Idols worshiped at Yamunotri and Yamunotri during winters

The idols worshiped at Yamunotri

Winter abode for Yamunotri idols

People / Swamis / yogis who stay over in Yamunotri during winters

This article is about Yamunotri and is the first in the series of four articles

The chardham circuit in the Himalaya is open for six months from May to November and closed during winters

Please refer below link

http://bhoj11.blogspot.com/2012/07/reason-behind-char-dham-yatra.html

For commercial reasons the government of Uttarakahand is promoting the winter Chardham yatra

There is a lot of misconception regarding this, people think that the main idols of temples are shifted to their winter abode, but this is not so.

There is also a lot of misconception regarding the People / Swamis / yogis who stay over in the chardham’s during winters when the respective chardham towns are abandoned, they are considered to be special and highly elevated spiritually again this is not so

This article is based on my own personal experiences and the first-hand information that I have collected as I travelled to these places and stayed there for a long period of time

 Yamunotri

Below the trek—on the way to Yamunotri

Below small town of Yamunotri, you can see the river Yamuna originating from the ice glaciers above and the Yamunotri temple

Before entering the Yamunotri temple worship is carried out at Divya shilla near Surya kund which is the origin of the hot water spring

Below Surya kund and Divya Shilla

Below close up of Surya kund 

Below close up of Divya Shilla

Below  the Yamunotri temple

Below  the river Yamuna roaring past the Yamunotri temple

         

Inside the main temple there is a big black Yamuna idol and on its left is another Yamuna idol, a third silver Yamuna idol is kept below. Further down on left the idol of Bal Gopal is kept also called Ladu Gopal.

All idols face North and Yamuna is seated on a Tortoise which is not visible

Yamunotri is a five Km trek from Janki chatti, most people do not stay over at yamunotri, but I strongly recommend spending two, three days at Yamunotri.

High above the temple is the Glacier which is the origin of the Yamuna River, the trek to this glacier is difficult and must be done by someone with good trekking experience and accompanied by a local guide, one can find the Himalaya brahma kamal flower plus some rare herbs here   

Winter abode for Yamunotri idols

During winters the small silver idol of Yamuna is taken down to the Shani dev temple at Kharsali near Janki Chatti

People who stay in Yamunotri during winters

One Shri Ram bharose das baba is being staying at Yamunotri for more than fifty years, currently he stays here with his disciple. Every morning he conducts a Vedic fire ceremony Yajna, he offers food and stay to all and never demands any money

He meets visitors only in the morning and evenings and the remaining day he spends in prayers, one thing no one is allowed to touch him

Below  the Hanuman temple of Shri Ram bharose das baba

Visiting Yamunotri in winters

All the chardhams in Uttarakhand are abandoned in winter, the temples sealed.

But there are a few people who visit these places in winter, some do it to experience the peace and tranquillity and absorb the spiritual vibrations when no one is around others do it as an expedition as one has to travel over snow covered roads.

Special permission is NOT required to visit Yamunotri during winters

Motorable road is till Janki chatti after which one has to trek five Kms to Yamunotri, but one must never attempt this without a local guide during winters

Feel free to ask me any further questions and I recommend staying over for a few days in each dham. I always travel after monsoons when there is no rush and rates are less