Yamunotri

Yamunotri, nestled at an altitude of 3,291 metres in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, is the source of the River Yamuna — the second most sacred river in India after the Ganga. As the westernmost of the four sacred Char Dhams, Yamunotri is traditionally the first stop of the Char Dham Yatra, which then proceeds eastward to Gangotri, Kedarnath, and finally Badrinath. The Yamunotri Temple, dedicated to Goddess Yamuna, is believed to have been constructed by Maharani Guleria of Jaipur in the 19th century, though the site itself has been sacred since ancient times.

The most distinctive feature of Yamunotri is its thermal springs — particularly the Surya Kund, a boiling hot spring at nearly 90°C, where pilgrims traditionally cook rice and potatoes tied in cloth bags as an offering to the goddess. The water from this spring mixes with the cooler Yamuna, and pilgrims take a ritual dip in the Janki Chatti pool before the trek. The actual source of the Yamuna is Champasar Glacier (4,421m), visible from Divya Shila — a rock pillar worshipped at the entrance to the temple — but inaccessible to casual visitors.

The 6km trek from Janki Chatti (2,668m) to Yamunotri temple (3,291m) is the shortest trek in the Char Dham circuit, making Yamunotri accessible to even older pilgrims. The trail winds through forests of oak, rhododendron, and birch, with the thundering Yamuna river as a constant companion. Ponies and palanquins are available at Janki Chatti for those unable to trek. The surrounding landscape is rugged and wild, with the Lesser Himalayan ranges creating a dramatic setting of deep gorges, dense forests, and cascading waterfalls.

The region around Yamunotri offers several other points of interest: Hanuman Chatti (at the confluence of Yamuna and Hanuman Ganga rivers), Kharsali village (where the temple deity winters), and the lesser-known Barkot and Uttarkashi towns which serve as comfortable base camps for the yatra.