gangotri glacier for 29 August 2025

Gangotri Glacier Latest News

A study by IIT Indore and international collaborators reveals that the Gangotri Glacier has lost 10% of its snowmelt flow over four decades due to climate change.

About Gangotri Glacier

• It is one of the largest glaciers in the Himalayas and is the primary source of the Ganges, the largest river in India. 
• It is situated in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand in the Garhwal Himalayas. 
• It originates at the northern slope of the Chaukhamba range of peaks.
• It is fed by snow and ice from several peaks, including Shivling, Thalay Sagar, Meru, and Bhagirathi III. 
• It lies at an altitude of around 4,000 meters bordering Tibet.
• The glacier is around 30 km in length and 4 km in width.
• Popularly known as Gaumukh, the terminus of the glacier resembles a cow’s mouth. 
• From its snout at Gaumukh, the Bhagirathi River emerges, which later joins the Alaknanda River to form the Ganges at Devprayag.
• The Gangotri Glacier holds immense religious significance in Hinduism and is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year, who trek up to Gaumukh, the source of the Ganges.

Source: DTE