| The temples
of Shiva and Vishnu at Kedarnath and Badrinath have been the destination
of pilgrims for centuries. Once reached after tortuous treks but easily
accessible today by road. At Uttarkashi at a height of over 3000 metres
the snow melts to form the sacred rivers of Ganga and Yamuna is a deep
recess of the mountains. |
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The route
to the two sources begins at Rishikesh and passes ancient temples and Valleys
along the way. The Shrines are open from 1st week of May up to Diwali day.
The towns close up for the severe winter season and everyone moves down
to towns lower down the slopes |
In the hinterlands
of the Himalayas is Gangotri where, it is believed, Ganga,
the stream of life, touched earth for the first time. According to the
Hindu religious scriptures, the heavenly goddess Ganga manifested herself
in the form of a river to absolve the sins of King Sagar's sons.
| After three
generations of severe penance, performed over several centuries, Ganga
conceded to descend to the Earth. At the legendary source of the river,
Goddess Ganga is worshipped in the form of deity. The Gangotri temple was
built in the early 18th century by a Gorkha commander, Amar Singh Thapa
and later rebuilt by the Maharaja of Jaipur. |
 |
By November, Gangotri
is snowbound, and so the deity is taken 25 kms downstream to Mukhba, so
that her devotees are not thwarted. Despite the severe cold, however, several
"SADHUS" remain at Gangotri year round, even through the very severe winter.
Gomukh, the identified source of the river Ganga, is 18 kms further uphill.
The trek to Gomukh is gradual, and severl pilgrims undertake the journey
to pay homage to the river at its known source.
 
We also organise
various yatra packages in Garhwal Himalayas as follows:
1. Badrinath-Kedarnath-Gangotri-Yamnotri
(10 days-to & fro )
2. Badrinath-Kedarnath
yatra (
5days-to & fro )
3. Gangotri-Yamnotri
(5 days-to & fro )
4. Badrinath
(3days-to & fro )
5. Kedarnath
(3days-to & fro )
6. Gangotri
(3days-to & fro )
7. Yamnotri
(3 days-to & fro)
|
About
Rishikesh
