Bhilangna River
Encyclopedia
Bhilangna River is a Himalayan river in Uttarakhand
, India
, which is the major tributary
of the Bhagirathi
river, the source stream of the Ganges River
of India.
The mainstem
, Bhilangna, rises at the foot of the Khatling Glacier (elevation 3717 m (12,194.9 ft)) approximately 50 km (31.1 mi) south of the ice cave at Gaumukh, traditionally considered the source of both the Bhagirathi
and the Ganges and flows into the Bhagirathi at Old Tehri
, the site of the Tehri dam
. It meets its major tributary
the Bal Ganga at Ghyansali (elevation 976 m (3,202.1 ft)).
The Bal Ganga, whose headwaters are formed at the foot of Mount Kukhli Dhar (elevation 4600 m (15,091.9 ft)), itself has a minor tributary, the Dharam Ganga, which meets it at Thati Kathur (also Budha Kedar) at elevation 1524 m (5,000 ft)
The Khatling trek route passes alongside the Bhilangna, starting from the last point accessible by road, Ghuttu, until the glacier, which stands at 3700 metres. If one were to go further on the trail past the glacier, one could reach Kedarnath.
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, which is the major tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Bhagirathi
Bhagirathi River
The Bhāgīrathī is a turbulent Himalayan river in the state of Uttarakhand, India, that is the source stream of the Ganges—the major river of the Gangetic plain of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism.-Etymology:...
river, the source stream of the Ganges River
Ganges River
The Ganges or Ganga, , is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it...
of India.
The mainstem
Mainstem
Mainstem may refer to:* Mainstem is the principal watercourse in a riverine drainage system with multiple named streams.* Mainstem bronchus is a medical term for a part of the respiratory system....
, Bhilangna, rises at the foot of the Khatling Glacier (elevation 3717 m (12,194.9 ft)) approximately 50 km (31.1 mi) south of the ice cave at Gaumukh, traditionally considered the source of both the Bhagirathi
Bhagirathi River
The Bhāgīrathī is a turbulent Himalayan river in the state of Uttarakhand, India, that is the source stream of the Ganges—the major river of the Gangetic plain of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism.-Etymology:...
and the Ganges and flows into the Bhagirathi at Old Tehri
Tehri
Tehri is a city and a municipal board in Tehri Garhwal District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative seat of Tehri Garhwal District.-History:...
, the site of the Tehri dam
Tehri dam
The Tehri Dam is a multi-purpose rock and earth-fill embankment dam on the Bhagirathi River near Tehri in Uttarakhand, India. It is the primary dam of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd. and the Tehri hydroelectric complex...
. It meets its major tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
the Bal Ganga at Ghyansali (elevation 976 m (3,202.1 ft)).
The Bal Ganga, whose headwaters are formed at the foot of Mount Kukhli Dhar (elevation 4600 m (15,091.9 ft)), itself has a minor tributary, the Dharam Ganga, which meets it at Thati Kathur (also Budha Kedar) at elevation 1524 m (5,000 ft)
The Khatling trek route passes alongside the Bhilangna, starting from the last point accessible by road, Ghuttu, until the glacier, which stands at 3700 metres. If one were to go further on the trail past the glacier, one could reach Kedarnath.