The Gangotri Dham located in the greater Himalayan range at an altitude of 3102 metres (10176 ft) from sea level in Uttarkashi district is considered to be the origin of impure Pavani Ganga. However, the origin source of Ganga is at an altitude of 3892 metres in the Gangotri Glacier at Gomukh, about 19 kms away from here. It is believed that the ancestors of Sriram and Chakravarty Raja Bhagirath of Raghunkul had done the harsh austerity of Lord Shiva here. With the grace of Shiva, goddess Ganga touched the Earth at this place. This is where in the 18th century, Garhwals Gorkha general Amar Singh Thapa built the present temple. Which is made of shiny 20 feet high stones of white granite.
King Madho Singh II of Jaipur renovated the temple in the year 1935. Which shows a glimpse of Rajasthani style in the structure of the temple. Here, a natural rock in the form of shivling is submerged in the River Bhagirathi. They say that there was no temple in ancient times. In the yatra season, statues of deities were kept on the platform near Bhagirathi Shila. They were brought here from the villages of Shyam Prayag, Ganga Prayag, Dharali, Mukhba, etc., and were returned to these places in winter. ET Atkinson writes in the Himalayan Gazetteer (volume-three, part one) that the Gangotri Administrative Unit was a part of the strip and the ground during the Britishs Taknaur regime. Inside the temple complex was a small house for the priest and a shady wooden structure for the pilgrims outside.
Nearest Airport: Jaungrant-226 km
Nearest Railway Station: Rishikesh 251 km
Road: Other prominent places including Haridwar - Rishikesh.
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand is a state located in the northern part of India. It was formed on 9 November 2000 as the 27th state of India. The state is known for its scenic beauty and is often referred to as the "Land of the Gods" due to the presence of numerous Hindu temples and pilgrimage centers. The state has a total area of 53,483 square kilometers and is bordered by Tibet in the north, Nepal in the east, and the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh to the south and Himachal Pradesh to the west. Dehradun is the capital of Uttarakhand.
Tapovan
Tapovan Gangotri is 6 km from the glacier. The amazing views of this place win over the tourists. The Himalayan peaks are seen far and wide from Tapovan. Tapovan is also called Nandanvan. Camping is done here for mountaineering. Near Gomukh trekking is Tapovan where millions of foreign tourists flock for trekking every year. Nandanvan offers a spectacular view of the peaks such as Shivalinga, Bhagirathi, Kedar Dome, Thalaya Sagar and Sudarshan. Tourists here trekking and capping at Satopant, Kharkund, Kalindi Kal, Meru and Kedardom. Apart from trekking, tourists also climb mountains and rock climbing. The lush green pine and deodar trees attract tourists.