An epic journey to Yamunotri

The palanquin with Yamuna Devi moving to Yamunotri temple

Yamunotri is a high altitude Himalayan temple dedicated to Yamuna Devi. The temple closes its door before the harsh Himalayan winter sets in and re-opens again in summer the following year. Tomorrow (22-April-2023) is the opening day of Yanunotri temple. It is considered particularly auspicious to visit the temple on the opening day. I am not too keen to go there tomorrow as it will be overflowing with devotees. I am staying at a small family run hotel in the village of Kharadi. Since Kharadi village is quite close to Yamunotri temple, going  there tomorrow is the best possible way to optimise my trip. 

Scenery enroute to Jan Ki Chatti

I discussed my plans of visiting Yamunotri with my hotel owner. He advised me to wait beside the hotel in the morning and take one of the numerous share jeeps plying to Yamunotri. If not, he promised to take me there himself, albeit a bit late, as he too will be going to the temple.  I woke up early and went to the hotel reception. The hotel owner had already departed for Yamunotri to receive some high ranking state minsters.

In the lead palanquin is Yamuna Devi.
Her brother, Shani, is in the second palanquin 

By 7: 30 AM, me and the intrepid traveler are waiting outside the hotel. I try to flag down vehicles going to Yamunotri, but nobody stops. There is a small tea shop beside my hotel. I order a cup warm cup of tea. After 20 minutes, the tea shop owner tells me that it’s highly unlikely that I can get a share-vehicle to Yamunotri. As today is temple opening day, all vehicles departing Barkot will be packed with passengers. I ask him if I can hire a vehicle from Kharadi village. He takes me to a nearby hotel and the hotel owner agrees to drive me to Yamunotri in his own car. We agree on a price of 3000/-. The owner of the tea shop also joins us for trip to Yamunotri. The ride to Yamunotri is extremely beautiful. That alone would have made the journey worthwhile, but the best was yet to come.

In the car, my driver enlightened me about Yamunotri temple and its customs. In winter, the idol of Yamuna Devi shrine is kept at a village called Kharsali. On the opening day, (i .e. today) the deity is carried to the Yamunotri temple. All vehicles stop at a place called Jan Ki Chatti. They can go no further. Beyond it is a 6 KM trail to Yamunotri, the summer abode of Yamuna Devi. Its’s a moderate difficulty walk. The trail is well maintained. For those who cannot walk, porter and mule services are available.

It’s about 10 AM when I start walking towards the temple. 15 min into my hike, I notice the procession with the palanquin carrying the idol of Yamuna Devi coming up from Kharsali. I stop and wait for the palanquin to pass me by. Leaving the intrepid traveler behind, I joined the procession. I walked the remainder of path to the Yamunotri temple along with the palanquin.

Only the barefoot priests dressed in blue
are allowed to carry Yamuna Devi's palanquin

Praying at Yamunotri temple today is believed to be highly auspicious. The trail is crowded with devotees, porters and mules. Many have started walking early in the morning. It is inspiring to see old and physically weak people walking up to the temple. It’s their unwavering faith that makes it possible. They have my respect. Hiring porters or mules is an expensive affair. Palanquin carried by a team of 4 people is the most comfortable mode of transport. The cheapest option is to hire a solo porter. He will carry you on his back in a bamboo basket. The sling of the basket is taken around the porter’s forehead. I find this depressing, but then it’s the porter’s livelihood. When I become unfit, I would rather not go than be carried up by a porter. Each to his own!

The procession plods along

The palanquin carrying the Goddess and the devotees use the same crowded trail. As the palanquin forges ahead, a path automatically clears up and procession moves along unimpeded. One has to keep up with the brisk pace palanquin bearers who are accustomed to walking in the Himalayan terrain. This perhaps explains why there are only a handful of people walking along with the idol. I am the odd man in the group; a tourist with a camera around his neck. After walking with them for a while, the palanquin bearers accept me as one of their own. They fill me in on the details. 

One of the temples where the procession stops

There are 2 palanquins in the procession. Yamuna Devi’s idol is carried in the lead palanquin. The second palanquin carries the idol of Lord Shani. Yamuna Devi and Lord Shani (Saturn) are siblings. The dutiful brother is going to drop his elder sister off at her summer residence. He will return to Kharsali village today itself after his sister takes her place at Yamunotri temple. Bhai Dhooj festival celebrates the unconditional love between brother and sister. On Bhai Dooj day, Shani once again treks up to Yamunotri temple to escort his sister back to Kharsali village. Hence, Yamunotri temple always shuts its door for the winter season on Bhai Dhooj day. In Hindu astrology, Shani is a maleficent planet that brings troubles and misfortune. But not so for the villagers of Kharsali! Shani is their Ishta Devata (favorite God).

The procession has reached the Yamunotri temple

We plod along. The bearers, all men, take turns to carry the palanquin. They shift over the palanquin even when it’s on the move. I ask them if I can carry the palanquin. They readily agree and I end up carrying the palanquin of Shani for quite a while. However, I am not allowed to carry the Yamuna Devi’s palanquin. That privilege is only for the barefoot professional priests. When I hand over the palanquin, one person in the group tells me that I’m a very fortunate man. For most people, a trip to Yamunotri represents a pilgrimage of a lifetime. I came to Kharadi to join a 5 day trek. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen and all my planning went awry. The trip to Yamunotri was never on the cards. Even yesterday, I wanted to avoid travelling to Yamunotri! Yet here I am walking along with the deity and even carrying the palanquin of Shani. Maybe, I am fortunate, after all!

On the way to Yamunotri, the procession makes two halts. The first halt is at a Ram temple. The procession is treated to tea, pakoda and semi-solid payasam. A warm cup of tea always feels divine after a hike in the mountains! The second stop is at Bhairav (Shiva) temple. Both temples are modern small concrete buildings. 

Yamuna river beside the temple

As we continue ascending, the air becomes colder. Dark clouds have also started rolling in. About 100 m from the temple door the palanquin stops. Those who have made the journey since morning are waiting at the temple door. There is not an inch of space for the palanquin to proceed ahead through the deluge of humanity. And I am standing right behind the palanquin. People reach out to me and hand over money. These are offerings for the deity and I place them on the palanquin. People with folded hands are praying to the palanquin. Many others who are closer are touching the palanquin and weeping. It’s is an unbelievable experience. It cannot be expressed; it has to be experienced.

The palanquin starts moving again. Instead of going ahead into the temple door, it stakes a sharp left turn. I don’t know where it’s going, but I follow it through a narrow corridor. It appears that I am the only person who is following the palanquin! Everyone else seems to be waiting beside the temple door. The narrow path opens up to the Yamuna river. The magnificent Yamunotri glacier is visible in the distance. The deity is taken into the Yamuna river. The palanquin bearers start dancing. The deity is washed in the Yamuna river and carried back into the temple. Following the palanquin was a man who was obviously in a trance. He pushed me aside as he walked on. Later I was told that the bearers were not deliberately rocking the palanquin. Apparently, the bearers enter a trance state on reaching the Yamuna. The rocking of the palanquin happens involuntarily; in a trance.  But never ever has the palanquin slipped from their shoulder. Many call this a miracle.

The palanquin with the deity is immersed in Yamuna river

Yamuna Devi has been taken inside the temple and the door is locked. I can hear prayers happening inside. I wait for a while near the main door. By now it has started snowing lightly. I decide not to wait any longer as I have to return to my car by 3 PM. The path is filled up with devotees going up to the temple. I can barely move. To avoid the rush, I jumped over the barricade into the Yamuna bank. Later, I climbed back on to the path. 

After a brief walk downhill, I meet the intrepid traveler. From where she is standing, Yamunotri temple is visible. She is excited. It’s the first time that she has experienced snowfall. We pick up some snow together. And we start walking back downhill to the car. It’s a late lunch for us at Jan ki Chatti. It’s past 6 when I get back to the hotel. 

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