Chardham Yatra 2024 | 01 May 2024

Why in News?

Yamunotri Temple, opening on 10th May and closing on 31st Oct, 2024 welcomes pilgrims seeking blessings at the source of the Yamuna River.

Key Points

  • Yamunotri temple is the first stop of the sacred Char Dham Yatra. It is situated in the Garhwal Himalayas in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
    • Every year, thousands of Hindus go on a spiritual odyssey to seek blessings at this shrine.
  • In 2024, this auspicious date is chosen based on the Hindu Panchang, coinciding with Akshay Tritiya, a day of immense significance.

Yamuna River

  • About:
    • The Yamuna River is one of the major tributaries of the Ganges in Northern India.
    • It forms an integral part of the Yamuna-Ganga Plain, one of the world's most extensive alluvial plains.
  • Source: It has its source in the Yamunotri Glacier at an elevation of 6,387 meters on the southwestern sides of Banderpooch crests in the lower Himalayan ranges.
  • Basin: It meets the Ganges at the Sangam (where Kumbh mela is held) in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh after flowing through Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.
  • Important Dam: Lakhwar-Vyasi Dam (Uttarakhand), Tajewala Barrage Dam (Haryana) etc.
  • Important Tributaries: Chambal, Sindh, Betwa and Ken.
  • Government Initiatives Related to Yamuna River:
    • Yamuna Action Plan
    • Delhi Government’s Six-Point Action Plan to Clean Yamuna by February 2025