The Gangotri Temple is one of the country’s holiest sites, partly because it is the source of the Ganges, the most venerated Hindu river. The boulder on the spot, according to legend, functioned as a cushion to protect the earth from the mayhem that the river could have wreaked as it flowed out of Shiva’s matted locks in heaven. The Gangotri Temple was established in the 18th century by a Gorkha commander named Amar Singh Thapa. At an elevation of 10,170 feet, Gangotri is located on the banks of the Bhagirathi River, which is known as Bhagirathi until it reaches Devprayag, where it merges with the Alakananda to form the Ganges. The Gangotri Temple opens around Akshay Tritiya in May and closes around Bhai Duj in late October or early November.
