Gomukh-Tapovan

Considered one of the four Dhams, Gangotri is said to be the mythological source of the Ganga river and the spot where Bhagirath worshipped Lord Shiva and mother Ganga descended on earth. Lord Shiva is said to have received the river in his matted locks at Gangotri. The glacier measures about 30 kilometres long, surrounded by peaks belonging to the Gangotri Group of mountains, including some that pose a challenge to mountaineers, such as Shivling, Thalay Sagar, Meru, and Bhagirathi III. Tapovan(4300m) is an area beyond Gaumukh(3889m) consisting of a beautiful meadow, a further 5 kms from Gaumukh. On 10th November, 4 a.m., a group of 35 students assembled at HEC Office, from where the bus was boarded. Being those wee hours of the morning, pretty soon everyone drifted to sleep. Two hours into the journey, and the bus started winding through the snaky and precipitous road, signaling the sign of the arrival of the hilly stretches of Uttarakhand. Upon arrival at Uttarkashi (at 12 p.m.), known to be a center of learning since ancient times, everyone was served a hearty lunch. After the lunch break, the group embarked on the journey to Gangotri. As mercury started dipping, layers of clothes began coming off, the heavy sweater being the first thing to go. The arrival to Gangotri was preceded by the presence of a thick Cedar and Pine covered area, and the last leg crossed over a deep gorge by a girder bridge spanning the Bhairon Ghati. On arrival at 6 p.m., everyone checked-into the hotel, relished the sumptuous dinner and slipped into the rooms. The next morning, all were ready to visit the temple. The shrine of Gangotri situated at an elevation of 3200 m is surrounded by Deodars(Cider) and Chir(pine). The original temple was constructed by the Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa after his conquest of the Garwhal area! A heavy breakfast, topped with sweet tea, refilled the energy basket of each, and everyone started the 14 kms trek towards Bhojwasa via Chirvasa. From Gangotri one moved along the well formed track towards Chirvasa, a small patch of Pine trees en route. Beyond Chirvasa, the terrain became really desolate and barren. The trek further to Bhojwasa was along the path that slowly flattens out and dips suddenly to reveal Bhojwasa with a small temple and a potential campsite near a river. Everyone took rest in Lal Baba Ashram and spent the rest of the day there, enjoying the panoramic view of Bhagirathi group of peaks. The following day, after delicious hot porridge served in ashram, everyone headed towards gomukh(3890m). Gomukh is the spot where the water from the glacier trickles down to form the river. The difficult trek required being very wary and cautious with every single step but the pristine and serene beauty of the landscapes kept everyone going. The trek from Gomukh to Tapovan was a steep ascent over the side of the glacier, and as one climbed, the view of the surrounding peaks became clearer. With the weather turning bad, everyone decided to make a return trip to Bhojwasa. After an hour break there, everyone made their way back to Gangotri from where the bus was boarded to finally return Roorkee. The trek was full of invigorating experiences for the senses.