Yamunotri

The source of Yamuna river stands on the western flank of the great peak of Bander pooch 6,315 metres high and is always snow clad , it forms the watershed of Hanuman Ganga and the Tons river which is a tribuitary of Yamuna.

A frozen lake of ice on the top of kalind Parvat 4,421 metres and about a KM further up is the source of Yamuna but since the approach is extreamly precarious the temple has been built at the foot hill, It is only here The sage Asit had his hermitage , all his life bathed in both Ganga and Yamuna. As the years rolled on and the sage got old , he could not go to Gangotri , The Ganga came to him and a soft stream came out of the rocks before his startled eyes at Yamnotri, and continue to do so till he called to his rest.

The temple of yamunaji is closed to some hot water springs, where the water gushes out of the mountain cavities at boiling point, the most important is SURYA KUND, a pinch of rice or potatoes tied loosly in a cloth is dipped in the kund and after a few minutes when it is cooked is taken home as Prasad, nearby is the Dibya Shila, which is worshipped before the puja is offered to yamunaji ,another Kund nearby Yamuna Bai kund built about 110 years ago and is used for holy dip.

General Information About Yamunotri

  • Altitude: 3165 meters
  • Summer Temperature: Max. 20o, Min. 6o || Winter Temperature: Max. Sub-Zero, Min. Snowbound
  • Clothing: May to July - Light woollens || September to November - Heavy woollens
  • Langauage/Dialects: Hindi, English & Garhwali
  • Best Season: May to June and September to October

Travel Information

  • Nearest Airport is Jolly Grant
  • Nearest Railhead are Rishikesh (213 kms.), Dehradun and Haridwar

Distances from Important Cities

  • Haridwar – 260 kms
  • Rishikesh - 230 kms
  • Yamunotri - 230 kms
  • Mussoorie - 170 kms
  • Uttarkashi – 130 kms