Tucked away in the towering Himalayas lies the origin of one of India’s most sacred rivers – the Bhagirathi. This glistening glacial river holds deep religious and cultural significance for Indians across the country. Tracing its source to the icy caverns of Gaumukh glacier, the Bhagirathi flows over 200km through the mountains, forests and valleys of Uttarakhand before merging with the Alaknanda river at Devprayag to form the mighty Ganga.
The Bhagirathi’s journey is one of legend, intrigue and staggering natural beauty. From angry sages to warring gods, this river has borne witness to mythic tales passed down through the generations. But beyond the mythology lies a waterway that has shaped civilizations and given life to millions.
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Bhagirathi river – India’s liquid lifeline.
The Mythic Origins of Bhagirathi As with most things in India, the Bhagirathi is swathed in legend and myth. One popular story describes how the river manifested on earth. The tale begins with King Sagar and his epic Ashwamedha horse sacrifice to establish dominion over the land.
Indra, king of the Gods, grew uneasy about Sagar’s burgeoning power. He stole the ritual horse and hid it under the Patala underworld in the ashram of Sage Kapila. Enraged on seeing Sagar’s 60,000 sons creating commotion in his ashram, Kapila reduced them all to ashes with a fiery glance.
Sagar’s descendant Bhagiratha then endured great austerities in the Himalayas to appease the Goddess Ganga. When Ganga agreed to descend to earth, Bhagiratha performed harsh penance to Lord Shiva.
Shiva broke Ganga’s tremendous fall by gathering her waters into his matted locks before releasing a single stream to trickle gently down onto earth. This was the nascent Bhagirathi, sent to liberate Sagar’s sons by washing their ashes to the Patala underworld.
In honor of Bhagiratha’s devotion, the principal source stream of Ganga became known as Bhagirathi. Beyond myths, the real-world Bhagirathi has an equally fascinating journey.
The Glacial Source of Bhagirathi The Bhagirathi originates high up in the Garhwal Himalayas at the snout of the 30km long Gangotri glacier, nestled between soaring peaks like Chaukhamba. At over 7000m altitude, this glacier is a frozen giant, ranked the second longest in India.
The traditional source of the Bhagirathi lies 5km from the base of Mount Shivling peak. Here the icy cavern of Gaumukh gives shape to the image of a cow’s mouth. Pilgrims once gathered at this spot over 4000m above sea level to collect the infant Bhagirathi’s waters.
But in just 20 years, Gangotri glacier has retreated rapidly due to climate change. Gaumukh’s location has shifted 1km upstream, leaving the Gaumukh of yore 2km downstream and highlighting the river’s precarious future.
The Bhagirathi’s Course through Garhwal From Gaumukh, the youthful Bhagirathi flows Northwest through habitats of Himalayan birch and pine trees towards the Hindu pilgrimage town of Gangotri at 3100m altitude.
Here the Kedar Ganga tributary merges into the Bhagirathi. Gangotri hosts a temple to Ganga built by a Gorkha general and rebuilt by Jaipur’s king. As the river’s sanctity draws hundreds of thousands of devotees, Gangotri has long been a stronghold of Hindu spirituality.
Leaving Gangotri, the Bhagirathi enters a narrow gorge at Bhairon Ghati. Vertical cliffs hem the river as it receives the Jad Ganga tributary and passes settlements like Nelang that once connected these mountains with Tibet.
The valley then widens into the apple orchards of Harsil, whose deodar forests were once razed by the British for railway sleepers. Turning south, the swelling Bhagirathi passes towns and villages thriving on its very pulse.
Harnessing Bhagirathi’s Might At Uttarkashi, two hydropower projects harness the Bhagirathi’s force. The Maneri Bhali dams split the flow across 8km and 16km tunnels blasted through the mountains before channeling the waters back to spin turbines generating almost 400MW of electricity to power northern India.
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The projects constrain but do not conquer the river which resumes its southern course before the valley tightens once more amidst rugged forests. Near Tehri, the gushing Bhagilangna tributary once joined the Bhagirathi. But today, these confluences lie drowned beneath the vast 52 sq km Tehri Dam reservoir enclosed by India’s tallest dam towering 260m tall like a boundary between two worlds.
Rising from the reservoir’s depths, the controlled Bhagirathi flows south meeting the Alaknanda at Devprayag, concluding an epic 205km Himalayan odyssey from glacier to Ganga mainstream.
While this remarkable river’s mythical tales may be steeped in legend, its role in nurturing civilizations across North India remains very real. Much like the legacies of dynasties and kings fading into the annals of history, the Bhagirathi remains an enduring and immortal icon of India’s terrain and collective consciousness.
Key Facts About Bhagirathi River:
- Originates at Gaumukh snout of Gangotri Glacier in Uttarakhand Garhwal Himalayas
- Glacier is 30km long, second longest in India
- Gaumukh lies at an altitude over 4000m
- Has shifted 1km upstream in just 20 years due to climate change impacts
- Key tributaries are Jad Ganga, Kedar Ganga, Asi Ganga, Jalkur
- Major dams for hydropower generation like Maneri, Bhali, Tehri, Koteshwar
- Merges with Alaknanda at Devprayag after 205km run
- Bhagiratha’s penance led Ganga to descent from heaven to earth in mythology
The Future of Bhagirathi River While the Bhagirathi’s origins remain timeless, its future may be imperilled by human activity.
The Gangotri glacier feeding the river is retreating alarmingly due to climate change. Its glacial extent has reduced by over 20% in a few decades. Scientists warn that current melting rates could shrink it enough to jeopardize Bhagirathi’s flows within two centuries. Deforestation around the river’s source areas could further impact water supply and aggravate disaster risks like 2013’s devastating Kedarnath floods.
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Dams built to utilize the Bhagirathi’s hydropower potential have also faced criticism over causing biodiversity losses and displacing local communities. Balancing the river’s spiritual import and ecosystem services with rising energy demands and development needs remains a challenge.
As the Indian Himalayas witness escalating climatic and anthropogenic changes, conservation efforts for Bhagirathi must integrate local participation with policy reforms for long term solutions. Blending ecological prudence with cultural sensitivity would be key to securing the sacred river’s future.
The Bhagirathi remains the very embodiment of India’s syncretic beliefs merging spirituality with sustainability. Protecting this rare Himalayan jewel for posterity demands recognizing rivers as living entities conferring life, not mere political boundaries. Its mythical past may be set in stone, but we can still shape the Bhagirathi’s next chapter through compassion and shared commitment with nature.
FAQs About Bhagirathi River
Where does the Bhagirathi river originate from?
The Bhagirathi river originates from the icy caves of Gaumukh glacier located near Mount Shivling in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand. This glacier feeds the river water year-round.
Why is the Bhagirathi river called so?
The Bhagirathi river is named after King Bhagiratha whose intense prayers and penance led to the mythical Ganga river descending from heaven onto earth. The headwater stream that emerged was called Bhagirathi.
How long is the Bhagirathi river?
The Bhagirathi river is around 205 kms long from its origin at Gaumukh up to its confluence with the Alaknanda river at Devprayag. At this point, it officially becomes the Ganga river.
What is the importance of the Bhagirathi river?
The Bhagirathi river holds deep spiritual, religious and cultural importance in Hinduism as the mythological source of the revered Ganga. The river also has vast ecological importance as it provides water for millions across many states in north and east India.
Is the Bhagirathi river under threat?
Yes, climate change impacts like receding glaciers that feed the Bhagirathi and rampant development activities like dams, deforestation and urbanization pose significant threats to the health and flows of Bhagirathi river into the future if remedial action is not taken.
