Harsil

Harsil is a village and an army area on the banks of the Bhagirathi River, on the way to the Hindu pilgrimage, Gangotri, in Uttarkashi district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand ). Situated at a height of 7,860 ft (2,620 metres.) from sea level, Harshil lies 73 km. from Uttarkashi, and 30 km away from Harshil lies the Gangotri National Park, spread over 1,553 square km.The idol of the Hindu River Goddess Ganga (Ganges) is brought down from the shrine at Gangotri in the upper Himalayas after Diwali and kept at 'Mukhba' village near Harshil. It remains there throughout the winter when Gangotri is snowbound and inaccessible.