(Last Updated on : 27/11/2014)
The Bhagirathi is a tumultuous Himalayan river
arising at Gomukh from the snout of the Gangotri glacier at a height of 7,756 m (25,446 feet) in Uttarakhand
. According to Hindu mythology
and culture, Bhagirathi
is the source stream of the Ganges.
The Bhagirathi is a major tributary of the River Ganga
. It flows for 700 kilometres until it reaches Deoprayag where it merges with the Alaknanda River
at a height of 465 metres (1,526 feet). As the river flows downstream from the holy confluence at Sangam, it becomes the Ganges.
Hindus consider the Bhagirathi River as a sacred river and it is also one of the white water Rivers in the Himalayas. On the right bank of the Bhagirathi, eighteen kilometres downstream from Gomukh
there is the Gangotri Temple
dedicated to Goddess Ganga.
Myth behind Bhagirathi River
As per the mythology, the word "Bhagirathi" refers to a mythological Sagar Dynasty prince. It is believed that he brought the goddess Ganga in the form of the river Ganges, from the heaven to the earth in order to gain the release of his 80,000 great-uncles from the curse of saint Kapila
Bhagiratha was the king of an ancient Indian kingdom named Kosala
. He was a descendent of the great King Sagara
of the Suryavanshi. Bhagiratha was one of the forefathers of Lord Rama
, of the Ramayana
, the epic in which Bhagiratha's tale is primarily recounted.
Bhagirathi River Dam
Bhagirathi River houses the highest dam of India named Tehri Dam
. This dam is also considered as one of the tallest in the world. It is a multi-purpose rock on the Bhagirathi River near Tehri in Uttarakhand, India. The Tehri Dam was started by the Tehri Development Project as a major hydroelectric project. It was build with the purpose to have the power generation capacity of 2400 MW, thus catering to the irrigation
requirements to an area of 270,000 hectares.
Bhagirathi River Rafting
Bhagirathi is a favourite amongst many adventurous people who enjoy river rafting. From Uttarakashi to Deoprayag, rafting or kayaking trips are arranged on this river.
The Bhagirathi River flows for around 320 kms through magnificent scenery until it reaches Deoprayag where it merges with the Alaknanda River to become the Ganges. Rafting experience through Bhagirathi River is regarded as one of the best adventurous and thrilling river trips in the Indian Himalayas.