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Yamunotri,
the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna,
is one of the four sites in India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage. The
actual source of Yamuna River lies in the Yamunotri Glacier at a height
6,387 mtrs., near Bandarpunch peaks in Lower Himalayas, in the Uttarkashi
district, Uttarakhand. The Yamunotri temple is located in Uttarkashi district,
Uttarakhand, India, a full day's journey from Uttarakhand's main towns — Rishikesh,
Haridwar or Dehradun. The actual temple is only accessible by a thirteen kilometre
trek from the town of Hanuman Chatti and a six kilometer walk from Janki Chatti; horses
or palanquins are available for rent. The hike from Hanuman Chatti to Yamunotri is very
picturesque with beautiful views of a number of waterfalls.
The first
stopover for the Char Dham Yatra (Four Religious Places
Journey) of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri
is the westernmost shrine of Yamunotri in the Garhwal
Himalayas in the state of Uttaranchal. Dedicated to
Goddess Yamuna, it is perched atop a flank of the Bandar
Poonchh (Monkey's Tail) peak (3165 mts. above sea level).
The shrine attracts devotees in large numbers from May to
October
The temple of Yamunotri falls on the left bank of River
Yamuna. The present temple was built by Maharani Guleria
of Jaipur in the late nineteenth century. Once destroyed
by an earthquake, it has been rebuilt. Near the temple are
three hot springs, a bath in them is very refreshing after
a tedious 13 kms. trek from Hanumanchatti or 5 kms. from
Janki Chatti.
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The
temple remains closed from November to April
The shrine of Yamunotri is one of the "four dhams" of
Uttarakhand. Yamunotri is the source of the revered
river Yamuna which originates from the Champasar
Glacier lying 1 km ahead of the shrine, at an altitude
of 4421 mts. The approach is extremely difficult and
pilgrims therefore offer puja at the temple itself.
Yamunotri finds a special mention in the Hindu
mythology. According to a legend, this secluded hilly
spot was the home of an ancient sage, Asit Muni.
The trek to Yamunotri is spectacular, dominated by a
panorama of rugged peaks and dense forests.
Quick Tips:
Yamunotri Altitude: 3,165 mts.
Climate:
Summer: Cool during the day and cold at night.
Winter: Snow-bound touching sub-zero.
Clothing summer: Light woollens. Winter : Very
heavy woollens
Languages: Hindi, Garhwali, English
Accommodation:
Tourist Rest Houses of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam are
available at Barkot, Syana Chatti, Hanuman Chatti,
Phool Chatti, Janki Chatti and Yamunotri. Other
private lodges are also available. It is advisable to
book in advance during peak season.
Eating Out: Tourist Rest Houses provide
reasonable good food. Local eating houses (dhabas) are
also available. Non-vegetarian food and alcoholic
drinks are prohibited in Yamunotri.
Sayanachatti : 29 kms. from Barkot is a scenic
spot on the banks of river Yamuna.
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Hanumanchatti :
The confluence of Hanuman Ganga and Yamuna rivers,
from where the trek to Dodi Tal (3,307 mts) starts.
8 km from Barkot is Gangani, a place of pilgrimage, on
the left bank of Yamuna. The holy tank here is called
Gangayan Kund. Water from the tank is taken for puja
purposes to the opposite village of Than, housing the
imposing temple of Rishi Jamdagni. 2 kms. from Gangani
is Kharadi a place known for its roaring waterfall. |
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The
Shrine of Yamunotri, source of river Yamuna is
situated in the direction opposite to Gangotri and the
road from Rishikesh bifurcates and goes to Yamunotri
from Dharasu, a place between Rishikesh - Uttarkashi.
Another 55 km away is Barkot. Barkot is also
approachable by road directly from Delhi (334 km) via
Dehradun, Mussoorie, Nainbagh and Naugaon. The
motorable road continues till Jankichatti (2600 m MSL)
via Syanachatti, Ranachatti and Hanumanchatti, 50 km
from Barkot. The road up to Rana Chatti is accessible
by all vehicles but beyond this point, for about 16
kms to Janki Chatti, the road is fit only for light
vehicles. From Jankichatti it’s a 5 km trek to
Yamunotri for which ponies, dandies (pilgrims on a
chair carried by four persons) and kandies (baskets
for carrying single person) are also available.
How to reach:
Air: Nearest airport is Jolly Grant, 18 kms
from Rishikesh.
Rail: Nearest railhead is Dehradun which is 172
km from Yamunotri and Rishikesh, at a distance of 222
kms. |
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Hotels in
Yamunotri... |
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