Tungnath - The Way To Heaven

Located on the Chandranath parbat in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, Tungnath is one of the sacred Panch Kedar. It is the highest temple of Lord Shiva perched at an astounding elevation of 3,680mts above sea level.

Magnificent in its architecture and artistic structure, Tungnath Temple is considered to be more than 1000 years old. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and few other idols of Goddess Parvati and other gods can be seen in the vicinity. This sacred temple was discovered by Adi Shankaracharya and now the priest of this temple is a local Brahmins of Maku village.

The mythological background of Tungnath Temple is associated with the epic Mahabharata. Vyas Rishi told the Pandavas that they were guilty of killing their own brothers in the war and their sins would be expiated only if Lord Shiva pardoned them. Pandavas began to search Lord Shiva in the Himalayas and Lord Shiva kept avoiding them because they were guilty.

In order to escape from the Pandavas, Lord Shiva disguised himself as a bull and took refuge underground. The places where the parts of the bull were found are now renowned Shiva temples. Tungnath Temple is the place where his hands (bahu) were supposedly seen.

It is also believed that Pandavas went to heaven from there . It also said that one must visit the temple to complete their journey of Char Dham .

This highest temple of Lord Shiva is ironically easiest one to achieve. Tungnath Temple can be reached by an easy but steep trek of 4km commencing from Chopta (2700mts). The region receives heavy snowfall during winters making Tungnath temple tough to access. The symbolic image of Lord Shiva is moved to Mukunath during winters, situated 19kms away. The trek goes through rocky terrains, green meadows and rhododendron bushes showering us with visual vistas of nature. The invigorating views of the imposing Himalayas boosts with confidence in the heart of the trekkers. Several named and unnamed peaks of the Himalayan range are distinctly visible from Tungnath.

Another 1.5 km steep trek take you to Chandrashila summit which offers a majestic view of snow clad Himalayan peaks including Trishul, Nanda Devi, Chaukhamba

 Tungnath is a 3km mild trek which begins from Chopta

Tungnath is one the famous Panch Kedar Temples of Lord Shiva, located 4 Kms from Chopta. Tungnath Chopta Trekking Trek is famous as weekend getaway break destination and views of meadows and Himalayas. 

Tourists can easily find hotels and restaurants in Chopta . There are also some huts on the top of the mountain belonging to local people near the temple . Tourists can find boarding and lodgings there . There are also some small eateries on the top and some on the way  . The huts are kept warm in traditional ways . There is very less commercialization on the top and the climate is cold . In short you will love the place if you are a nature lover . 

There is heavy snowfall in winter and the temple remains closed at that time . The best time to visit is in summers . I would recommend that you start trekking from Chopta in the early morning and do take raincoats with you as the climate changes suddenly .