Once the gopis of Braj were proud of playing with Krishna and performing Raas Leela. They felt that Krishna always listens to what they say and is always ready to do what they say. As soon as Krishna realized this, he decided to show the gopis the right direction. He hid himself inside the waters of the holy Yamuna. Not seeing him, all the gopis were very distressed and started facing misery. Becoming mad, they started singing Gopi Geet. They started wandering from one forest to another and from one pond to another. Finally, they went near Yamuna and asked her about Krishna. Seeing the plight of the gopis and their sorrow, the heart of the holy river melted. She requested Krishna to come out and bring back joy in the faces and lives of the gopis. The gopis thanked Yamunaji and offered him a dupatta to express their gratitude. From that time onwards, this tradition was established. After the fulfillment of their wishes, the devotees offer dupatta to the holy river to express their gratitude. According to a legend, after Krishna’s birth, Yamunaji first got the opportunity to touch his feet. When Krishna was born, his father Vasudev took him in a basket across Yamuna to Gokul where his friends Nanda and Yashoda lived. When he entered Yamuna, the water of the river reached up to his neck. Then Krishna took his feet out of the basket. As soon as Yamuna touched his feet, its water level started going down. Vasudeva easily crossed the Yamuna. According to another legend, Krishna performed many of his pastimes on the banks of the Yamuna river, such as Raas Leela, playing the flute, grazing cows, tearing off the clothes of the milkmaids, etc. Another legend tells that the Yamuna river came to marry Krishna in the form of a human, with a garland of lotus flowers in her hands. Yamuna is the daughter of Surya and sister of Yama, the god of death. She is also called the flowing power of Krishna. Some people also call her Birja Devi. Mathura is famous for its boat ride through the holy river ‘Yamuna.’ Chunri Manorath is a distinct celebration on the bank of the Yamuna to thank the Goddess Yamuna. Some people also follow rituals as they have a firm belief in the power of the water goddess. Hindu meaning of manorath is a wish. Chunri is a traditional scarf of Indian women, which they adorn on festivals or auspicious occasions. No weddings, engagements, or baby shower is complete in India without a chunri. It’s a symbol of divine feminism that portrays the real gist of our grandeur and majesty of women here. People perform ‘Yamuna Poojan’ at the banks of this river, and they are often told to make a wish by ‘Pandits’ as the belief is everything you ask here gets accomplished. As a result, people with contended heart visit here from throughout the country to perform ‘Chuni Manorath’ Ritual when the river Yamuna wear sari. Depending on your budget and the grandeur you wish to do, the number of sarees can be bought by you. Families collectively perform this ritual by collective movement in a line of boats from one side of the bank to another. Proper rituals and celebrations make an auspicious atmosphere that is sacred and embark on the liveliness and purity of this holy river. Beginning with 101 saris, families and devotees also bring up to 400 saris stitched together. People take the huge bundle of colorful and beautiful Indian attire sari through multiple boats, and the whole scene looks like the Yamuna wears a sari. People chant the name of Krishna and Yamuna to please them with holy offerings and devotion. Many families are performing this Chunri Manorath ritual from the past several generations. Anyone can perform this holy ritual where the Yamuna wears a sari, but people from Gujarat have a firm belief in this. Right from their ancestors, Vaishnavs from Gujarat or Rajasthan, who are also the followers of ‘Pushti Marg’ indulge in this and believe in blessings from this sacred river. The Yamuna is the main deity for them, and priests from Mathura help in the whole process with complete offerings. Popular celebrity and actress MP Hema Malini also underwent this ritual after winning the parliament seat from here. The sight when the long lane of stitched saris crosses the waters and the Yamuna wear sari is divine, and capturing this view can be a moment for a lifetime. Along the banks of the river, there are small shelters known as ‘Ghats’ where people often sit and start with the ritual to make the Yamuna wear sari. This is big ‘Poojan’ and requires one complete day. However, this is a distinct divine experience that you would cherish for the whole life. Families carry Chunri on heads and wear new clothes to start with Pooja. The sequence includes Ganesh Puja, Matrika Puja, Kalash Puja, and Yamuna Pooja. Two pots that depict Krishna and the Yamuna get decorated like the bride and groom, and then the process where the Yamuna wear sari starts up. Chants with ‘Yamuna Maiyya Ki Jai’ are in the air!