as a tradition devotees bring rice from their home or purchase it from local market here. they cook this rice by immersing a bag full of it in a muslin cloth in this surya kund till it is boiled enough to eat. and then take some of it home as prasadam.

story runs that maa yamuna once seeing the ill condition of her devotees who come for her darshan at yamunotri temple and find nothing to fulfill their appettite due to absence of any edible item at temple , asked her father lord surya a wish for a ray or kiran of her sunshine that can heat the water for always so that devotees can bring along their food uncooked and cook it here and eat fresh thereby ensuring their good health.

as a result of the grant of that wish by lord surya to her daughter , till date surya kund is a hot water spring that has fulfilled its duty both for maa yamuna & her devotees providing hot water withstanding any limitations of nature.