From the archive record
Peaks of Bhagirathi and Tapovan are snow capped all round the year at 13000 + feet up in the Himalayas. The mountain stands strong as the holy Hindu river Bhagirathi flow out of a snout in Gaumukh in Uttarakhand. Small Shivling and a shrine stands at this height marking the auspiciousness of the region. Gomukh, the terminus or snout of the Gangotri Glacier, from where Bhagirathi river originates. The place is situated at a height of 13,200 ft. It is one of the largest in the Himalayas with an estimated volume of over 27 cubic kilometers. Gomukh is also referred to as "Gaumukh" or "Gomukhi". The word "Gomukh" (go + mukh) literally means "Mouth of a Cow". According to some sayings, earlier the snout exactly looked like "Mouth of a Cow". Gomukh is 18 km from Gangotri in the foot hills of Bhag