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Yamunotri Yamunotri (10,800 feet) is the ritual source of the Yamuna River (the real source is further upstream). As with the Ganges, the Yamuna is also seen as a goddess. The path passes through the little village at bottom, over the iron bridge, and the around to the shrines on the river's other side. Aside from the temples, Yamunotri also has hot springs. |
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This is a shot up the valley from Yamunotri, and you can see that it is both steep and lushly forested. The mountain on the left, Bandar Punch ("Monkey's Tail"), is 20,732 ft. high. |
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The road ends 13 km. from Yamunotri, and from there pilgrims must travel on their own. Most pilgrims walk under their own power, but one can also hire ponies, or be carried in various ways. One of these (for small people only) are in these wicker baskets called kandis. On the steeper upgrades the passengers (the little girl here) will get out and walk. |
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At a few places in the path the grade gets a little steep, as you can see here (along with the pony's back end). |
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The red building in the foreground contains a tank filled
by one of the hot springs. Some of the springs there are almost
boiling hot (184 degrees), but this one was merely pleasantly warm--a
pleasant rest after a long hike in. The tin shed below is a bathing
pool for ladies only, to give more privacy when changing.
The building in the background is a pilgrim rest house, and contains a temple to Hanuman. |
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In 1990, the actual Yamuna temple was a surprisingly modest building--a small structure with a a sloping flat roof, in which the deity was installed in the back. The arrow on the sign points to the way inside past the tinsel and decorations hung over the threshold. In the foreground is the men's bathing pool. |
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This shows a pilgrim couple, with the wife holding a tray of offerings for worship. Behind them is the oldest temple to the goddess Yamuna, a surprisingly modest one-story temple. A sign on the temple reports that it was built by the King of Nepal in 1670, but without independent confirmation this date is doubtful. |
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Page maintained by James G.
Lochtefeld.
Last modified 24 December 2003
