Surya Kund Yamunotri

Surya Kund is a natural hot water spring located at Yamunotri Dham in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, adjacent to the Yamunotri Temple at an altitude of about 3,293 metres. Known for water temperatures near 88°C, it is the most prominent kund at Yamunotri where the Yamuna River originates. Pilgrims visit to cook rice and potatoes as prasad and to witness the thermal spring amid Himalayan terrain, making it a central attraction of the Char Dham Yatra.

Visitors can expect a small natural thermal pool with steaming hot water located immediately beside the Yamunotri Temple complex, surrounded by steep Himalayan slopes and the Yamuna River. The kund is enclosed with stone steps and railings where pilgrims gather to cook rice and potatoes tied in cloth as prasad. The area is accessible only after a 5-6 km trek from Janki Chatti and is crowded during the pilgrimage season with temple structures, Divya Shila rock, and mountain views.

Yamunotri is traditionally associated with Sage Asit Muni who is believed to have resided here and bathed in the Yamuna. The Yamunotri Temple near Surya Kund was originally built in the 19th century by Maharani Guleria of Jaipur and later reconstructed after damage. Surya Kund has long been revered as the thermal manifestation at the source of the Yamuna.

Surya Kund is dedicated to Surya Dev, the Sun God and father of Goddess Yamuna, and holds high religious importance for Hindu pilgrims. Pilgrims offer cooked rice and potatoes from the kund as prasad to the deity at Yamunotri Temple and take a dip in the nearby tepid water after mixing hot and cold water. It is an integral part of the Char Dham Yatra.