| Tungnath Temple | |
|---|---|
 A view of the temples in Tungnath | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Rudraprayag |
| Deity | Shiva |
| Festivals | Maha Shivaratri |
| Location | |
| State | Uttarakhand |
| Country | India |
  Location in Uttarakhand | |
| Geographic coordinates | 30°29′22″N79°12′55″E / 30.48944°N 79.21528°E /30.48944; 79.21528 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | North-Indian Himalayan architecture |
| Creator | Pandavas (according to legend) |
| Completed | Unknown |
| Elevation | 3,680 m (12,073 ft) |
| Website | |
| https://uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/destination/chopta | |
Tungnath Temple (IAST:tuņgnāth) is one of the highestShiva temples in the world[1] and is the highest of the fivePanch Kedar temples located in theRudraprayag district, in theIndianstate ofUttarakhand. The Tungnath (literal meaning: Lord of the peaks) mountains form theMandakini andAlaknanda river valleys. It is located at an altitude of 3,680 m (12,073 ft), and just below the peak ofChandrashila.[2] It has a rich legend linked to thePandavas, heroes of theMahabharataepic.[3][4]
According toHindu mythology, Shiva and his wife,Parvati both reside in the Himalayas: Shiva resides atMount Kailash. Parvati is also calledShailaputri, which means 'Daughter of the Mountain'.[3]Many folk legends related to the Garhwal region,Shiva and the creation of the Panch Kedar temples are narrated in Hindu epicMahabharata. The Pandavas defeated and slayed their cousins — theKauravas in the epicKurukshetra war. They wished to atone for the sins of committingfratricide (gotrahatya) andBrāhmanahatya (killing ofBrahmins — the priest class) during the war. Thus, they handed over the reins of their kingdom to their kin and left in search ofShiva and to seek his blessings. First, they went to the holy city ofVaranasi (Kashi), believed to be Shiva's favourite city and known for itsKashi Vishwanath Temple. But, Shiva wanted to avoid them as he was deeply incensed by the death and dishonesty at the Kurukshetra war and was, therefore, insensitive to Pandavas' prayers. Therefore, he assumed the form of a bull (Nandi) and hid in theGarhwal region. It is believed to be 1000 years old and in the order of Panch Krdars, it is the tritiya Kedar.[5]
As per the Hindu mythology, not finding Shiva in Varanasi, the Pandavas went toGarhwalHimalayas.Bhima, the second of the five Pandava brothers, then standing astride two mountains started to look for Shiva. He saw a bull grazing nearGuptakashi (“hidden Kashi” — the name derived from the hiding act of Shiva). Bhima immediately recognized the bull to be Shiva. Bhima caught hold of the bull by its tail and hind legs. But the bull-formed Shiva disappeared into the ground to later reappear in parts, with the hump raising inKedarnath, the arms appearing in Tungnath, the face showing up atRudranath, the nabhi (navel) and stomach surfacing inMadhyamaheshwar and the hair appearing inKalpeshwar. The Pandavas pleased with this reappearance in five different forms, built temples at the five places for venerating and worshipping Shiva. The Pandavas were thus freed from their sins.[6][7][8]
A variant of the tale credits Bhima of not only catching the bull, but also stopping it from disappearing. Consequently, the bull was torn asunder into five parts and appeared at five locations in theKedar Khand of Garhwal region of the Himalayas (The arms in Tungnath, the hump in Kedarnath, the face in Rudranath, the navel in Madhyamaheshwar, and the hair in Kalpeshwar).[9][7] After building the Panch Kedar Temples, the Pandavas meditated at Kedarnath for salvation, performedyagna (fire sacrifice) and then through the heavenly path called the Mahapanth (also called Swargarohini), attained heaven or salvation.[10] The Panch Kedar Temples are constructed in the North-Indian Himalayan Temple "Katyuri" architecture with the Kedarnath, Tungnath and Madhyamaheshwar temples looking similar.
Legend also states thatRama, the central character ofRamayana, meditated at theChandrashila peak which is close to Tungnath, in India. It is also said thatRavana performed penance to Shiva, the lord of the peaks, when he resided here.[4]
The priest at this temple is a localBrahmin from Makkumath village, unlike the other Kedar temples where the priests are fromSouth India,[10] a tradition set by the eighth centuryHindu seerAdi Shankara. It is also said that the Maithani Brahmins of Makkumath Village officiate as priests at this temple. During the winter season, the temple is closed and the symbolic image of the deity and the temple priests are moved to Markandeshwar Temple in Makkumath village, which is 29km from here. It is near Duggalbitha 10 km (6 mi) beforeChopta towards Ukhimath.[11][12][13]
Tungnath is at the top of the ridge dividing the waters of theMandakini River (raising fromKedarnath) from those of theAlaknanda River (raising aboveBadrinath). The Tungnath peak on this ridge is the source of three springs, which form the Akashkamini River. The temple lies about 2 km (1.2 mi) below theChandrashila Peak (3,680 m (12,073 ft)). The road toChopta is just below this ridge and hence provides the shortest bridle approach path for trekking to the temple from Chopta, over a short distance of about 5 km (3.1 mi). From the top of theChandrashila peak, picturesque views of the Himalayan range comprising snow peaks ofNanda Devi,Panch Chuli, Banderpoonch,Kedarnath,Chaukhamba andNeelkanth on one side, and the Garhwal valley on the opposite side could be witnessed. The valley between Chopta and Tunganath temple has wooded hills with rich alpine meadows withrhododendron coppices and also agricultural fields. The rhododendrons, when they are in full bloom during March, display dazzling colours ranging from crimson to pink. A high-altitude botanical station of theGarhwal University is located here. Nearing the top of the temple, there is a forest resthouse at Dugalibitta, just opposite to the Kedarnath range of hills. TheKedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, also called the Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary, set up in 1972 to preserve the endangeredmusk deer, which lies in the region, also has a musk deer breeding centre at Kharchula Kharak nearChopta.[14][15][16][17]
Climate is generally cool throughout the year. Summers are pleasant with average temperature hovering around 16 degrees Celsius during the day time. Winters are very chilly and temperature drops below the freezing point very frequently. The best time to visit the temple is from April to September. Due to heavy snowfall, the Tungnath Temple remains closed for around six months during winter.[18]
The 5 km (3.1 mi) trek starts fromChopta (9,600 ft (2,926 m)), the nearest place on theNH 58.Chopta is 23.9 km (15 mi) fromRudraprayag towardsKarnaprayag and is reached from Rishikesh viaDevprayag,Srinagar andRudraprayag.
Of all the Panch Kedar trek routes, the route to Tungnath is the shortest: only 5 km (3.1 mi) from Chopta (on theUkhimath-Gopeshwar road) that can be covered in approximately 4–5 hours (depending on the trekker's physical ability). Trek is a steep climb (9,600–11,350 ft (2,926–3,459 m)), the trek path is stone paved with benches provided en route at intervals.[14] The path is surrounded by scenic views and captivating flora and fauna on both sides. Generally, the pilgrimage to Tunganath is undertaken as part of the Panch Kedar trekking covering all five temples over a 170 km (105.6 mi) route (road cum trek length) starting fromRishikesh in the order of:Kedarnath, Tungnath,Rudranath, Madhyamaheswar andKalpeshwar. The few pilgrims who undertake this trekking pilgrimage to the shrine do so in summer months (end April or early May to October) as the temple remains snow bound and unapproachable. During this period even Chopta, the nearest road head remains deserted. But it is said that fewadepts come to the area during the winter avoiding the pilgrims. The steep climb to Chandrashila is for 2 km (1.2 mi).[3][4][14]
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant,Dehradun (258 km (160 mi)). The nearest railway station is atRishikesh (241 km (150 mi)).[19]
Ravana shila[20] is located above the Tungnath temple, there is a small temple which is known as Chandra Shila. Ravana Shila or Speaking mountain has its own historical importance related to theRamayana. After killingRavana,Rama was charged with the sin of Brahmahatya. He then started austerities forShiva and requested Shiva to release him from the sin of killing a Brahmin (Ravana). During his penance, he built theRamanathaswamy Temple in Rameshwaram, inTamil Nadu. The temple in Rameshwaram is one of the 12Jyotirlingas.According to local People, it was on Ravana Shila that Ravana performed severe penance to Shiva, which led to the name of this place Ravana Shila. This rock is still considered a center of spiritual energy, and devotees visiting here experience peace.[21]
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