Ganga,
Yamuna, Alaknanda and many other rivers origin from Uttarakhand. Finally all
these rivers merge with Ganga at Allahabad. Like Gaumukh which is the
source of the sacred river Ganga, the Alakapuri glacier is the source of
Alaknanda river. Alakapuri Glacier, in district Chamoli of Uttarakhand state,
is located at the base of the Balkun Peak, 6067 mtr above sea level, is 15 km
from Sri Badrinath and 3 km from Laxmivan and is the abode of Kuber, the
Yakshas and Gandharvas.
The glacier spreads into two valleys
that lead to Satopanth and Gaumukh. The
Narain Parvat almost divides the glacial zones of Alakapuri and Gaumukh. The entire region between Gaumukh and Alakapuri
is a glacial plateau. From the north of this plateau, emerges the Bhagirathi
and from the south east the Alaknanda flowing out in different directions. It is said in the Skand Purana that the Ganga , on descending from the coils of Shiva’s hair was
caught on the Sumeru Parvat (Narain Parvat) and flowed out in seven streams—two
of which are the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda.
The Alaknanda emerges from as many as
five snouts, dotted along an ice and rubble wall, one kilometre wide, which is
located between two moraines. Inside the
snouts, the stalactites resemble crystal chandeliers suspended above the blue
waters. Four of the snouts are wide
cave-like openings and the fifth is just a narrow outlet. Born of the Alakapuri Glacier, the Alaknanda
after touching the feet of Lord Badrivishal, flows on to Devprayag where it
merges with Bhagirathi to form the fabled Ganga .
To the right of the glacier, the Nilkanth Peak Chaukhamba Peak
