Mukhba Village : Winter abode Of Goddess Ganga
Mukhba village is located at Harsil valley in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Mukhba village is also known as Mukhimath. This place is best known for the "winter abode of Goddess Ganga ". Only few families resides here. The architecture of the Mukhba Temple is same as Gangotri Dham Temple . Wooden houses are common here. The village is fully occupied by Nautiyal and Semwals. When the doors of Gangotri are closed during winters, Goddess Ganga is brought down to Mukhba Village.
Mukhba village offers the scenic view of Mt. Shrikanth, Dharali village,Bhagirathi river, Jhinda Bugyal, apple orchards and Harshil Horns. During winters, the residents of the village migrate to Uttarkashi, Dehradun and Bhatwari as their second home.
How to reach Mukhba village?
The nearest railway station is at Rishikesh and the nearest airport is at Dehradun, Jolly grant.
From Dehradun - Mukhba Village
Total distance : 273km
Total Duration : 9 hrs
Road map to Dehradun - Mukhba
Dehradun - Uttarkashi - Harsil - Mukhba
Dehradun - Uttarkashi : 191 km, Duration : 5hrs, Service : Bus/ Taxi
Uttarkashi - Harsil : 79km, Duration : 3hrs , Service : Taxi only, No bus service available
Harsil - Mukhba : 1km , Duration : 15mins, Service : Local taxi, private taxi or on-foot (45min)
Harsil valley - Mukhba
There are two option to reach mukhba village, either from Harsil valley or from Dharali village. The other way to reach mukhba village is from harsil valley through road. You can reach mukhba village through road in just 20minutes.
From Dharali village, there is no motorable road, one has to cross the bridge to reach Mukhba. The distance between Dharali - Mukhba is just 1km.
Best time to visit :
You can visit anytime throughout the year.
Summer season
March - Oct : In the month of April, Goddess Ganga is brought up to Gangotri Dham. One can visit Gangotri Dham in the months of April-Oct.
July August : One can opt for the beautiful Mangwachu trek during this time. It is one of the famous trek of mukhba village.
Oct :- October, here, is also known as the "Apple Season" . The Apple harvesting starts from Sept last to Oct last. One can experience the plucking and harvesting of fresh apples of Mukhba village.
Winter season :
Goddess Ganga is brought down to her winter abode Mukhba in November . During the months of Nov - Feb, the residents migrate to their second home at Bhatwari and Uttarkashi. One can experience the live snowfall during the months of Dec, Jan & February. Sometimes the road is inaccessible due to heavy snowfall.
Nearby Places to Explore
Some of the best place to explore :
1. Dharali village :- Dharali village is in front of mukhba village seprated by Bhagirathi river. It is just 1km walk from Mukhba village.
2. Jhinda Bugyal : This beautiful meadow is visible from mukhba village. One can start the trek from Dharali village. It is 5km trek from Dharali village.
3. Sattal / seven lakes : one can visit sattal at dharali village. It is an upward trek of 3 km. It is an excellent choice for beginners.
4. Mt. Shrikanth : The mighty Mt. Shrikanth is visible from Mukhba village. One has to trek for at least 3 days to reach the base of Mt. Shrikanth.
Treks in Mukhba Village
Mukhba village is the basecamp for Mangwachu Trek. This beautiful trek is still unknown to many trekkers & tourists. This is upward trek of 15km from Mukhba village. It is a 5 day trek, that opens up into a beautiful & mesmerizing valley. This trek is famous for its Vibrating Mangwachu Lake.
Why to visit Mukhba Village?
1. Winter abode of " Goddess Ganga".
2. Offering scenic view of Mt. Shrikanth, Jhinda Bugyal, Dharali village & Bhagirathi peaks.
3. Mangwachu Trek : The enchanting Lake
4. Historical Importance.
5. Know more about the existence of Goddess Ganga.
6. Apple & Rajma Season
7. Live Snowfall in December, January & February.
8. Visit Markandey Temple.
9. Visit to Kachora powerhouse.
10. To know more about the architectural structure of Mukhba temple.
Main occupation of the residents
Most of the residents of mukhba village works as priests at Gangotri Dham. Some also runs their shops at Gangotri Dham. Only few of the residents are involve in farming.
Nearest Helipad
The nearest helipad is located at a distance of 2 km from mukhba village. Afterwards one can either opt to reach mukhba from harsil valley or from Dharali village as mentioned earlier.
Stays in Mukhba Village
There's is no stay in mukhba village. There are only few homestays. There is no facilty of hotels and restaurants in Mukhba village. The nearest hotels and restaurants are available at Dharali village and Harsil valley. If you're looking for homestays, there are no. of homestays in Harsil valley, offering traditional food and excellent staying facility.