Yamunotri

Yamunotri is the westernmost shrine of the Char Dham circuit and marks the source of the sacred River Yamuna. Situated at an altitude of 3,293 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna — the daughter of the Sun God (Surya) and twin sister of Yamraj, the god of death.

The original temple is believed to have been built by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal in the 19th century. The current structure was constructed after the temple was destroyed by natural calamities. The temple houses a black marble idol of Goddess Yamuna alongside a silver idol of Goddess Ganga.

Mythology

According to Hindu mythology, Sage Asit Muni had his ashram near Yamunotri. In his old age he was unable to travel to Ganga, so both rivers Yamuna and Ganga appeared before him at this spot. It is believed that a dip in the Surya Kund hot spring near the temple frees devotees from the fear of death, as Yamuna is the sister of Yamraj.

Pilgrims traditionally cook rice and potatoes in the Surya Kund's boiling waters and offer them at the temple — a unique ritual that makes Yamunotri one of the most distinctive shrines of the Himalayas.