Yamunotri Geographical Facts

Yamunotri Dham is situated amongst the lush green lap of the Garhwal Himalayas on a flank of Bandarpoonch Parvati. Due to its jagged terrain and rough trails the temple can only be accessed by covering a walking distance of almost 7 kms. The overall ecosystem of Yamunotri is filled with different types of tall green trees like that of coniferous, oak and deodar that coexists peacefully in high altitude regions. The climate of higher Himalayas is very different from the rest of the part of India and the plants, fishes and animals residing here are unique. From the glaciers to the high snow-clad peaks the experience here is unreal and will never fail to surprise you. It is very important for you to know about the geography of any place you are going beforehand so that you are able to depict what kind of a weather it would be and pack your bags according to that.

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. The temple of 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.