Yamunotri

Yamunotri (Hindi: यमुनोत्री) is the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna in Hinduism. It is situated at an altitude of 3,293 metres (10,804 ft) in the Garhwal Himalayas and located approximately 30 kilometers (19 mi) North of Uttarkashi, the headquarters of the Uttarkashi district in the Garhwal Division of Uttarakhand, India. It is one of the four sites in India's Chhota Char Dham pilgrimage. The sacred shrine of Yamunotri, source of the river Yamuna, is the westernmost shrine in the Garhwal Himalayas, perched atop a flank of Bandar Poonch Parvat. The chief attraction at Yamunotri is the temple devoted to the Goddess Yamuna and the holy thermal springs at Janki Chatti (7 km. Away).

The actual source, a frozen lake of ice and glacier (Champasar Glacier) located on the Kalind Mountain at a height of 4,421 m 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.

Surajkund hot spring

Surajkund hot spring (also called Surya Kund) is a natural hot spring in Belkapi gram panchayat of Barkatha community development block in Barhi subdivision of Hazaribagh district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.

Hot spring

Surajkund has a hot water spring containing sulfur that has healing properties. Tourism department of Jharkhand Government has planned to set up spas, saunas, massage parlours, restaurants and convention halls here,

Surajkund hot spring is claimed to be the hottest spring in India. Surajkund hot spring has a surface temperature of 87 °C (189 °F) and an average subsurface temperature of 165 °C (329 °F). According to recent assessment, India has a large potential of geothermal energy, which can be gainfully utilized for power generation, Jharkhand possesses a good share of these. Of the total recorded sites numbering 340 in India (assessed by Geothermal Education office - US), around 60 sites are in Jharkhand. Surajkund is among the most prospective sites. Other prospective sites in Jharkhand are: Tantolaya / Tantlol, in Santhal Paragana division, and Thatha / Konraha and Jarom in Palamu district.

Yamunotri Temple

Yamunotri Temple is situated in the western region of Garhwal Himalayas at an altitude of 3,291 metres (10,797 ft) in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna and has a black marble idol of the goddess. The Yamunotri temple is a full day's journey from Uttarakhand's main towns — Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun. The actual temple is only accessible by a 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) trek from the town of Hanuman Chatti and a 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) 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. There are two trekking routes from Hanuman Chatti to Yamunotri, the one along the right bank proceeds via the Markandeya Tirth, where the sage Markandeya wrote the Markandeya Purana, the other route which lies on the left bank of the river goes via Kharsali, from where Yamunotri is a five or six hours climb away.

History

Yamunotri temple has a shrine dedicated to the goddess. There is also an 18th-century temple at Gangotri, it was built by Amar Singh Thapa, it was damaged and re-innovated in the 19th century. The temple has been destroyed twice by snow and floods before being rebuilt. It is located on the backdrop of Bandarpunch. The temple is part of the revered Char Dham pilgrimage circuit.

Uttarkashi district

Uttarkashi District is a district of Garhwal division of the Uttarakhand state in northern India, and has its headquarters at Uttarkashi city. It has six Tehsils named after Badkot, Bhatwadi, Chinyali Sour, Dunda, Purola, Mori.

Uttarkashi District town lies high in the Himalaya range, and the district contains the source of both the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, which attract thousands of Hindu pilgrims. The town lies on the main route to Gangotri, has many Hindu temples, and is also considered an important Hindu pilgrimage centre. The district is bounded on the north by Himachal Pradesh state, on the northeast by Tibet, on the east by Chamoli District, on the southeast by Rudraprayag District, on the south by Tehri Garhwal District, and on the west by Dehradun District.

Assembly Constituencies

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Uttarkashi district has a population of 329,686, roughly equal to the nation of Belize. This gives it a ranking of 567th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 41 inhabitants per square kilometre (110/sq mi) . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 11.75%. Uttarkashi has a sex ratio of 959 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 75.98%.

Yatra

Yātrā (Sanskrit: यात्रा, 'journey', 'procession'), in Hinduism and other Indian religions, generally means pilgrimage to holy places such as confluences of sacred rivers, places associated with Hindu epics such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana, and other sacred pilgrimage sites. Tīrtha-yātrā refers to a pilgrimage to a holy site, and is generally undertaken in groups. One who goes on a yatra is known as a yatri. As per Vedic Hindu Dharma shastras a Yatri is supposed to do Yatra barefoot. He/she should travel without umbrellas,vehicles etc., to get the benefit of the Yatra. At present these rules are not followed by many pilgrims.

Description

A yatra is a kamya ritual; for a Hindu, the yatra is spiritually desirable but it is not obligatory. One can go on a yatra for a variety of reasons, including festivals, to perform rituals for one's ancestors, or to obtain good karma. To traditional Hindus, the journey itself is as important as the destination, and the hardships of travel serve as an act of devotion in themselves. Visiting a sacred place is believed by the pilgrim to purify the self and bring one closer to the divine.