Uttarakhand

• 01 May 2024

Chardham Yatra 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