Gangotri which is situated in the district of Uttarkashi at 10200 ft above sea-level ,is a wellknown pilgrimage site for it is the source of the holy river Ganga.

        Gangotri is one of the 'Char Dhams' of Uttarakhand. According to Hindu mythology, Ganga, the stream of life, was granted as a reward for king Bhagirathi's severe penance, and the river is worshipped as a deity.

        There is a temple of Goddess Ganga on the right bank of the Bhagirathi river which eventually becomes the holy Ganges.

        This temple at Gangotri, which is visited by thousands of pilgrims between May and November, was built by a Gorkha Commander Amar Singh Thapa in the early 18th century.

        The physical source of the river is at Gaumukh, 18 km southeast of Gangotri at the base of Bhagirathi peaks along the Gangotri Glacier.

        The Gangotri Glacier ends at Gaumukh where the Bhagirathi river finally appears. The glacier has gradually retreated over the centuries ,but during the Vedic era it is supposed to have reached down to Gangotri.