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| Gomukh | |
|---|---|
| Gaumukh orGomukhi | |
 Gomukh, "Face of a Cow", the pout of the glacier along the river | |
  Gomukh Location in India Show map of Uttarakhand Gomukh Gomukh (India) Show map of India | |
| Location | Uttarkashi district,Uttarakhand,India |
| Coordinates | 30°55′36″N79°4′51″E / 30.92667°N 79.08083°E /30.92667; 79.08083 |
| Status | Retreating |
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Gomukh, also known as "Gaumukh" or "Gomukhi" (Hindi: गौमुख or गौमुखी;Assamese andBengali: গোমুখ or গোমুখী), is theterminus or snout of theGangotri Glacier and the source of theBhagirathi River, one of the primary headstreams of theGanga River. The wordGomukh/Gaumukh (go/gau=cow,mukh= mouth) literally means "Mouth of a Cow."
The place is situated at a height of 13,200 ft (4,023 m) in theUttarkashi district in the state ofUttarakhand,India. It is one of the largest glaciers in the Himalayas with an estimated volume of over 27 cubic kilometers.
It is a Hindu holy pilgrimage site, visited by many who visitGangotri. It is around 20 km away from Gangotri and can be reached by trekking.[1][2]
Gomukh is mentioned in thePuranas. It is said there that, searching a lost sheep, a boy reached near a glacier inGangotri, the snout of which exactly looked like the face of acow, and thus it got its name 'Gomukh'.
The first recorded visit to the Gomukh Glacier was made by John Hodgson and James Herbert on May 31, 1817.[3] However, it is believed that visits to Gomukh occurred long before the 19th century, as it lies on the ancient route of theChota Char Dham Yatra, connecting Gangotri toKedarnath. This pilgrimage route was used by travelers and devotees for centuries. In 1935,J B Auden made the first documented crossing of this challenging route, and in his honor, the route was subsequently namedAuden’s Col.
Gomukh is 18 km from Gangotri in the foothills of Bhagirathi at a height of 4,023 m. It is the snout of the Gangotri Glacier.
Around the snout, nature presents a wild topography. There are boulders scattered here and there with some pieces of broken snow, along with the hard clayey snow of the glacier.[4]
The Gomukh snout is rapidly moving backwards. According to the modern research the snout has moved 1 km in just 70 years.
The first and foremost thing for Gomukh trek is that you must have permission from (D.F.O.) District forest officer, Uttarkashi. Only 150 permits are issued per day, permission can be taken via fax also.[5] The trail to Gomukh begins from Gangotri, about 18 km (11.2 mi) from Gomukh. It was heavily damaged by rockslides by the2013 North Indian Floods as was road access to Gangotri.
9 km ahead of Gangotri is Chirbasa, the abode of Chir trees. After 3 km of Chirbasa comes the dangerous Gila Pahar, the place well known for itslandslides even prior to the 2013 destruction of much of the trail here; near-sheer cliffs down to the river must now be traversed. Here the Bharals, a type of mountain antelope, are sometimes seen. The Bharals are found above the altitude of 10,000 ft. Only 4 km from here is Bhujbasa, the only night halting place on the way with buildings. One can stay at the GMVN Bungalow, or at the Lalbaba's Ashram or at Ram Baba's ashram.[6] After trekking 41/2km from Bhujbasa, one reaches Gomukh, the snout of the Gangotri Glacier.A little before Gomukh, the majestic view ofMt. Shivling welcomes the trekkers to the place.
On the trail nohorses are allowed, so one must take preparations to walk on foot.The trek to Tapovan and Nandanvan starts from here.
The route after 'Bhojbasa' can be quite difficult, more so since the 2013 floods. One has to cross a boulder zone to reach the Gomukh snout.
The trek beyond Gomukh is quite difficult. Crossing the glacier and going towards Tapovan has become quite dangerous nowadays because of the landslides. There is no track and one must have a guide and should be prepared to face any type of accident which can even be a life-threatening one. The last climb to reachTapovan is very stiff, within 2 km a climb of around 1500 foot and is quite a challenging experience.
You may apply for an online permit,[7] even with an online permit you would still need to get it verified at the district magistrate uttrakasi office.
