Uttarakhand is the Land of Gods, a place of pilgrimage for devout Hindus. The char Dham Yatra is the most popular of all pilgrimages. The four destinations covered in the Char Dham Yatra include Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Yamunotri is the starting point, the home of Goddess Yamuna, whose temple sits at a height of 3235 metres in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The idol of Goddess Yamuna is made of black marble and it is ceremoniously decorated with garlands. Close to the temple you will find Suryakund, the source of hot water springs and close the Surya Kund you will find Divya Shila, to which it is customary to make offerings before proceeding to the temple. The water in Surya Kund is so hot that a small sack of rice immersed for a short time becomes cooked and it is offered to the deity.
Due to inclement weather in winter, pilgrimage season lasts only for about six months starting April/May and ending in October.
Yamunotri Opening & Closing Dates 2023
| Opening Date 2023 | April – May 2023 |
| Closing Date 2023 | Coming Soon |
Yamunotri Temple Opening Date
Each year the priests of the temple decide the opening date based on the Hindu calendar. For 2023 the opening date has been fixed on 3 May 2023, a holy day for all Hindus considering it is Akshay Tritiya. According to the Hindu lunar calendar Akshay Tritiya can fall in the last week of April or the 1st week of May. In 2023 Akshay Tritiya occurs on 3 May and kickstarts the char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand. April-May is pleasantly cool in the Himalayas though it may be blisteringly hot in the plains. Still when you arrive for the opening of the Yamunotri temple, it is wise to carry woollens for the nights can be chilly.
Yamunotri Temple Closing Date
The closing day of the Yamunotri Temple is also decided by priests. For Yamunotri the closing day is fixed on Diwali. A ritual is conducted with Pooja and offerings and the temple officially remains closed until April/May next year. When the temple closes the idol is taken in a procession to Kharsali, the winter home of Goddess Yamunotri.
It is interesting to note that Yamunotri is the starting point of the Char Dham Yatra and, as such, the temple is the first to open and also the first to close.