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.-from heaven but he failed. Ansurnan's son Dilip also failed and
ultimately the task fell on the shoulders of Bhagirath who
.succeeded in winning over Ganga to descend on earth but she
feared the earth may not take her load, therefore, he will have to
-find out some solution. Brahma advised Bhagirath to please Lord
Shiva, who alone was capable of receiving Ganga. Lord Shiva was
propitiated who agreed to receive the Ganga. Ganga descended with
full fury and majesty on mount Kailash but was caught in the golden
tresses of Shiva. For many years Ganga remained in the Shiva's
Jata. Bhagirath was tested to nerve-breaking petience. He again
waited and finally Lord Shiva waked up to release Ganga. Thus
Oanga gradually flowed out of Shiva's locks on the tenth day of
the bright phase of the moon during Jyeshtha. It is an auspicious
4ay called Shukla Dashami and is celebrated as Ganga Dussehra.
Ganga emerged from Gaumukh to quench the thirst of millions
but it was not the end of miseries because at Bhairanghoti, in
Jier gay and gushing course Ganga washed away the offerings
-of Rishi Janhu. Janhu was obviously annoyed over the distur-
bance and in anger drank the Ganga. Bhagirath could only pray and
ask for forgiveness. Jahnu agreed to release the Ganga from his
thighs, hence Ganga is also known as Jahnavi. At long last
Ganga reached Gangasagar to liberate the sins of Raja Sagar in
the bay of Bengal, after meeting and merging with Yamuna at
Prayag.
Not only the sons of Sagar were liberated through the efforts
of Raja Bhagirath but millions of people who have lived and
•died all along the 2500 kilometer long and hundreds of kilometer
wide banks of Ganga, also known as Bhagirathi have been
nourished and nurtured. Countless persons have washed their sins.
The route—all along the Bhagirathi
The route to Bhagirathi valley lies from muni-ki-reti (Rishikesh)
to Gangotri through Narendranagar-TehrrUttarkashi all along
the Ganga upto Deoprayag from where a route goes upto Tehri
and another upto Srinagar.
Narendranagar was founded by Maharaja Narendra Shah who
caused to be constructed a beautiful palace at Narendranagar in
1930. From Narendranager we can always see the magnificent
view of Himalayas and down below the Doon valley with its