Tungnath temple It is one of the tallest Shiva temples in the world and is a very important pilgrimage site. It is located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand state of India and is the highest among the five Panch Kedar temples. The Tungnath (Shatabdi meaning Lord of peaks) mountain forms the Mandakini and Alaknanda valleys.
It is situated at an altitude of 3,680 meters (12,073 ft). And this one is right below the Chandrashila Shikar. It is also a rich legend associated with the Pandavas, the heroes of the Mahabharata epic.
Tungnath Temple Legends
According to Hindu history, Mahadev and his wife Parvati reside in the Himalayas and Shiva resides on Mount Kailash. Parvati is also known as Shailaputri, which means daughter of the mountain. Many folk tales related to the construction of Mahadev and Panch Kedar temples in Garhwal region are mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. And the Pandavas too defeated and killed their cousins the Kauravas in the epic Kurukshetra war
They wanted to atone for the sins of fratricide and brahminicide committed during the war and sought Shiva and sought his blessings. The first thing they did was to go to the holy city of Varanasi, which is considered to be Mahadev’s favorite city and is known for its Kashi Vishwanath temple. Shiva wanted to avoid them as he was very angry with the deaths and dishonesty in the Kurukshetra war and was therefore insensitive to the Pandavas’ prayers. Therefore he also took the form of the same bull Nandi and hid in the Garhwal region.
Tungnath temple – According to Hindu mythology, the Pandavas went to Garhwal Himalayas after not finding Mahadev in Varanasi. And Bhima, the second of the five brothers, started looking for Shiva standing on two mountains. And he also saw a bull grazing near Guptkashi (the name taken from the act of Shiva hiding in the hidden Kashi). Bhima immediately recognized that the bull was Shiva. Bhima caught the tail and hind legs of the bull.
Mahadev disappeared into the ground in the form of a bull. Later he reappeared in pieces. The hump rose in Kedarnath, the arms were seen in Tungnath, the face was seen in Rudranath. The navel and stomach were seen in Madhyamaheshwar. Hair was seen in Kalpeshwar and this reappearance in five different forms made the Pandavas even more happy. They built temples at five places for the worship and adoration of Mahadev. Thus the Pandavas were freed from their own sins.
Tungnath temple – In one version of the story, Bhima is credited with not only capturing the bull but also preventing it from disappearing. As a result, the bull was torn into five parts. The Himalayas themselves have appeared at five places in the Kedarnath section of the Garhwal region (arms in Tungnath, hump in Kedarnath, face in Rudranath, navel in Madhyamaheshwar and hair in Kalpeshwar).
After the construction of the Panch Kedar temples, the Pandavas meditated on Kedarnath and performed yagna and then attained heaven or salvation by following the Mahapanth which is also called Swargarohini. The Panch Kedar temples are built in the North Indian Himalayan Temple Katyuri architecture.
And legend has it that Rama, the main character of Ramayana, meditated on Chandrashila Shikar, which is close to Tungnath in India. And it is also said that Ravana, during his stay here, did penance to Mahadev, the lord of the peaks.
Worship – Tunganath Dham
The priests of this ancient temple are local Brahmins of Makkumath village. And unlike other Kedarnath temples where the priests are from South India. And the ancient temple is a tradition established by the 8th century Hindu seer Adi Shankaracharya except Tunganath. It is also said that Maithani Brahmins of Makkumath village worship in this temple as priests with devotion. And during the winter season the temple is closed. And the replica of the deity and the priests of the temple are taken to Markandeshwar temple in Mukkumath village. And which is 29 km away from here. It is near Duggalbitha, 10 km before Chopta towards Ukhimath.
Geography – Tungnath Temple
Tungnath is situated on the top of the ridge separating the Mandakini river (originating from Kedarnath) from the Alaknanda river (originating from Badrinath). The Tungnath peak is the source of three waterfalls on this ridge which form the Akash Kamini river. The temple is located about 2 km below the Chandrashil peak and the road to Chopta is just below this ridge and hence provides the shortest bridal approach path for training at a distance of about 5 km from Chopta to the temple.
From the top of Chandrashil peak, one can see panoramic views of the Himalayan range including Nanda Devi, Panch Chuli, Bandarpunch, Kedar Baba, Chaukhamba and Neelkanth snowcapped peaks on There is a fort on one side and on the other side is the valley of Garhwal.
The valley between Chopta and this ancient Tungnath Dham has forest hills and among which there are bushes of Rhododendron as well as rich alpine grasslands and agricultural fields. And during March the rhododendrons are in full bloom and they show bright colors ranging from red to pink. And a high altitude botany center of Garhwal University is located here.
There is a forest rest house at Duglibitt, just opposite the Kedar Baba hills range near the top of the temple and Kedarnath Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Kedarnath Kasturi Mrig Sanctuary, was established in 1972 to preserve the endangered musk deer. And which is located in the area and there is also a Musk Deer Breeding Center at Kharkhula Kharak near Chopta
Tungnath Dham is the highest Shiva temple
On the Chandranath mountain itself, there is a peaceful ancient Tungnath Dham which is the world’s tallest Mahadev temple. And it is the highest Panch Kedar temple of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand.
It is also the third in the list of Panch Kedars and Tungnath is situated at an altitude of 3,680 meters above sea level and is believed to be more than 1000 years old.
Climate
The weather remains cold throughout the year and the weather is pleasant only in summers. And the average temperature during the day remains around 16c. And the winters are very cold. And this temperature often goes even below the freezing point. And the best time to visit the temple is from April to September. Due to heavy snowfall, Tungnath temple remains closed for about 6 months during winter.
Trekking and how to reach there
This 5 km trek starts from Chopta which is the nearest place on NH 58. Chopta is 23.9 km from Rudraprayag via Karnaprayag and can also be reached from Rishikesh via Devprayag Srinagar and Rudraprayag.
Among all the Panch Kedar trek routes, the route to Tungnath temple is the shortest. And the distance of only 5 km from Chopta (on the Ukhimath Gopeshwar route) can be covered in about 4 to 5 hours. And the trek is a steep climb of 9,600 to 11,350 feet. The trek path is made of stone. And benches have been provided in between. And the route is surrounded by beautiful views and picturesque forest conditions and fauna. And usually the pilgrimage to Tungnath is also done as a part of Panch Kedar trekking.
Some pilgrims who visit this shrine do so during the summer months. And because the temple is covered with snow. And it is very difficult to reach it. During this period, the nearest road end Chopta also remains deserted. And it is said that during winters very few people come to this area to avoid pilgrims. And the steep climb to Chandrashila is 2 km.
The nearest airport is also Jolly Grant Uttarakhand Dehradun and the nearest railway station is at Rishikesh.
Talking Mountain and Ravana Shila –
Above the ancient Tungnath Dham is Ravana Shila and there is a small important temple which is known as Chandra Shila. And Ravana Shila or talking mountain has its own historical importance related to Ramayana. And after killing Ravana, Ram has been accused of the sin of Brahmahatya.
Even then he also did penance of Shiva and requested Shiva to free him from the sin of killing Brahmin Ravana. And during his penance, he also built the Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. And the temple of Rameswaram is also one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
The mighty Kedar Tungnath Dham will bloom again on 10 May 2024
Millions of pilgrims feel a surge of emotions while completing the journey to the world’s tallest Shiva temple, Tungnath . And go on this highly spiritual and difficult journey to one of the five most famous Shiva temples in the world.
At an altitude of 3,680 meters (12,073 feet), you will also get to see the best view of Nanda Devi and Panch Chuli, Bandarpoonch Kedarnath and Chaukhamba and Neelkanth mountain peaks. And as the spring season arrives, the ancient Tungnath temple will open its doors for devotees on 10 May 2024. And pilgrims and travelers can also witness special ceremonies to be held on the day of inauguration of Tungnath.