Yamunotri Dham is located in Uttarkashi of Uttarakhand which is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna at the height of 3293 meters above sea-level. Yamuna River originates from Yamunotri Dham, which is considered one of the most sacred rivers of Hindus. Every year, during the Char Dham Yatra season thousands of religious pilgrims from across the world visit Yamunotri Temple as a part of their four Dham Yatra, with a hope to wash-off all their sins.
Yamunotri Temple is considered to be the ideal destination for pilgrims and tourists who are fanatic about complete peace, escapades, scenic beauty, tranquil and natural environment. Some of the other attractions to explore during your visit to Yamunotri include Saptarishi Kund Lake, Hanuman Chatti, Janki Chatti, Divya Shila, Surya Kund etc.
During the festival of Akshaya Tritiya, the temple is open for public (i.e. during the month of April or May). The idol of Goddess Yamuna is again carried back to the temple from nearest village known as Kharsali, where she was place during the winters when the temple is closed. This village is considered to the Mothers’ Home of Goddess Yamuna where she is worshipped during winters when temple is closed for public. The temple is closed after conducted the rituals of famous Hindu festival, Diwali. During the winters the temple is closed as it gets covered with snow which makes worshipping impossible for public.
History
Yamunotri Temple is the most important holy shrine for Hindus which is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna. The temple has a black marble idol of goddess Yamuna inside it that holds the status of omnipresent Mother to Human race. According to Hindu mythology, the life on earth keeps on going with the aid and rich nourishment offered by blessings and grace of Goddess Yamuna. In contrary to religious beliefs, Yamuna is one of the major holy rivers after Ganga and it is the part of trio holy river of India, Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.
Tehri Naresh King Sudarshan Shah actually constructed the Yamunotri Temple in the year 1839 to honor Goddess Yamuna. Later, the temple was completely destroyed by a severe earthquake. In 19th century, Maharani Gularia of Jaipur decided to reconstruct the temple and renovate it again. This is how the new Yamunotri temple came into existence lately in 19th century.
Legends
In fact there are several legends that are linked with this holy Yamunotri temple. The religious legends affirm that goddess Yamuna is the daughter of Sun God and Sangya, the goddess of Consciousness and the sister of death god, Yama. So, many pilgrims and legends believe that by offering prayer at Yamunotri Temple, they will not only wash off their sins, but will also get blessings from Sun God, God of Consciousness and Death God. After the prayer, the pilgrims always take holy dip into the River Yamuna because they believe that by doing so they will get rid from the fear of morality or death. The mountain surrounding the Yamunotri Temple is named after Yamuna Devi’s Father, Surya Dev. This mountain valley is named as Kalind Parvat.
According to other legends, Asit Muni an ancient sage believed to live his entire life in this region of Yamunotri. Every day he used to take his bath in the River Yamuna and Ganga. When he grew older, he was unable to go to River Ganga to take his bath as it is far away and hence he started the bathing rituals in the stream of River Ganga which emerge close to River Yamuna just opposite to it.
According to other legends, Goddess Yamuna was very frivolous by nature and this trait came into her due to a myth, that her mother was unable to make eye contact with her father who is a Sun God.
Places to Visit
There are some popular places to visit in Yamunotri such as Divya Shila, Janki Chatti, Badkot, Kharsali, and Hanuman Chatti. Some places are listed here
Yamunotri Temple
Dedicated to Yamuna River, Yamunotri Temple is one of the most crucial Hindu pilgrimage destinations and it is visited every year by pilgrims as a part of Char Dham Yatra. The original temple was constructed in the year 1839 by Tehri Naresh Sudarshan Shah. However, the temple was destroyed by a severe earthquake. Later in 19th century, Maharani Gularia of Jaipur reconstructed the shrine and renovated it again. The exceptional craftsmanship and architects par excellence, the white idol of Ganga and black idol of Yamuna is really an excellent treat to watch.
Hanuman Chatti
Sitting at an elevation of 2400 metres above sea level, as the name suggests this holy centre of pilgrimage is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and is situated at a distance of 13 kms from the holy temple of Yamunotri Dham. Sitting among the lush greenery and serene surroundings the temple at Hanuman Chatti is not only a popular holy shrine among religious people but it is also incredibly popular among travelers and outdoor sports enthusiasts.
Situated at an elevation 2,650 metres above sea level Janki Chatti is popular for its natural hot water springs which has medicinal properties and has been also proven to cure all your physical and mental ailments. This holy centre lies extremely close to the Indo – China border and is cradled comfortably among the massive snow clad mountains.
Surya Kund
It is the site of hot water spring at Yamunotri Temple. Pilgrims take a holy dip in Surya in steaming hot water, cooled to comfort for bath. It is believed that bath at this holy site showers blessings of God for ones wellbeing. It is more of a community bath for pilgrims.
Saptarishi Kund
Situated at a distance of 10 kms from the main Dham shrine of Yamunotri, this holy Kund, or glacial lake represents the original source of the holy river Yamuna which is fed continuously by Champasar glacier. It is home to one of the rarest specie of flowers, Brahma Kamal, which only grows around the periphery of this lake. The religious significance of this lake lies in the fact that 7 great rishis had once performed their penance around this very lake.
Divya Shila
Popularly named ‘slab of divine light’, this rock pillar is located close to Yamunotri Dham temple and Surya Kund. Perched atop an elevation of 3000 metres above sea level it has become a regular part of the ritual to offer your prayers at this point before proceeding ahead to worship at Yamunotri. Surrounded by lush greenery, against the backdrop of massive snow clad mountain tops, this place offers stunning panoramic views.
Kharsali
Sitting perfectly at an elevation 2,675 metres above sea level among some of the most breathtakingly magnificent views this quaint hamlet on the hills is religiously significant since it is the winter abode of Goddess Yamuna. Popularly named as Khushimath this place is visited by a throng of pilgrims even during the off months of winter when the char Dham doors are closed for Darshan and devotees visit their winter homes to offer their puja rituals.
Things to Enjoy at Yamunotri
Trekking in Yamunotri – Apart from religious trip to Yamunotri, tourists and adventurous pilgrims can also enjoy trekking at Yamunotri valley which offers some of the tedious and pictorial treks to experience. Pilgrims and tourists can reach Yamunotri by trekking from Dehradun via Yamuna Bridge and Barkot and Rishikesh. Some of popular trekking region you may experience while reaching Yamunotri include, trek from Hanuman Chatti, Dodi Tal Trek, and the trek from Janki Chatti to Kharsali.
Accommodation and Food
There are many hotels for stay in Yamunotri which are private and government property. Garwhal Mandi Vikas Nigam has opened up Tourist rest houses for pilgrims at Hanuman Chatti, Janki Chatti and even at Yamunotri and those come with quite good facilities plus nominal rates. Many Dharamshalas and Ashrams are also there where you stay at quite low rates. Many of the tourist houses come with self cooking facilities. If you eat out at the road side Dhabhas too, you can only eat pure vegetarian food. Local Garwhali cuisine might be sampled but strictly vegetarian. Also alcoholic drinks are not allowed because this is a much revered pilgrim spot where you can bask in the glory of divinity uplifting your soul, your spirits and your mind!
Reaching There
- By Air: Jolly Grant airport is the nearest airport to Yamunotri situated at a distance of 210 Kilometers. The airport is well connected to Delhi with daily flights. Hanuman chatty is directly connected by motor-able roads with Jolly Grant Airport, and one can get taxis from the airport to Hanuman Chatti.
- By Rail: The nearest railway station to Yamunotri is Rishikesh and Dehradun. Dehradun station is located 175 km away from Yamunotri and Rishikesh railway station is located 200 km before Yamunotri on NH58. Both these stations are well connected with major destinations in India.
- By Road: Yamunotri is not directly accessible by motor-able roads and the trek commences from Hanuman Chatti. Hanuman Chatti is well connected by motor-able roads with major destination in Uttrakhand state.
Check out: Yamunotri Tour Packages
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