Travel Tips for Yamunotri Dham Yatra

Yamunotri, a holy place of Uttarakhand lies on the west of the Garhwal Himalayas. The Dham is situated on the bank of the River Yamuna which is known as the second holy river in India. Yamunotri is one of the pilgrimages of Char Dham Yatra and is the first stop off of the Yatra. Yamuna is considered as Yami in Vedas which means lady of life and the goddess Yamuna is the daughter of Sun and is a twin of Yama which means god of death. Yamunotri originates from a frozen lake and Champasar Glacier which is located at an altitude of 4421metres above the sea level. Dating back to early 19th century, Yamunotri temple got reconstructed after suffering a severe loss due to a heavy destructive earthquake. The whole environment looks spiritual where devotees can be seen taking dips into the River Yamuna and preparing rice and potatoes as a Prasad to offer the black idol of goddess Yamuna.

Yamunotri Dham

Like other Pilgrimages of Hindu, Yamunotri also Holds Many Legends about its Origin: 

Legend 1- Devotees have a faith that if they worship goddess Yamuna then they can get the blessings of not only Goddess Yamuna but also of Sun (her father), Sarayu (her mother) and her sister Yama (god of death).

Legend 2- There is a mountain that stands adjacent to the Yamuna River is named as Kalind Parvat as the other name of Yamuna’s father is Kalind.

Legend 3- this is based on the unflinching faith of a devotee Asit Muni who used to take bath everyday in Ganges and Yamuna both but as soon as he grew old his body didn’t allow him to take bath in Ganges, Goddess Ganga after getting impressed by his devotion emerged into a stream near Yamuna.

Legend 4- This story tells us that Yamuna was fatuous by her nature in her childhood. It is believed that this habit was inherited to her because of her mother who was as shy as she had never made any eye contacts with her husband.

Location

Yamunotri is a pious Hindu Temple dedicated to river goddess Yamuna. It is settled at a height of approx 3150metres above the sea level which flows just in opposite of Yamunotri Glacier.  There is a yellow colored minaret built on the top of the temple having bright vermillion border. The temple can be accessed by doing trekking for around 14kms from Hanuman Chatti. You can find an assembly hall in the premise of the temple where pilgrims gather together for doing the philosophy and prayer of goddess Yamuna.

How to Reach Yamunotri: 

Nearest Airport- Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest airport of Yamunotri, located at a distance of 210kms. Taxi services are available for the tourists to reach Yamunotri from Hanuman Chatti.

By Rail- Rishikesh (located at a distance of 200kms) and Dehradun (situated at a distance of 175kms from Yamunotri) are the nearest railway stations. On Rishikesh Railway station train comes frequently for Yamunotri.

By Road- Yamunotri is not well connected with the penetrable roads so tourists need to trek from Hanuman Chatti. One can easily get the buses for Yamunotri from ISBT Kashmiri Gate (New Delhi).

Nearby Places to Visit:

Yamunotri Temple, Surya Kund, Kharsali, Saptarishi Kund, Bali Pass Trek, Janki Chatti, Barkot, Hanuman Chatti are some other destinations which tourists can expedite during Yamunotri Yatra.

Yamunotri Temple- This shrine is located at a 5km trekking distance from Janki Chatti and is settled on Bandarpoonch peak of the Garhwal Himalayas. The temple is well-liked for Devi Temples, trekking and some more adventurous activities accompanied with spirituality.

Surya Kund- The Kund contains hot water springs and also acts as holy place due to its very close location to Yamuna River and Yamunotri Temple. Cooked rice and potatoes are the Prasad offered to the deity which can be taken home with pilgrims.

Kharsali- A small village located in the Uttarkashi district and is mostly visited during winters as the temple is not opened during winters due to heavy snowfall. It is one of the most famous picnic spots in Uttarakhand as one can get the soul enriching views of the mountains, waterfalls and lakes.

Bali Pass Trek- This trekking spot is very less visited out of other trekking spots of Himalayan range but is considered as one of the best and the toughest treks in Uttarakhand. It was earlier a route from the Tons Valley to the Yamuna River Valley.

Best Time to Visit 

During Summer- This is the best time to excurse Yamunotri as the temperature generally doesn’t lie beyond 20 degree Celsius. The environment is very pleasant at this time which will result into a great enjoyment.

During Monsoon- If you are planning a trip to Yamunotri in monsoon then it is definitely a very bad idea as the landslides resulted due to heavy rainfall can become an obstacle in your beautiful journey.

During Winter- This season should not be your preferred time to visit the place as due to heavy snowfall, the roads get blocked which can result into an incomplete excursion of Yamunotri. The other negative point about this season is that temperature goes below zero degree Celsius and sometimes goes up to -7 degree Celsius.

Tips to be Followed During Yamunotri Yatra

  • Tourists are advised to bring a first aid kit them so that in case of any illness they can provide themselves with the primary treatment.
  • You are advised to bring a water bottle with you which can hold a good amount of water to keep you hydrated throughout the journey.
  • As all the tourists are well informed that the weather of this area is inconsistent so you are advised to bring adequate woolen clothes, rain coats with you. It will surely help you out to complete your journey without any suffering.
  • All mobile networks don’t work here properly so please bring a phone with BSNL connectivity as the network of BSNL catches everywhere. You will be well contacted with your family and friends in this way which is very compulsory on any trip.

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