The source of river Yamuna, Yamunotri, is the westernmost shrine in Chardham.
Situated on the top of Bandar Poonch Parvat the temple is devoted to
goddess Yamuna. Although the actual source of river Yamuna is the
Champasar Glacier or the Yamunotri Glacier is located at a distance of
1km from the temple on Kalind Mountain, but is not accessible so the
temple itself is worshiped as the source of Yamuna. Yamunotri is reached
after a 7km trek from Janki Chatti.
The temple was built by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal on the
banks of the river and the deity that resides here is made of black
marble. The river Yamuna has been elevated to the
status of a divine mother by the Hindu mythology for its role in
nurturing the civilization in the Gangetic plain. There are hot water
springs near the temple forming Kunds among which Surya Kund is the most
important. Near this kund is a rock known as Divya Shila. The Divya
Shila is worshiped before the deity. Devotees prepare potato and rice by
tying them in a muslin cloth dipping them in the hot water springs and
offer them to the deity. The rice is taken back as Prasad. The temple
remains closed during the winters as the area is prone to heavy
snowfall.
