Yamunotri Temple, Uttarkashi – The Temple
The sacred shrine of Yamunotri, source of the river
Yamuna, is the western most shrine in the Garhwal Himalayas, perched atop a
flank of Bandar Poonch Parvat. It is situated near the foot of Kalind Parbat
(peak) and on a side of Bandar Poonch Parbat. The chief attraction at Yamunotri
is the temple devoted to the Goddess Yamuna and the holy thermal springs
at Janki Chatti (7 Kms away).
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. The temple opens on Akshaya
Tritiya (May) and closes on Yama
Dwitiya (the second day after Diwali, November) for the winter.
Devi's winter address is Kharsali village where she reaches in a palanquin and
will remain for the entire period of winters.
The temple staff return to their villages and for the
rest of the time the valley is gripped in no-man silence and covered with a
white sheet of snow. With the melting of the snow next summer, the temple re-opens.
The actual source, a frozen lake of ice and glacier (Champasar Glacier) located
on the Kalind Mountain at a height of 4,421 meters (14,505 ft) above sea
level, about 1 Km further up, is not frequented generally as it is not
accessible; hence the shrine has been located on the foot of the hill. The
approach is extremely difficult, and pilgrims therefore offer puja at the
temple itself.
Lodging at the temple itself is limited to a few
small ashrams and
guest-houses. Ritual duties such as the making and distribution of prasad
(sanctified offerings) and the supervision of pujas (ritual
venerations) are performed by the Uniyal family of pujaris (priests).
Unique aspects of ritual practice at the site include hot springs where raw
rice is cooked and made into prasad.
Hot
Springs:
Two hot springs, Surya Kund and Gauri Kund, are found
near Yamunotri Temple. These Hot Springs offers relief to tired devotees / hikers
at a height of 3,292 metres (10,801 ft),
Surya Kund:
Surya Kund is a hot spring, situated close to Yamunotri
Temple. It holds the boiling-hot water as it emerges from the crevices in the
mountain. This thermal spring gets its name from Yamuna river which is
considered to be the offspring of Surya or the God as per Hindu mythology. The
presence of this thermal spring bordered by snow-covered mountain peaks adds to
the divine significance of the place.
The temperature of Surya Kund is estimated to be around
88°C. Pilgrims prepares Prasad out of potatoes or rice mixed with salt and ties
it in a cloth. Then it is dipped into the hot spring where it gets boiled. This
Prasad is offered to the temple deity after which the remaining is taken back
home by the devotees.
Gauri Kund:
Gauri Kund is a hot spring, situated close to Yamunotri
Temple. This Hot Spring is suitable for bathing.
Divya
Shila:
It is a reddish-brown rock near the Surya Kund which
needs to be worshipped before offering reverence to the main deity, Mother Yamuna.
According to Skanda Purana, with a mere touch of the sacred rock one can attain
spiritual liberation.
Janki
Chatti:
Janki Chatti is a small town located on the way to
Yamunotri Temple in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Janki Chatti is
perched at an elevation of about 2650 m above the sea level and is famous for
its many hot water springs. Taking a dip in the hot water from these springs is
considered very sacred, before visiting the Yamunotri.
This area encompasses the last village in the region and the pilgrims are
provided with moderate accommodation facilities here.
The town is surrounded by mountains offering scenic
views. It is very famous among tourists who travel to the region of Yamunotri
during Char Dham Yatra and most pilgrims take a night halt. Previously the
starting point of the trek to reach Yamunotri was Hanuman Chatti but now jeeps
are available up to Janki Chatti. Ponies and palanquins are available at Janki
Chatti.
Hanuman
Chatti:
Hanuman Chatti is located at the confluence of the
Hanuman Ganga and Yamuna rivers. Hanuman Chatti is situated at about 2,400
meters above mean sea level. It is a serene place offering ample amount of
accommodation facilities. Hanuman Chatti is also a popular trekking spot among
the travelers. There are many minor temples in the region, the most noteworthy
temple is the one dedicated to Hanuman. Within the interiors of the temple
there is an impressive image of Lord Hanuman carrying a mountain.
To the left of the temple there is a Samadhi of Himalaya
Giri, a saint who lived and meditated in Hanuman Chatti. On top of the shrine
there is a Shiva Linga. In earlier times, Hanuman Chatti used to be the
starting point of the trek to reach Yamunotri but now motorable roads are
available up to Janki Chatti. The hike from Hanuman Chatti to Yamunotri is very
popular among the travelers. Apart from Yamunotri, the best trekking excursion
of Hanuman Chatti is towards Darwa Top and Dodi Tal.
No comments:
Post a Comment