Bhagirathi River

Bhagirathi River Latest News

A water body resembling a lake, stretching over a kilometre, has formed on the Bhagirathi River near Harsil after the recent cloudburst in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, prompting authorities to launch urgent drainage operations.

About Bhagirathi River

• It is a turbulent Himalayan river in the state of Uttarakhand.
• It is one of the two main headstreams of the Ganges River, the other being the Alaknanda River.
• According to Hindu mythology and culture, Bhagirathi is the source stream of the Ganges. 
• But according to the hydrology, Alakananda is the source stream of the Ganges for its flow and length.
• Course:
  • It originates from the Gaumukh Glacier located at the base of the Khatling and Gangotri Glaciers in the Garhwal Himalayas, where the melting ice gives birth to the river.
  • Further, the river passes through the Tehri Garhwal district, including the towns of Uttarkashi and Tehri, where it encounters cliffs, rapids, and waterfalls.
  • It is joined by tributaries such as – Kedar Ganga, Jadh Ganga, Kakora Gad, Jalandari Gad, Siyan Gad, Asi Ganga and Bhilangana.
  • Finally, the Bhagirathi River meets the Alaknanda River at Devprayag.
  • The combined waters of the two rivers then flow as the Ganges River, and this river eventually empties into the Bay of Bengal.
• Major Dams: Maneri Dam, Koteshwar Dam, and Tehri Dam.
• Religious Significance: 
  • The confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers is considered a sacred site in Hindu mythology.
  • It is an essential part of the sacred Panch Prayag Yatra, which involves visiting the five holy confluences of Uttarakhand: Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Nandprayag, Karnaprayag, and Vishnuprayag.
  • The banks of the Bhagirathi are dotted with numerous sacred cities and sites such as Gangotri, the source of the river, which is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites.

Source: HT

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