Gangotri is a small town surrounded by the beautiful Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand. It is the main religious place among the Char Dham Yatra. Gangotri is the highest and most important temple of river Ganga. As per Hindu rituals, the river Ganga is worshipped as a goddess. It is expected that a large number of devotees will register for Gangotri Yatra 2024. Gangotri is famous for being the origin of the River Ganga.
There are a few precautions and vital information that you should know before registering for the Gangotri Yatra 2024.
Gangotri Yatra 2024 Highlights
| Altitude | 3048 metre |
| District | Uttarkashi |
| State | Uttarakhand |
| Famous for | Origin of River Ganga |
| Best Season | April to June, September to November |
| Pin code | 249137 |
| STD code | 01381 |
History of Gangotri Dham
As per Hindu mythology, Goddess Ganga turns herself to become a river to absolve the sins of King Bhagiratha’s predecessors following his severe penance of several centuries. To minimize the immense impact of her fall Lord Shiva tangled her in his matted hairs. She came to be called Bhagirathi at her legendary source.
After slaying the demons on earth, King Sagar decided to stage an Ashwamedha Yajna as a proclamation of his supremacy. The horse running on an uninterrupted journey was accompanied by the King’s 60,000 sons born to Queen Sumati. His one son Asamanja was born of the second queen Kesani. Indra, the supreme ruler of gods feared that he might be deprived of his celestial throne in case the “Yagya” succeed.
The sons of King Sagar searched for the horse and found it near the mediating Kapil. Then, 60000 sons of King Sagara stormed the ashram of sage Kapil. When the sage opened his eyes, all 60000 sins perished by the curse of Sage Kapil. Bhagiratha who was the grandson of King Sagar is believed to have meditated to please the Goddess Ganga enough to cleanse the ashes of his ancestors and give moksha to their souls.
Gangotri 2024 Opening and Closing
According to Hindu mythology, Gangotri Yatra, or pilgrimage tour to the Gangotri temple is one of the 4 prominent temples (Char Dham). The opening and closing dates of the Gangotri shrine are as follows.
- Every year, Shri Gangotri Temple opens on Akshay Tritiya. So, Gangotri Yatra 2024 opening date is 10th May 2024.
- Shri Gangotri Temple closes on the next day of Diwali. So, Gangotri Yatra will close on 2nd November 2024.
Significance of Gangotri Dham
- It is believed that as per Hindu mythology a person can get a blessing from Goddess Ganga by visiting the Gangotri.
- Apart from this, it is also believed that a person can get rid of his sins after visiting the Gangotri Dham.
How to reach Gangotri Dham?
By Road
- Haridwar / Rishikesh: Haridwar – Rishikesh – Chamba – Dharasu – Harsil – Dharali – Gangotri
- Chennai: Chennai – Delhi – Haridwar – Rishikesh – Chamba – Dharasu – Harsil – Dharali – Gangotri
- Nainital: Nainital – Kashipur – Rishikesh – New Tehri – Uttarkashi – Gangnani – Harsil – Dharali – Gangotri
- Mussoorie: Mussorie – Landour – Dharasu – Uttarkashi – Gangnani – Dharali – Gangotri
By Train
- The closest railway station to Gangotri Dham is situated at a distance of 249 Kms in Rishikesh.
- You can reach Rishikesh then hire a taxi/ cab service to reach your destination in Gangotri.
- Kotdwar, on the other hand, also a very few trains.
By Air
- The nearest Airport to Gangotri is Mussorie – Landour – Dharasu – Uttarkashi – Gangnani – Dharali – Gangotri.
- This airport is around 279 km which takes around 8 hours to cover.
- You can get several taxis and cabs right outside of the airport.
- Apart from this, you can choose the services of luxury buses heading for Gangotri.
Gangotri Road Route from Delhi
- 1st Route (via Haridwar) – Delhi → Haridwar → Rishikesh → Narendranagar → Tehri → Dharasu Bend → Uttarkashi → Bhatwari → Gangnani → Harsil → Gangotri
- 2nd Route (via Dehradun) – Delhi → Dehradun → Mussoorie → Chamba → Tehri → Dharasu Bend → Uttarkashi → Bhatwari → Gangnani → Harsil → Gangotri
Distance of Gangotri From Major Cities of the Country
- From Chennai to Gangotri – 2654 Km
- From Bangalore to Gangotri – 2623 Km
- From Kolkata to Gangotri – 1938 Km
- From Kochi to Gangotri – 3169 Km
- From Hyderabad to Gangotri – 2031 Km
- From Mysore to Gangotri – 2772 Km
- From Triuchirappalli to Gangotri – 2962 Km
- From Ahmedabad to Gangotri – 1443 Km
- From Indore to Gangotri – 1335 Km
- From Vishakhapatnam to Gangotri – 2225 Km
- From Mumbai to Gangotri – 1940 Km
- From Bhubaneswar to Gangotri – 2090 Km
Also Check: Kedarnath Yatra 2024 date
Frequently Asked Questions
The four temples that comprises Char Dham are Yamunotri Dham, Gangotri Dham, Badrinath Dham, and Kedarnath Dham.
The top places to visit in the Gangotri Yatra are as follows.
Tapovan
Submerged Shivling (visible in the early winters when the water level goes down)
Vishwa Nath Temple
Bhairon Ghati
Gaumukh Glacier
The Gangotri Dham opens from April – May to October – November. In our personal opinion, the best months to visit this temple are May, June, September & October. You should avoid visiting the Gangotri during monsoon season.
Yes, it is compulsory for you to complete Gangotri Registration in order to visit the Gangotri Dham Temple. The registration is free and you can complete the same either online or at the counter situated at different locations. The registration counter is available at Haridwar, Rishikesh, Uttarkashi, and Gangotri.
