Gaumukh

India / Uttaranchal / Gangotri /
 religion, river source, river mouth

The source of river Bhagirathi (Lately known as Ganga from Devprayag where alaknanda confluence with it).
Actual Gaumukh (Bhagirathi glacier transforming to Bhagirathi river). Gomukh, the snout of the Gangotri Glacier, from where Bhagirathi River originates. The place is situated at a height of 11,500ft. It is one of the largest in the Himalayas with an estimated volume of over 27 cubic kilometers.
Gomukh snout is also referred to as "Gaumukh" or "Gomukhi".
The word "Gomukh" (go + mukh) literally means "Mouth of a Cow".
According to some sayings, earlier the snout exactly looked like "Mouth of a Cow".

Gomukh is 18 km from Gangotri in the foot hills of Bhagirathi at a height of 4255m. It is the snout of the Gangotri Glacier.
Around the snout, nature presents a wild topography. There are bolders scattered here and there with some pieces of broken snow. The Gomukh snout, due to the excessive visits of the tourists is rapidly moving backwards. According to the modern research the snout has moved 1km in just 70 years.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   30°55'32"N   79°4'52"E

Comments

  • Jai hi Ganga maiya
  • Atul Goswamy alongwith Anuj Bhutani, Vivek Rattan and Sontosh Misra were here in 2006
  • One of the Best Places in India. Very good place for Meditation and enjoying the bliss within. Visit:www.sahajayoga.org
  • one of the awesome treks in india.. one can go further to tavopan but it is not easy, as condition after gaumukh becomes more difficult or worst but once you reach there you will be touching different world.. I and my friends visited gaumukh have a look at our album at piccasweb --: http://picasaweb.google.com/himanshu.chandwani/Gangotri#
  • TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT & ECO SYSTEM PLEASE DO NOT CARRY ANY PLASTIC BAGS OR ITEMS WHICH CAN BECOME A WASTE AS THEY WILL NOT DISINTEGRATE IN A 1000 YEARS, INSTEAD CARRY BACKPACKS OR CLOTH BAGS WITH FOOD ITEMS WHERE THEIR PLASTIC WRAPPERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REMOVED BEFORE THE JOURNEY, PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES TO BE REUSED & REFILLED ALONG THE WAY & NOT TO BE DISCARDED ALONG THE ROUTE. THERE IS NO POINT IN UNDERTAKING THIS HOLY JOURNEY IF OUR AWARENESS IS JUST LIMITED TO OUR OWN SELVES & NOT THE ENVIRONMENT. GAUMUKH HAS ALREADY RECEDED DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES & POLLUTION & THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS NOT TO POLLUTE. JAI MAA GANGA
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This article was last modified 12 years ago