The Story of Ganga

The source of Ganga is at Gaumukh (the shape of the ice formation is like a cow's mouth), where the mighty river emerges from the depths of Gangotri glacier. The Gangotri glacier is situated at the height of4255 m above sea level and is approx 24 km in length and 7-8 km in width.

Here the river is known as Bhagirathi after King -Bhagirath. Rising in the icy caves of Gangotri glacier, the gushing , tossing and gurgling Bhagirathi starts its long journey downwards where later it joins river 'Alaknanda' and becomes Ganga.There are many legends associated with river Ganga, some of which are even mentioned in the ancient holy scriptures.

The River From Heaven- According to the Indian mythology King Sagar had 60,000 sons. He defeated all the asuras (daemons) in the earth and wanted to stage a Ashwamedha Yagya to declare his supremacy. For this as was the practice prevalent in ancient times, he sent his horse across the earth accompanied by his sons.

The King of Heaven, Lord Indra feared the power of King Sagar and to stop him, he stole the horse and tied it to the ashram of Sage Kapil. When the 60,000 sons saw the horse in Kapil's ashram they got furious and started to attack the hermitage. Sage Kapil was in deep meditation and on hearing the disturbance he opened his eyes in anger and all the 60,000 sons of King Sagar were reduced to ashes, except for prince Asamanjas.

Anshuman the grandson of King Sagar brought the horse back from the Sage and asked for his forgiveness. Sage Kapil told him that the sons can be brought to life only if Ganga is brought from heaven to earth. Neither Anshuman nor his son Dilip were successful in this task. But Dilip's son, Bhagirath was determined to get this task done. He started meditating intensly for several years and finally Ganga got pleased and descended to the earth. To prevent the earth from flooding, Lord Shiva received Ganga on his matted locks. King Bhagirath then worshipped Lord Shiva and Shiva blessed him and released Ganga from his locks in seven streams. The water of Ganga touched the ashes of Sagar sons who rose to the their eternal rest in heaven. The seven streams of Ganga are Bhagirathi, Janhvi, Bhilangana, Mandakini, Rishiganga, Saraswati and Alaknanda which merge into Ganga at Devprayag. The rock on which King Bhagirath is believed to have meditated, is called Bhagirath Shila and is located near the temple of Ganga. To this date the water of holy Ganga is believed to have Amrit (nectar) in it. It has been studied by Scientists that the water collected from Ganga at its origin is in a pure state and even after being kept for several years, does not get contaminated.. These medicinal properties of Ganga-Jal are attributed to the medicinal secretions of herbs and mineral content which get mixed with the water.

Introduction and map of

Sundarbans the world’s largest Ganga delta

Ganga
The Ganga (गगां) is a major river of the Indian subcontinent rising in the Himalaya Mountains and flowing about 2,510 km (1,560 mi) generally eastward through a vast plain to the Bay of Bengal. On its 1,560-mi (2,510-km) course, it flows southeast through the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. In central Bangladesh it is joined by the Brahmaputra (ब्रम्हपुत्र) River and Meghna rivers. Their combined waters (called the Padma River) empty into the Bay of Bengal and form a delta 220 mi (354 km) wide, which is shared by India and Bangladesh. Its plain is one of the most fertile and densely populated regions in the world. The Ganges alone drains an area of over a million square km with a population of over 407 million. Millions depend on water from the holy river for several things: drinking, bathing, agriculture, industry and other household chores.

Ganga river known as Ganga Maata (गगां माता) or Mother Ganges is revered as a goddess whose purity cleanses the sins of the faithful and aids the dead on their path toward heaven. In most Hindu families, a vial of water from the Ganga is kept in every house. It is believed that drinking water from the Ganga with one's last breath will take the soul to heaven. Hindus also believe life is incomplete without bathing in the Ganga at least once in their lifetime. Some of the most important Hindu festivals and religious congregations are celebrated on the banks of the river Ganga such as the Kumbh Mela or the Kumbh Fair and the Chhat Puja. Kumbh Mela (कुम्भ मेला) is the largest religious gathering on Earth for Hindu peoples, where around 70 million Hindus from around the world participated in the last Kumbh Mela at the Hindu Holy city Prayaga (also known as Allahabad).
The upper Ganges supplies water to extensive irrigation works. The river passes the holy bathing sites at Haridwar, Allahabad (where the Yamuna river enters the Ganga), and Varanasi. Below Allahabad the Ganges becomes a slow, meandering stream with shifting channels. Because of its location near major population centers, however, the river is highly polluted. The Ganga collects large amounts of human pollutants as it flows through highly populous areas. These populous areas, and other people down stream, are then exposed to these potentially hazardous accumulations.

Goumukh: Ganga source

Ganga or, more exactly, Bhagirathi, originates from Gangotri glacier, one of the biggest glaciers in Himalayas. The place, where Bhagirathi flows out from Gangotri, it called "Goumukh". This word means "Cow mouth". Indeed, with use of imagination this icy cave reminds a cow.

Its not easy to reach Goumukh. It is in 19 kilometers from the nearest settlement to which one can go by car (Gangotri). Considering that the way to Goumukh starts at 3 km above the sea level, the road to cave is not only far but also difficult for physically unprepared travellers. In Gangotri one can rent a donkey - it will cost around 600 rupees one way.

Way to Goumukh is, of course, better than mountain trails used by gangs running from justice. But it also doesn't remind us beutiful road from Kedarnath to Gaurikund.

Comparison with the road to Kedarnath comes by itself - first of all, Kedarnath is quite close. Second of all it is also unreachable by a car. In comparison to this road way to Goumukh is much less active and looks like forsaken place. It is more tight (in some segments it is even impossible to go on donkey), it goes up and down. Elevation changes are only 800 meters onlike 1500 meters between Gaurikund and Kedarnath.

By the way, the road is to be paid for. We were asked to pay 150 rupees for each foreigner and 40 fot each indian. Also 25 rupees for a donkey. If we would have a tent we would be asked more. Same with videocamera.

All the way to Goumukh you will enjoy glamorous vews of Ganga. Approximetely on a half way you will see Bhagirathi and Shivlinga mountains.

The road takes from 7 to 8 hours, depending from your motivation and physical endurance. On the way you can take a primitive food in caffs, wrongly marked on a map as villages. In sober fact these are indian dhabas appallingservice quality and terrific prices - half a liter of Coca-cola bottle will cost 30-40 rupees. But it is also true that in Himalayas you don't have so much appetite. And there are a lot of clean mountain streams from which you can drink for free.

There is a small hotel 5 kilometers before Goumukh. You can even find electricity there. It is possible to charge cameras there and to take a nap (its expensive, one tent for 8 people costs around 2 thousand rupees).

The Goumukh cave, the source of the holy river Ganga (Bhagirathi), is at a height of 3.8 km above the sea level.

The cave is called icy for some reason. Right after it the Gangotri glacier starts - one of the largest Himalaya glacier.

Even in summer pieces of ice fall away from the glacier and float in impetuous torrent. The water temperature is near 0 degrees. Don't think about swimming there - the water flow is not only cold but also quick. So you will be dead with cold almost immidietely.

Near the cave (last 500 meters you need to go by foot even if you arrived on a donkey - the road is very stony) one can see many small streams of a melting glacier.

It is very pleasent to be near the cave. It is a very beautiful place: you can enjoy the view of two very high mountaints (Bhagiratri and Shivlinga). On a photo below there is Bhagirathi mountain.

From the other point of view, the holy river itslef can impress even a strong atheist.

In a time of a long journey towards Goumikh the surrounding beauty invisible reaches the very inside of your being. And it is no longer important that everything around you is extremely beautiful - the beauty itself reached your heart and it doesn't dissapear even if you close your eyes.

I recalled the foredoom of Shri Adi Shankaracharya. Many centuries ago this great saint, while travalling last time in Himalayas, went into a samadhi by entering inside the mountain. He left only a stick after himself, which disciples of this great master found. The undoubtful reality of this misctic action and, above all, its meaningfulness, was felt very clearly in Goumukh.

In spite of lack of oxygen, tiredeness after 8 hours journey and dissapointing of being in totally unsettled area (on the way you can find only two-three shabby dhabas and one bunkhouse), your heart is full of tranquility and happiness, and life is full of meaning. It is quite a surprising feeling - you drink a tea, eat chapatti and experience a union with the entire universe at the same time.

Mountaints stagger the imagination. The huge Shivlinga and massive Bhagirathi are amazing (Shivlinga is the first the the left, Bhagirathi - on the right).

As in any truly sacred place, Goumukh calls you to stay there forever. I beleive that in this place it is as pleasant to meet your last days as in Kedarnath, Arunachala and Varanasi.