A multitude of streams originate from glaciers at over 6000 meters in the Himalayas and form one of the most fascinating rivers in Indian history and mythology .
The source of the Ganga is at Gaumukh near Gangotri, where the river is formed by the melting of the Gangotri glacier. However the locals refer to the stretch of the river from Gangotri to Devaprayag as Bhagirathi. This is in recognition of King Bhagirath whose severe meditation was responsible for the descent of Ganga from heaven. On the way to Devaprayag, the Bhilganga, emerging from the Khatling glacier, joins the Bhagirathi at Tehri. This is the site of the controversial dam. At Devaprayag the Bhagirathi merges with the Alaknanda. The Bhagirathi is the fiercer river having had a steeper descent, but the Alaknanda is the broader river having accumulated the waters from several tributaries.
The Alaknanda has its source near the Balakun peak. At Vishnuprayag the Dhauliganga merges with it, at Nandaprayag the Nandakini merges with it and at Karnaprayag the Pindar merges with it. Then at Rudraprayag it meets is main tributary the Mandakini. The Mandakini emerges from the Charabari glacier near Kedarnath. It takes in the Vasukiganga at Sonprayag before merging with the Alaknanda. The stream emerging from the confluence of the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi is known as the Ganga. So in one sense the Ganga is born at Devaprayag.
Prayag as you may have guessed is the Hindi word for confluence. The Ganga descends from Devaprayag and reaches the plains at Haridwar and starts flowing eastwards across north India. The above-mentioned journey of the various rivers takes place in the Garhwal Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand. The sources of the rivers lie at altitudes between 6000 and 7000 meters.
