how the Bandarpoonch peaks got their name

It is said after Hanuman set afire the city of Lanka, he buried his burning tail in the Himalayan snow to put out the flames.

The snow melted to give rise to Yamuna.

That is the why the peak next to Yamotri, the source of the Yamuna in the Himalayas, is known as Bandarpoonch or monkey’s tail. The ash made Yamuna’s waters dark.

Journey to yamunotri

The journey to Yamunotri starts at Haridwar at the base of the Himalayas. Yamunotri is about 220 km from Haridwar.


Motorable road runs through beautiful mountains & valleys upto Janki Chatti(2595 metres). From there the pilgrims trek (or take ponies or pallanquins) for the rest 7 km of the mountainous track to Yamunotr...i.

At Yaminotri there are 3 hot springs, one of which named Surya Kund is very hot (190 degrees Farenheit). Pilgrims take a holy dip in the other (less hot!) hot spring & then worship the DIVYA SHILA, a small rock from the cracks of which water comes bubbling out (considered a source of the river).