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 current temple building dates to the 19th century when Maharani Guleria of Jaipur ordered its construction near the Surya Kund spring. Earlier shrines at this spot were repeatedly damaged by snow, landslides and floodwaters, so the stone structure was designed more robustly to endure extreme weather.
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.
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