Yamunotri Temple

Yamunotri Temple is the westernmost of the four Char Dham shrines in Uttarakhand, dedicated to Goddess Yamuna, the sacred river personified as a daughter of the sun god Surya and sister of Yama. Located at 3,293 metres in the Uttarkashi district, the temple is accessible only on foot via a 6 km trek from Janki Chatti through steep Himalayan terrain. The temple is famous for the Surya Kund, a scalding hot spring beside the shrine where pilgrims traditionally cook rice and potatoes as prasad. The current structure was built in the 19th century by Maharani Guleria of Jaipur and has been rebuilt several times after earthquake damage. The actual source of the Yamuna, the Champasar Glacier, lies about 1 km above the temple at 4,421 metres. The temple opens from Akshaya Tritiya to Diwali, with the deity transferred to Kharsali village for the winter.