Yamunotri, Sacred Hindu site in Uttarkashi district, India

Yamunotri is a Hindu shrine in Uttarkashi in the Garhwal region of India, resting at 3,293 meters (10,804 feet) on the Bandarpunch mountain slope and marking the source of the Yamuna River. The stone temple complex holds the main sanctuary, several steaming thermal springs, and paved pathways along the steep terrain surrounded by snow-covered peaks and deep valleys.

The temple was built in 1839 by Sundarshan Shah, king of Tehri, on the left bank of the Yamuna; a small shrine had stood at the site before. Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal is also credited with its construction. The black marble deity of Yamuna is worshipped inside.

Devotees wrap rice and potatoes in muslin cloth and cook them in the hot springs next to the shrine before offering them as sacred gifts. These thermal pools are considered blessings from the goddess Yamuna herself, and pilgrims bathe in the steaming waters before entering the main prayer hall.

Access to the shrine requires a 13-kilometer (8-mile) trek from Janki Chatti, with horses and palanquins available for hire along the route. The best visiting window falls between April and June as well as September and October, since snowfall makes the trail impassable in winter and monsoon rains in July and August cause rockfalls.

The actual source of the Yamuna lies in the Champasar Glacier at 4,421 meters (14,505 feet), though most ceremonies take place at the temple site. Few pilgrims undertake the strenuous extension to the glacier edge, so the geographic origin remains largely unvisited while the ritual focus stays at the thermal springs.