Like Ganga, Yamuna is a major perennial river flowing from the Himalayas. There are mystical legends and folklore about her too.
Yamunotri, also known as ‘Jamnotri’, is the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna in Hindu belief system. The sacred shrine of Yamunotri, source of the river Yamuna, is the western most shrine in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is perched atop a flank of Bander-poonch Parvat. Yamunotri Temple is situated at an altitude of 3,293 metres (10,804 ft) in the Garhwal Himalayas and located approximately 150 km North of Uttarkashi, the headquarters of the Uttarkashi district in the Garhwal Division of Uttarakhand, India.
The chief attraction at Yamunotri is the temple devoted to the Goddess Yamuna and the holy thermal springs at Janki Chatti which is 7 km away. It is a part of the famous Char Dham along with Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, the four most revered Hindu pilgrimages in the Himalayas. The shrine of Yamunotri is situated at an altitude of about 3185 m., is a point of paramount religious importance for Hindus and an essential pilgrimage. The temple is dedicated to the river Yamuna, on the left bank of the Yamuna, was constructed by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal. The deity is made of black marble. The Yamuna, like the Ganges, has been elevated to the status of a divine mother for the Hindus and has been held responsible for nurturing and developing the Indian civilization.
According to the ancient legend, sage Asit Muni had his hermitage here. All his life, he bathed daily both in the Ganges and the Yamuna. Unable to go to Gangotri during his old age, a stream of the Ganges appeared opposite Yamunotri for him.
Sangya is the birthplace of the Yamuna in the Champasar Glacier, just below the Bander-poonch Mountain. The mountain adjacent to the river source is dedicated to her father, and is called Kalind Parvat, (Kalind being another name for Surya). Yamuna is known for her frivolousness, a trait that she developed because, according to folklores, Yamuna’s mother Sangya could never make eye contact with her dazzling husband. It is not frequented generally, as it is not accessible and hence the shrine has been located on the foot of the hill. The approach is extremely difficult and pilgrims therefore offer pooja at the temple itself.
Yamunotri, the small mountain hamlet, with the Yamunotri Temple at its centre, attracts thousands of devotees every year and is the commencing point of the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage between May and October, which proceeds from Yamunotri to Gangotri and finally to Kedarnath and Badrinath. Lodged in a narrow gorge, close to the source of the Yamuna, the Yamunotri Temple is dedicated to Yamuna, the second-most sacred river after the Ganges. A dip in River Yamuna is said to protect one from untimely death. Devotees either walk or ride a palanquin or a pony to reach the temple around 3,233 m above sea level from Janki Chatti, a steep trek of about 3 km that takes about 3 hours.
There are hot water springs located close to the temple. Surya kund is the most important kund. Near the Surya Kund there is a boulder called ‘Divya-Shila’, which is worshipped before puja is offered to the deity. Devotees prepare rice and potatoes, tied in muslin cloth, to offer at the shrine by dipping them in these hot water springs. The cooked rice is taken back home as prasad.
The pujaris of Yamunotri come from the village of Kharsali near Janki Chatti. They are the administrators of the sacred place and perform religious rites. They are well-versed in the Shastras. The best time to visit is between April and June and between September and November
