Tungnath Temple is a famous temple situated at Chopta in Rudraprayag district amidst the mountain tops. Tungnath Temple is more than 1000 years old. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Many stories related to this temple are told in Hindu Puranas.
Located at a height of about 3680 meters above sea level, Tungnath Temple is also famous as the highest Shiva temple built at the highest altitude. This temple is also one of the five Kedars. Panch Kedar has great importance in Hindu religion and every year thousands of devotees come for Panch Kedar Yatra.
Significance - Tungnath Mandir
Tungnath Temple is one of the Panch Kedar temples. Panch Kedar is a group of five temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is the first temple in Panch Kedar. Apart from this, four other temples are Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar, Kalpeshwar and Kedarnath. All these temples have special importance in Hindu religion.
Lord Shiva is known by many names in Hindu religion as Adi Dev, Devadhidev, Mahadev and many more. This temple dedicated to him is special for Shiva devotees. Every year the devotees who come on Panch Kedar Yatra first visit the Tunganath temple.
History - Tungnath Mandir
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| Tungnath Temple Chopta |
Regarding when Tungnath temple was built, it is said that the foundation of this temple was laid by Arjun (one of the Pandavas). When Adi Guru Shankaracharya was touring across India for the awakening of Hindu religion, he had identified this place as Tunganath Temple in the 8th century. This temple was constructed during that time. The Tungnath Temple, which is more than 1000 years old, is especially important for Shiva devotees and is visited by people from all over the world throughout the year.
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Mythology - Tungnath Mandir
Regarding Tunganath Temple, it is believed that this place is also associated with the Ramayana period. People believe that after the Lankan war, Lord Rama did penance here to atone for the sin of war.
A mythological story related to the time of Mahabharata is also told. After the Mahabharata war, Lord Shiva was very angry with the Pandavas and did not want to meet them. Pandavas wanted to be free from the sin of war and wanted to do penance to Lord Shiva and wanted to meet him but wherever Pandavas reached in search of Lord Shiva, Lord Shiva would go away from there. Similarly, while searching for Lord Shiva, Pandavas reached Guptkashi where Lord Shiva was hidden in the form of a bull. Pandavas recognized him but as soon as Lord Shiva started running away from there, Bhima caught him. Then the body of that bull got divided into 5 pieces and those pieces fell at different places. Wherever those pieces fell, temples dedicated to Lord Shiva were established there and this temple group was called Panch Kedar.
The hump of the bull had fallen in Kedarnath, the middle part of the body i.e. the stomach in Madhyamaheshwar, the matted hair in Kalpeshwar, the head in Rudranath and the arms had fallen in Tunganath. Pandavas had built temples at all these places.
Meaning of word - Tungnath
The word Tung means highest and Nath means God. Tungnath Temple is the highest situated temple among all the temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Tungnath Mandir Hindi - Temple Info
There is always snow on the mountains in front of Tungnath Temple. This temple remains closed in winter due to excessive snow and cold and during this time the idol of Lord Shiva is shifted to Makkumath. This temple remains closed for 6 months of winter. The path leading up from Tunganath Temple leads to Chandrashila Peak and Chandrashila Temple which is another famous attraction of Chopta.
Tungnath Mandir - Architecture
Tungnath temple is built according to North Indian style which is also called Nagar style or Kedar style. The structure of the temple made of big stones looks very beautiful and amazing. As soon as you enter the temple, there is a stone statue of Nandi which is facing towards Mahadev. This is seen in almost all Shiva temples. Wherever the idol of Lord Shiva is installed, the idol of Nandi is also installed right in front of the idol. There is a wooden dome on the roof of the temple made of big stones. There are also carvings of Pandavas inside the temple. The idol of Lord Ganesha is installed on the right side of the entrance of the temple.
Prayer Timings
This temple is open for devotees to visit from 6 am to 7 pm. Aarti time takes place in the temple at around 6.30 pm in the evening.
Especially Maithani Brahmins live as priests in this temple.
Best time to visit - Tungnath Mandir
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| Surroundings - Tungnath Temple Chopta |
Tungnath temple is situated almost between Kedarnath and Badrinath temples. This region is one of the most beautiful places in the Garhwal Himalayas. While on one hand in winter it is seen covered with sheets of white snow, on the other hand in summer here a beautiful view of green grass is seen spread far and wide.
If you want to come here specifically to visit Tungnath Temple, then plan your travel according to the calendar of the temple. The temple is often opened for darshan in late April after being closed in winter.
How to reach - Tungnath Mandir
If you are planning for Tungnath Temple, then the nearest airport to reach here is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun. From here you can reach Chopta by taxi. The distance from Dehradun Airport to Chopta is 227 kilometers.
If you are traveling by train then the nearest railway station here is Rishikesh which is at a distance of about 209 kilometers. The journey from Rishikesh to Chopta can be done by bus or taxi.
If you have planned to travel by road, then the journey to Chopta can be easily done by state transport bus or by your car or bike.
Way to - Tungnath Mandir
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| Way to Tungnath Temple Chopta |
The distance from Chopta to Tunganath temple remains only three kilometers. From Chopta to Tungnath, travelers have to go on foot. Grass is visible for a long distance on this walking path. During this time, many ancient temples of Lord Shiva also come on the way.
Many travelers go on Chandrashila trek beyond the temple. This trek is a little more difficult than the Tungnath trek. This trek is also closed in winter. Chandrashila can be seen after going up this trek. A panoramic view of the Himalayas can be seen from Chandrashila Chhoti.
There are a few things to keep in mind before starting the trek to Tungnath Temple. This trek is not very wide and hence there are not many options for horses etc. on this climbing route. There are some shops where the trek starts from where you can rent raincoats, boots (in snow season) and walking sticks for the trek. There are some small shops on the way to the temple from where you can buy snacks etc.
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