Yatra to Yamunotri and Yamunotri glacier, saptarishi kund (english)

With blessings of God Shiva my Kula Deivam Sri Kattiappar, parents, elders, and wishes with love of youngsters, I was in Himalayas in the first half of June 2018 in the yamunotri to complete my Chardham yatra. Earlier, I have been to Gangothri (with further up to Gomuk, Tapovan),  Kedarnath (2 times) and Badrinath. I was praying for yamunotri yatra with further up in yamunotri glacier saptarishi kund which was attempted by only few, as it involves tough trekking of 15 kms above yamunotri shrine where river Yamuna originates.

Due to my age (57) with medical issues (diabetic), I knew my limitations.

My earlier pilgrimages of Sabari mala in peria padai (14+times), Sadhuragiri (3 times), Vellinagiri (3 times) and Parvadamalai (3 times) with parikrama (3 times), Thiruvannamalai giri valams along with my Amarnath, 12 Jyothir lingams and holy Kailash Manasarover (5 times), gave good experiences in different areas, altitudes, toughness.

My intention is to tell that we need to start trekking hill temples in young age of 25+ so that we can reasonably complete at least major temples before retirement. Our normal thinking of going to hills after retirement is wrong. Many times we could not go due to various reasons.. I find north Indians go Himalayas at younger age.

I had vigorous training for this yatra from January this year. My early retirement in February has helped me.  Been to Sabarimala in peria padai, temple run in Cambodia, Thiruvannamalai girivalam, and Tirupathi dharshan going by foot from ground….in these pilgrimages itself I have walked 155 kms and equalling  793 floors !!  this is apart from daily walking of around minimum of 4 floors and 4kms daily….  Infact, I have additionally started pranayama learning (from art of living) and simple exercises and yogasanams from school of sri Vedadri maharishi –‘vaazha valamudan’-(must for all ages) for past few months to strengthen back my physical body.

Reason for mentioning all these is not to boast of but efforts taken for an easy (?) Himalayan yatra…

Our yatra begins now….

To get more information of yatra, I went to GMVN tourist centre in Chennai… TN government has put all state tourist offices in single place…they guided me to go to Dehradun instead of Haridwar/Rishikesh so that more transport facilities available to yamunotri. I could find even from Dehradun no big public transport was available… I have booked accommodation in Janki chetti (gmvn guest house) from that office itself. When I asked about saptarishi kund they said it can be arranged locally and caretaker may help. They also warned about dangers in that stretch with rain… I have also reserved train tickets till Dehradun (Madurai-Chennai-Newdelhi-Dehradun train) .. I have made plan B if saptarishi kund could not be attempted can go to katra (Mata Vasihno Devi darshan)also. I have booked a budget hotel ‘Shiv Krupa’ in Dehradun.

It is advisable to take bags instead of suitcases for easy transport by porters if required. I had approximately 20 kgs luggage with a back bag of 5 kgs. If we are not happy with daily rotis we can take readymade Upma, Pongal (MTR I took) etc, also I packed extra 3 in one coffee sachets as in north India tea is famous. Not coffee….

After prayers to Gods, I started this yatra by train which was almost 7 hours late and extended to 10 hours when I reached Dehradun. The owner of the hotel sent his vehicle to take me to hotel. Food there was good, and I enquired for transport to yamunotri (to base camp Jankichatti). In bus stand I was informed that there in only one bus which goes to Barkot (160km) and next 45 kms local arrangements to be made and is at 530 am. I arranged a cab by paying Rs.5000 from Dehradun itself as I was not ready to spend all my energy in initial transport itself. I started at 7 am and reached around 5 pm crossing picturesque sceneries enroute… Missouri, Barkot, hanuman chatti and then to janki chatti.

Day 1:

 Janki chatti itself is big and beautiful and last motorable road and my car took me to guest house. staff there were very courteous and helpful… I enquired and found two youngsters a porter and guide for saptarishi kund... they said they have been there 4 times earlier.  They told me to be ready by 10 am next day to travel yamunotri and halt there that night.

After tea, I started roaming around janki chatti… lot of horses, ponies were waiting for yatris to take them to yamunotri (6kms distance)… just to acclimatise I went up and down till 7 pm  and went to nearby Shiva temple and came back room.  Finished dinner and was in room then……a big rain started… I was worried about next programmes….i looked to my weather report again (internet was slow) and it said scattered heavy rainfall for next few days.

I was trying to relax my mind. Yamuna river was flowing like a big stream nearby… sound of rain was audible. What I read on river Yamuna was flowing in my mind.

RIVER OF DEEP LOVE

No other river in India has this distinction. River Yamuna was associated with sri Krishna so much that many leelas of Krishna was on the banks of this river. It gives water to Delhi and the famous symbol of love (Taj-tejo mahalaya) also in its banks…

Yamuna is the daughter of Surya and sister of death god Yama and Manu and their mother Sangya could not bear the heat and light of Surya deva took a form of a horse and put her shadow with Surya deva.  Chhaya devi got 3 children (yet another Manu, Shani and Tapti). Chhaya as a step mother did not treat elders children properly…she cursed Yami (Yamuna) that she will flow in most difficult terrain.  Those who worship Yamuna devi will have blessings of her brother Yama and won’t get untimely death they say…

River Yamuna due to its terrain (v shaped bed) unlike other major rivers (half rectangle flat bottom) collects more surface impurities and always look dark. as it mounts from Kalind mountain she is also called Kalindee. She is older than river Ganges and it has more voluminous water than any river of India. Even river Saraswathi was consumed by it!... with big volume of water, it merges with river Ganges in Allahabad Sangam and thereafter called Ganga.  In local languages, any river joining Ganges is called “Yamuna”.

Yamuna originates from Yamuotri glacier near Sumeru hill in saptarishi kund (4421 M from MSL).   Since going to glacier is very tough, yamunotri temple was constructed, 1km down area called Yamunotri, where thermal spring are there.  Yamunotri temple is in Uttarkasi district of Uttarkand state at 3235 m from MSL. Temperature in season that is June -september is between 6 to 20 deg C.  in winter about 7 to -5deg C.

It is said that “Saptharishis”-  Kashyapa, Atri, Bharathwaj, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Jamadhagni and Vasishta.. (there are several lists from time immemorial) have done tapas near a kund in yamunotri glacier and the river originates from here.

Yamuna and Krishna are inseparable. Infact Krishna was the first to show the world to clean river. He won in a battle with king of snake Kalinga and asked him to go out (symbolically cleaning the river)...even his lifting of mountain is to facilitate draining the flooded water towards the river Yamuna. Our puranas have many inside stories to offer in our way of life.

When Ram & Lakshmana were in the battle field, to their rescue lord Hanuman took Sanjeevini hill isn’t it? History says this is that area. There are many areas associated with Hanuman ji.. It has been told the way to saptarishi kund is full of fauna and flora, and it is place for Raj kamal… I was pretty sure this won’t be visible to lesser mortals like me!

Sir ji, Sir ji – calls brought me to ground and opened the door. Drizzling was there and both my helpers with the caretaker were outside. They were showing a place on top of hill (pointing to the sky) and said because of heavy rain it will be very difficult to go saptarishi kund as thin sheet of ice not melted but added because of rain. I answered them that I understood it and get whatever God gives me.. They were obviously more worried about climate and rain. They told me to be ready by 10 am to proceed to yamunotri.

Day 2:

I was ready by 8am.. had good breakfast …sun was shining…had a bit walking practice there…packed essential materials required for the yatra…Rahul Rawat (porter) and Devrana (guide) were there to take me. We prayed Shiva temple and started the yatra at 9 am. There was heavy pressure from pony wallahs but smilingly I refused and proceeded. The path way was narrow and most of the areas concrete steps were provided. It was only UP with small gap of levels.  More than the safety of path, we need to be more careful on incoming outgoing pony yatris and tranquiln carriers. The area of picturesque with Yamuna river as a silver line was flowing down with good speed hitting rocks…there were lot of shops selling water bottles, cool drinks, tea and even food. The distance to be travelled from Janaki chatti to yamunotri mandir is 5.5 km and in normal walking we can reach in 3 hours. On the way there were Hanuman mandir and Bairava mandir.. after praying we continued... I could even meet some tamilnadu yatris who came as group from Tiruchi (railway retired group they said)…normally in yatras and temple I try to avoid talking and with that in mind I quickly walked fast. Many of the yatras I try to go alone. it has advantageous (you set your own time, pace) and disadvantageous (in case of any emergency needs)..

The first darshan of yamunotri mandir I had.  I stopped and prayed in that divine atmosphere…within 15 minutes we reached mandir. First we entered mandir. There one pandit took me and shown me all important places. first there was a small 1m x 1m hot water kund and in one place there was cold and hot water oozing out separately. Nearby there was a rock in which Mata Yamuna Devi was there ,in front there were 3 stones. The purohit made a lengthy pooja and I was fully involved in it.  In the archana plate there was a small rice bag. He gave it to another pandit who put a thread to it and immersed in a hot water pond of size 2m x 2m. the immersed rice became fully boiled in few minutes and it was returned to us as prasad.

JAI MATA DI.

We booked a room in Yamuna ashram (where good kitchen is also there) and went to the room. I took rest for few hours and came to mandir again. There was a big hot water pool was there and many were taking bath. Immediately I unpacked my self and slowly got into the pond. This is also called surya kund.. water was really hot, and it was smoothening our tired legs and mind.

Nearby in yamunotri river in ice cold water many were taking bath. I just looked and came out and I was not prepared in mind… internally I want to take cold water bath (as I took bath in Gomuk and Manasarover) but nearby hot water pond took me there !

Helpers reminded me to be ready by 4 am the next day for the yatra to saptarishi kund.. and after light dinner I returned to bed.

I thought in hills for my speed I could do a km for half an hour and 14+ kms I could do in 7 to 8 hours.. by starting 4 am, I could reach 12noon and return by 6pm.

But God’s calculations won’t always tally with ours isn’t it?

I had a sound sleep.

Day 3:

There was big roaring sound outside, when my alarm sounded. Internally, I was feeling happy that heavy rain is there outside and programme is called off.. but the porter opened the doors to see Yamuna river flowing with thunderous sound and in morning time it was more audible.. they asked me to be ready and after a tea in kitchen we set off for next phase of yatra.

I prayed God and set my foot on hill nearby at 5 am. I know it will be testing time for me and as my family members told me -I was cautious - as I know my limitations trekking in this one of the toughest Himalayan area.

The first hill itself was very steep and lot of tress, bushes and a minor beaten up path which was hardly visible. There were lot of dried leaves and with that we could not find what is under. Is it rock, slate, slush or nothing?? I just followed guide hushing up. When my fit bit watch showed 1 km and time of one hour, I felt elated as we were on the programme. At the end of ascent there was a valley and we got down now. There was a water falls nearby and not much water was there.. we could jump over the stones to avoid water and again we started next hill. Initial ascent was tough to negotiate slushy areas but we could go up in the same spirit.. there was some pathway (may be of olden days) and we were progressing slowly. Next 2 kms took nearly 1.5 hours… bit late I thought due to steep gradient.

At the top of the hill there was good view of yamunotri mandir down below and I could feel happiness that we have come this far..we can go ahead also. There was a valley again and this time a water falls had lot of water. We almost walked in ice chilled water one foot deep, occasionally putting steps in protruding rocks and started climbing up again.. it was very tough uphills as most of the walking areas were made of slate slabs which I found very tough to walk as my shoe skidded on it every time..the top took us next hill up which welcomed us with lot of flowers white, yellow and red colours were there over whole hill and was like a carpet welcoming us with a big smile…there was a beaten up path criss crossing the hill but our helpers avoided this route and headed straight by passing longer circular routes. But it was tough for me to by pass circular routes but porter was insisting that we were late by that time.

 Around 5^th km we have seen a hiding place where the helpers collected shrubs and fired it to heat the tea. We had a fairly hot tea and we removed the fire and started again. From the top of the hill we could again see yamunotri mandir down below. For the first 6 km we have spent nearly 5 hours now and we were worried about the balance length (almost half) and formation of clouds.  

There was a camping point.. (earlier yatris left some materials which were used by helpers for re heating parothas. I could not take anything solid fearing vomiting .. but took some protein biscuits and cream biscuits.  Whatever water we brought were empty and I have taken water from water falls earlier and that too was fast depleting..

There was only upwards and my walking slowed considerably. with huffing and puffing I was moving slowly. In many areas I could hear thumping sound of heart craving for air… I could see snow mountains nearby.. with much struggle and lot of rest in between slipping, wriggling and panting i could go up and we reached the glacier part what we could see from Janki chatty.. little up we could see plains where saptarishi pond is located. There were full of snow everywhere linking all areas. Even in glacier area top ice depth was less due to newly formed snow with rain and crossing further would risk of touching cold water deep and we decided to halt and stop there.

I did prayers with flowers and offered some sweets to holy Yamuna’s starting point. I recited parts of Rudram, Gayathri Japam few times and thanked God for bringing us here. Time was 3 pm when we arrived. It took 10 hours to reach here. My fit bit showed 12.4 kms (against 14 km told ..may be what we bye passed certain circular paths)….we started returning at 3 20 pm. I prayed for all.

JAI MATA DI.

During our return for the first few kms , I did not have any issues as the happiness of been to yamunotri glacier  filled the mind.. when the hill of slates came I had lot of issues. It was slippery for me and every time my porter came to my rescue. Especially near the water falls I had slippery moments which shook my confidence level. Slowly it was darkening and my porter was urging me to come fast.. my strength was going down with the falling of sun… when I came second waterfalls I could not negotiate to the water falls itself and guide supported me to cross… the silver line of water falls in twilight was indeed an excellent view. But I was in no mood to enjoy as I was struggling to even walk.

We thought we could reach yamunotri at 11 pm but my watch showed me that I needed to go another 5 kms.. this pulled my energy level further down. Every 15 minutes of walk I started laying down for 5 minutes in that pitch dark unmindful of any insects entering inside. When we reached the first hill I was exhausted and laid down.  My assistants were very sympathetic, and they tried to hold me on both sides (literally I was lifted up) and we tried for some distance. But my legs were wobbling badly. At one point while negotiating a shorter way, i fell down but landed on my knee caps. I could not see anything in front in spite of light from torch and thorny bushes were just in front of us and I was afraid if it touches my face and eyes. Wearing glasses irritated me and I put in bag.  I punctured my hand by holding a thorny tree. There were several rocks and trees on the path we were walking which were needed to took care. On one occasion while crossing a big trunk of tree, I had a cut in my leg resulting in minor injury.

Around 12 30 we could see lights of yamunotri area and slowly we entered through the slopes of police station area (which was away from the area where we started). I hugged and thanked porter and guide. They literally lifted me to yamunashram were we stayed earlier, but it was full. There was some sleeping place in a choultry near temple and without any bed and cover we laid down.

Day 4: we got up at 8 am. I could move very slowly. Some one needed to lift me to stand.  Slowly I went to mandir, thanked MA for her kindness and thanking her for not even a drop of rain on this day. Had a hot water bath in hot kund for almost half an hour which gave me strength. In the choultry I met some sadhus and I gave my balance ready made eatable to them. Around 10 am we started back to janki chatti.. I hired a pony to take me and my porter came with me safeguarding me.  We reached in an hour and half and thanked and settled both who took me the area I was dreaming off and saved me in the pitch dark between night 7 to morning 1 am. I took full rest on that day in gmvn guest house. I took some food after 2 days and went to bed, requesting care taker to arrange me a cab to return Dehradun.

Points for future:

Better to go with a team at an young age..

Big back up team required with tents and arrangements to re heat food.

Ropes and other trekking equipments.

First aid person.

Not a one day trip. Minimum 2 days with a halt immediately while returning from peak.

Day 4:

Inspite of his best efforts the care taker could not get direct cab to Dehradun. He arranged a share jeep to Barkot and from there he said we can hire another one. We waited for nearly one hour to take off (as it has to be filled fully) and then another 3 hours. In Barcot I have arranged a separate jeep to go to hotel in Dehradun. I told the owner of the hotel to book me a room in lower floor telling my condition and I reached Dehradun around 5 30 pm. Driver helped me to get down from jeep !

The help given by owner of hotel Shiv Krupa Mr. Rohit needs special mention and thanks. He took care of me and arranged vehicle for Tapkeshwar shiva mandir in Dehradun and believe he and his friend carried my luggage to railway station to see me off… thanks Rohit… many ask me how I manage people there without knowing Hindi and this is the respect we get for yatris who come for yatra…

I preponed my flight to Chennai (of course by paying additional money) and reached Chennai at 11 30 am instead of 8 pm.  Home sweet Home. My special thanks to all my relatives who offered to take care of my wife Ramaa and special thanks to her sister Girija Rajagopal who took care of her all these days.

Me and ramaa offer our namaskarams to all elders who prayed for us and wishes to my brother Dr.Sridhar and Balu and sister uma who followed me throughout our journey... My son Shivram and his wife Keerthana just followed me by WhatsApp calls daily.

My fitbit watch said I walked 47.50 km and equivalent to 628 floors in 5 days, peaking 21 kms and 323 floors climbing on a single day !

God has given us many things our ancestors could not do. It is all with their blessings.

My mother told me.” Sundar – you have done sufficient Himalayan trekking... go to temples around you at this age” …

I said with a twinkling eye... ‘sure amma’. 

Next a phone call from my brother…. “Where next”?

I replied.

“Om Nama Shivaya”