Gangotri - Source of river Ganga (Bhagirathi Ganga)

• Meditation:

Gangotri - Devi Ganga Temple, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand

• Meditation:
- Gangotri: I meditate on Gangotri which is the source of river Bhagirathi Ganga.
- Bhagiratha: I meditate on king Bhagiratha performing penance at Gangotri and bringing river Ganga on Earth.

देवि सुरेश्वरि भगवति गङ्गे त्रिभुवनतारिणि तरलतरङ्गे ।
शङ्करमौलिविहारिणि विमले मम मतिरास्तां तव पदकमले ॥
- Ganga Stotram - verse 1 (River Bhagirathi which is a headstream of river Ganga originates from Gangotri)

• Gangotri (Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand) → (Uttarakhand Char Dham)

• Greatness:

• Gangotri is a Uttarakhand Char Dham (4 sacred pilgrimages in Uttarakhand) [Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri]

• Gangotri is a Ganga Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Ganga):
- Devi Ganga as river Bhagirathi Ganga originates from Gangotri. The divine river was brought down from the celestial region by the penance of king Bhagiratha and his ancestors. The actual source is at Gaumukh which is around 20 km upstream from Gangotri.

• Sacred Geography:

River Bhagirarthi Ganga at Gaumukh — River Bhagirathi
Ganga at Gaumukh

☗ Gangotri Glacier
► River Bhagirathi Udgam (Source) → Ganga Mandir Ghat at Gangotri (Aarti)

• River Ganga Ghats:
- Ganga Mandir Ghat

• Temples and Places:

Temples and Places of Devi Ganga in Gangotri:
► Gangotri - Devi Ganga Temple Gangotri is the source of river Bhagirathi Ganga. The temple of Devi Ganga is situated on the right bank of river Bhagirathi in the Gangotri village. There is a stone slab near the temple where king Bhagirath meditated to bring Ganga to earth. The stone slab is called Bhagirath Shila.

• Temples (Summary):

• Devi:
- Devi Ganga

• Others:
- Gaumukh
- Surya Kund
- Pandav Gufa

• Puranic Events:

1. Descent of river Ganga: (Valmiki Ramayana)
• Descent of river Ganga: Sri Rama heard the story of the descent of river Ganga from sage Vishwamitra.

• Puranic References:

• Valmiki Ramayana (About descent of river Ganga)
• Mahabharata (About descent of river Ganga)

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