated and performed penance to seek forgiveness and moksha for his ancestors. The Gangotri temple is supposed to be situated close to the holy rock or the Bhagirath Shila where King Bhagirath had worshipped Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva knew that the earth would be devastated if Ganga descended with her force. Hence, he captured the Ganges in his locks and let it fall in five streams instead of one. Gangotri is believed to be the place where river Ganga descended from heaven when Lord Shiva released the mighty river from his hair to wash off the sins of King Bhagiratha. The location where Lord Shiva locked Ganga is the place where now lies a Shivling that is partially submerged in the river water near the Gangotri Temple.

Special Features

The architecture of Gangotri Temple is traditional 18th-century architecture. Its simplicity reflects in the white granite stone that composes the entire structure. The temple stands 20 feet tall and has a Sabha Mandap that leads to the shrine where the Goddess Ganga’s Idol has been placed. The top of the temple has three main and some smaller domes or cupolas with golden Shikharas. The Gangotri temple is a simple and humble structure that withstands the extreme climatic conditions in the region and possesses a divine quality that draws people from all over the world.