Gangotri Glacier

Gangotri Glacier is a Himalayan glacier in Uttarakhand, India. Its meltwater feeds the Bhagirathi River, a major source of the Ganges.

Bhagirathi River: A Himalayan river that rises from the Gangotri Glacier and forms a major headstream of the Ganges. Its headwaters emerge from the glacier’s snout.
Glacier: A persistent body of land ice that flows under its own weight. Gangotri is a large valley glacier within this broader class.
Ganges: A major South Asian river flowing from the Himalaya across India and Bangladesh to the Bay of Bengal. The Bhagirathi, fed by Gangotri, is one of its principal headstreams.
Glacier retreat: The landward movement of a glacier’s terminus as its ice margin shrinks. Gangotri’s terminus has retreated substantially during the modern observation period.
Gaumukh: An ice cave at the terminus of Gangotri Glacier from which the Bhagirathi River emerges. This glacier-front opening marks the river’s source.
Himalaya: A mountain range in Asia extending across several countries, including India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Gangotri occupies the range’s western-central sector.
Gangotri: A Hindu pilgrimage town in Uttarakhand near the source of the Bhagirathi River. The town’s religious significance is closely tied to the river’s glacial source.
Himalayan water resources: Water from Himalayan precipitation, snow, ice, and rivers used by ecosystems and people. Gangotri contributes meltwater to a heavily used river system.
Glacial meltwater: Liquid water produced when glacier ice or snow melts. Seasonal melting supplies water to the Bhagirathi from the glacier.
Uttarakhand: A state in northern India whose terrain includes part of the Himalaya. The glacier lies in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal Himalaya.

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