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About
Bhagirathi River |
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The
Bhāgīrathī is a turbulent Himalayan river in the state of
Uttarakhand, India, and is one of the two headstreams of the
Ganges, the major river of Northern India and the holy river
of Hinduism. In Hindu tradition and culture, the Bhagirathi is
considered the source stream of the Ganges. However, in
hydrology, the other headstream, Alaknanda, is considered the
source stream on account of its great length and discharge. |
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Course |
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The
headwaters of the Bhagirathi are formed at Gaumukh at an
elevation of 3,892 metres at the foot of the Gangotri glacier
and Khatling glaciers in the Garhwal Himalaya. It is then joined
by its tributaries; these are, in order from the source:
• Kedar Ganga at Gangotri (elevation 3,049 m (10,003 ft)),
• Jadh Ganga at Bhaironghati (elevation 2,650 m (8,690 ft)),
• Kakora Gad and Jalandhari Gad near Harsil (elevation 2,745 m
(9,006 ft)),
• Siyan Gad near Jhala (elevation 2,575 m (8,448 ft)),
• Asi Ganganear Uttarkashi (elevation 1,158 m (3,799 ft)),
• Bhilangna River near Old Tehri (elevation 755 m (2,477 ft)).
The Bhilangna itself rises at the foot of the Khatling Glacier (
at an elevation of 3,717 m (12,195 ft)) about 50 km south of
Gaumukh.
The river flows from its source for 205 km before meeting the
Alaknanda River at an altitude of 475 m (1,558 ft) in the town
of Devprayag. Downstream of this confluence, considered holy by
Hindus, the river is known as the Ganga Ji, or Ganges River by
westerners. The controversial Tehri damlies at the convergence
of the Bhāgirathi and the Bhilangna, at 30°22′32″N 78°28′48″E,
near Tehri. Chaukhamba I is the highest point of the Bhagirathi
basin. |
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Etymology |
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The
word "Bhagirathi" (Sanskrit, literally, "caused by Bhagiratha")
refers to a mythological Sagar Dynasty prince who, to gain the
release of his 80,000 great-uncles from the curse of saint
Kapila, brought the goddess Ganga in the form of the river
Ganges, from the heavens to the earth. Bhagiratha was the king
of Kosala which is a kingdom in ancient India. He was a
descendent of the great King Sagara of the Suryavanshi, or Surya
Dynasty. He was one of the forefathers of Lord Rama, of the
Ramayana, the epic in which Bhagiratha's tale is primarily
recounted. |
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