Very often, hot springs are in the center of frozen places and seem like a miracle.
There are many hot springs in India and it is visited by travelers and pilgrims frequently. Also, for those travel enthusiasts who don't know what a hot spring is, we have an explanation for you too.
What are hot springs?
A hot spring is a spring produced by the emergence of thermally heated groundwater that rises from the earth's crust. While some of these springs contain water at a safe temperature for bathing, others are so hot that immersion can cause injury or even death. We will explain the exact science behind this hot spring at the end of this article.
Here is the list of the most popular hot springs in India:
1. Panamik, in the Nubra Valley
It is the northernmost hot spring found in Panamik, a small town near the Siachen glacier, located 150 meters from Leh. It is a sulfur hot spring and stands at an elevation of 10,442 feet above sea level. It is known for its medicinal properties.
2. Manikaran Sahib
It is considered the most sacred hot spring and is a great attraction for many pilgrimages. Like any other hot spring, the hot water that comes from the ground carries a large number of minerals, mainly sulfur.
Sulfur has a distinctive odor due to the leakage of sulfur dioxide or hydrogen sulfide gas into the air. It is useful in treating skin diseases, which is why people bathe in hot Manikaran water.
3. Kheer Ganga Hot Spring
To get here, you have to go on a long hike through the Himalayas just to find the best rejuvenating experience. Located in Akhara Bazar, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, it is one of the most picturesque hot springs. To reach Kheerganga you have to go on a four to five-hour long trek. En route, you'll find the most beautiful snow-covered mountains, rich vegetation, you'll feel extreme peace and silence in the lap of mother nature and once you reach the top of Kheerganga you'll find other travelers and nature lovers. And at the same place lies the beautiful hot spring of Kheerganga.
4. Tattapani hot water spring
On the shore of the Satluj River, this Himalayan city is famous for its hot sulfur springs that erupt near the shore. For years, locals believed that the water from these springs has miraculous properties and relieves joint pain, fatigue, and stress.
5. Yumthang
Sikkim is full of wonderful hot springs known for their therapeutic value. With a high sulfur content, the water is believed to have great medicinal properties with the average water temperature in these hot springs close to 50 ° C.
6. Gaurikund
It is located at an altitude of 2,040 meters above sea level, on the banks of the Mandakini River. On a trip to Kedarnath, Gaurikund is a town located almost 2000 meters above sea level.
Gaurikund is also popular due to the natural hot springs in this village that were destroyed after the recent earthquake in the area, but there is still a small stream that flows through the village.
Home to many hot springs in India, the Garhwal district of Uttarakhand has another hot spring near the Yamunotri Temple.
7. Reishi
Reshi is located on the banks of the Rangeet River in Sikkim. It is not very popular with tourists but it is a daily place for the locals. Near the hot springs, the place is also Kah-do Sang Phu, which is believed to be a sacred cave for magical fairies.
The science behind the hot water
As we go deeper into the earth's surface hotter it gets and find magma (molten rock) in the outer core of the Earth. This magma (8001300 ° C) is surrounded by different layers of the Earth.
If there is a crack or thrust fault in the Earth's layers (one layer of crust breaks and is pushed over another), then an enormous amount of heat will be transferred from the magma to the surrounding rocks.
Now all of this heat energy will be transferred from the rocks along this thrust fault to the water there. As the temperature of the water increases, its density decreases, causing the hot water to rise to the surface along this fault in the form of hot springs.
Also Read: Take a dip in the 10 best natural hot springs in the world
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