Best Guidance of Tungnath Mandir 2024: Uttarakhand’s Highest Shiva Temple!

Tungnath Mandir is located on the Tunganath Mountain in Chopta Uttarakhand, which is a part of Panchkedar dedicated to Lord Shiva. Tungnath Temple is the highest temple of Lord Shiva in the world, where the heart and arms of Lord Shiva are worshipped. In this blog we will tell you Tungnath Temple Opening Date 2023 and How to Reach Tungnath Temple? Will also tell about this in detail. So let us try to know and understand the complete information about Tunganath Mahadev Temple in today’s blog in a better way.

So first of all let us tell you that Tunganath Temple has opened on 26 April 2023 and the date of closure of Tunganath Temple is 5-6 November 2023.

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There are five Kedars dedicated to Lord Shiva in Uttarakhand known as Panch Kedar. The third of these is Kedar Tunganath Temple. This temple was built thousands of years ago by the Pandavas during the Mahabharata period. Tungnath Temple is a temple of Lord Shiva in the Himalayan hills between the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers.

If you want a mix of religious journey as well as adventure, then definitely visit Tunganath Mahadev Temple. Above the Tunganath temple is the famous Chandrashila hill which is associated with Lord Shri Ram. Today we will give you detailed information about the story, history, travel, trek, structure and importance etc. of Tunganath Temple.

Tungnath Mandir History

Mythological stories are prevalent about this temple. It is said that after being victorious in the Mahabharata war, the Pandavas were accused of killing their brothers. In such a situation, Pandavas wanted to get freedom from the sin of fratricide. For this it was necessary to get the blessings of Lord Shankar but Lord Shiva did not want to meet the Pandavas.

Pandavas went to Kashi to see him but did not find him there either. Then they reached the Himalayas in search of Him but still they did not see God.

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Lord Shiva settled in Kedarnath but the Pandavas were firm on their resolve. They followed him and reached Kedarnath.

Lord Shiva had by then taken the form of a bull but the Pandavas became suspicious. In such a situation, Bhima assumed his huge form and spread his legs on two mountains. All the other cows and bulls went away but how could the bull in the form of Shankar get out from under Bhima’s feet. As Bhima tried to catch the bull, it slowly started going underground.

Bhima caught hold of a part of the bull. Seeing the devotion and determination of the Pandavas, Lord Shankar was pleased and appeared to the Pandavas and freed them from their sins.

Third Kedar Tunganath in Panch Kedar-

When Bhima caught the bull form of Mahadev, his arms appeared here. The back part of the bull was left at Kedarnath, while the other three parts, the face was visible at Rudranath, the navel was visible at Madhyamaheshwar and the hair was visible at Kalpeshwar. At these five places, temples dedicated to Lord Shiva were built by the Pandavas and Shivalinga was established. This pleased Lord Shiva and freed him from his sins.

Tungnath means Lord of Hills, which is attributed to Lord Shiva.

Starting Point of Tungnath Mandir

Tungnath Mahadev Temple comes under Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand state. There is a village named Chopta ahead of Ukhimath. There is a hill named Tungnath near this village. We can reach Chopta village through various means. After this, Tunganath temple can be reached by climbing Tungnath hill from here.

The altitude of Chopta village is about 3,470 meters (11,385 ft) above sea level. Tungnath Temple is located at a distance of 3 to 4 kilometers from here. Tungnath Temple is at an altitude of 3,680 meters (12,073 ft) above sea level. It usually takes 2 to 3 hours to reach Tungnath from Chopta.

Three springs emerge from the Tunganath hill which form the Akshakamini river. Also this hill is situated between the famous Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers.

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Architecture of Tunganath Mandir

After trekking to Tungnath, when you reach near the temple, you will see a newly constructed big crescent shaped board in front on which Shri Tungnath Temple is written. This board has been constituted by the government. After this comes the main temple.

The temple is constructed with big stones, inside which a Shivalinga (Tunganath Temple Shivalinga) made of black stone is installed. Nandi, the rider of Lord Shiva, faces the Shivalinga at the entrance of the temple. Inside the temple, idols made of Kaal Bhairav, Maharishi Vyas and Ashtadhatu have been installed around the Shivalinga. Apart from this, carvings of the remaining four Kedars and Pandavas will also be seen on the wall.

There is a small temple on the right side of the Tunganath temple where the idol of Lord Ganesha is installed. There are also five other small temples on the right side of the Ganesh temple. If seen in a way, there are many small temples around the Tunganath temple. There is a wooden platform built above the main temple which is open on all sides with sixteen windows. On top of this platform, the peak of the temple has been covered with the help of big stones.

Tungnath Temple Trek

Tungnath Temple Trek Panch Kedar Yatra includes trekking of five temples including Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar and Kalpeshwar. His padyatra has been undertaken to visit five pilgrimage sites located in the Kedar Valley. Kedarnath is situated on the top of Mandakini river. Madhyamaheshwar is situated at the base of Chaukhamba peak at an altitude of 3500 meters. Tungnath is situated in Garhwal at an altitude of 3810 meters. And Chandrashila is 500 meters above Tunganath temple. To reach Rudranath and Kalpeshwar one may have to pass through dense forests and grasslands. It is situated in the beautiful valley of Urgam.

Chopta Tungnath trek is easy. Panchchuli peak, Nanda Devi, Kedarnath and Neelkanth temples are there. Travelers can see scenes of natural beauty in it. This trek starts from Haridwar and ends at Chandrashila. It also includes good tracking. Beautiful views of the valleys are visible from Tunganath Temple and Chandrashila Peak. The main two attractions of the trek are from the divine city of Haridwar to Deoriatal Lake which is situated at an altitude of 2440 meters. Travelers pass through Chopta. He is surrounded by beautiful and peaceful environment. After that comes Tunganath and finally reaches the peak of Chandrashila at a height of 4130 meters.

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Weather and Temperature at Tungnath

If you do not live in hilly areas then you will feel cold all the time because the heat here is equal to the winter in the plains. In summer the maximum temperature here reaches 15 to 20 degrees whereas in winter snow accumulates here and the temperature reaches -5 to -10 degrees. Therefore, whenever you come here, bring warm clothes with you.

Tungnath Temple Timings

If we talk about the timings of visiting Tunganath Temple, then Tunganath Temple remains open for tourists to visit from 6 am to 7 pm. During that time devotees can have darshan of Lord Shiva. Devotees take two to three hours to visit this temple. Devotees of Hindu religion feel blessed after seeing Devadhi Dev Mahadev.

Opening and Closing Date of Tungnath Mandir

As we told you above, the temperature here reaches -10 degrees in winter due to which there is heavy snowfall. There has been so much snowfall here that more than half of the main temple is covered with snow. Therefore, the question of opening the temple at that time did not arise.

The temple officially opens during the summer season in the month of March-April and remains open till Diwali. After Diwali, the main idol located in the temple is brought from there and kept in the Makkumath temple which is located at a distance of 20 to 30 kilometers from here. After this the temple remains closed till the month of February and the Lord is worshiped in Makkumath only.

Best Time To Visit Tungnath Temple

Best Time to Visit Tungnath Temple – The ideal time to visit Tungnath Temple of Lord Shiva is summer season. Because during that season the weather here remains pleasant and the average temperature here is 16 degrees Celsius. For this reason, the best time to visit Tunganath Temple is considered to be between April to November. Due to snowfall during the winter season, Tungnath Temple and Chandrashila remain covered with snow from December to March.

Tourist Attractions Near Tungnath Temple

If you are thinking of visiting Tungnath, then now we will tell you some other places to visit around it, such as:

Chandrashila Peak-

People who visit Tunganath Temple also visit Chandrashila Hill. It is about 1 to 2 kilometers above Tunganath Temple, for which you will have to climb more than one to one and a half hours. It is believed that here Lord Shri Ram, after killing Ravana, did penance for some time to get freedom from the sin of Brahmahatya and sought forgiveness from Lord Shiva. There is also a small temple on the hill from where the Himalayan peaks are visible.

Deoria Tal–

When you are going from Ukhimath to Chopta, you will come across a village called Sari in between. Deoria Tal is reached by climbing 2 to 3 kilometers from that village. It is a beautiful lake surrounded by forests on all sides. The reflection of the hills in the water of this lake looks very attractive.

Chopta Village-

Chopta village is a place worth seeing in itself. Here also you can enjoy nature and do trekking around.

Ukhimath-

Many temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati will be seen here.

Musk Deer Sanctuary-

Musk deer are mainly found in this sanctuary, hence it was named Musk Deer Sanctuary. Apart from this, other rare wild species are also found in it.

Famous Food Of Tungnath

Talking about the famous local food of Tungnath, Tungnath is a very small expanse. And that is why there are not many hotels available here. But among the famous dishes of Tungnath Uttarakhand, Finger Milt made by filling pulses with wheat and Mandua flour is the local food here. It is served with Bhang chutney. Tungnath Temple is a very religious place for tourists. For this reason only pure vegetarian food is available here.

Where To Stay In Tungnath

If you are thinking of staying there then let us tell you that there is nothing to stay around the temple. Therefore, you will have to walk again to Chopta village in a day. In Chopta you will find many hotels, rest houses, lodges etc. where you can stay.

Apart from this, there are many big hotels and hostels in Ukhimath. Rest houses have also been arranged by the government in Ukhimath where you can stay. If you are going here with family then we would advise you to book hotels etc. in advance. We tell the names of some hotels. If you like, you can go there.

• Moksha Hotel
• One Eco Resort
• Holiday Park Hotel
• Srishti Lodge Hotel
• Guru Kripa Palace and Anshu Hotel
• The Meadows Chopta Resort and Camp

Tips For Visiting Tungnath Temple

It is important to follow some tips and information to visit Tungnath Temple.

• Due to rain here, passengers are asked to carry raincoat.

• Photography is not allowed inside the premises of Tungnath Temple.

• There are no major stops on the way for tourists to reach Tungnath Temple.

• Hikers should carry trekking shoes, thick winter jacket, sunscreen, water and medicines.

• Shoes are also available on rent for Rs 200 at the starting point of the trek. You can use these also.

• Network connectivity is low on the way to Tunganath Temple. Or Internet connection is scarce and limited to 2G.

• There is a possibility of slipping on ice during the trip to Tunganath Temple. To avoid this, tourists can take a walking stick.

• You can carry a power bank with you to charge your mobile phone. Because there is no charging point available on the trek route of the temple.

How To Reach Tungnath Temple

To reach here, you will have to come to any one of the three big cities of Uttarakhand state, Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun, because the journey beyond this will have to be done by bus, taxi or private vehicle only.

• Distance from Rishikesh to Chopta: 200 kilometers
• Distance from Haridwar to Chopta: 225 kilometers
• Distance from Dehradun to Chopta: 246 kilometers

Of these three, the best route is to go to Chopta from Rishikesh. However, you will find buses or taxis to go to Tungnath from all three cities. It is difficult to get a direct bus or taxi to Chopta from here, so first you have to get down at Gopeshwar or Ukhimath and then catch a bus to Chopta from there.

• Distance from Gopeshwar to Chopta: 41 kilometers
• Distance from Ukhimath to Chopta: 29 kilometers

Then from Chopta you will have to go to Tungnath Temple, whose distance is 3 to 4 kilometers. Now let’s talk about how you got here.

• How to reach Tunganath Temple by Air: If you want to come to Tunganath Temple by air then the nearest airport to Chopta is Grant Jolly Airport in Dehradun. From there you will have to take a bus or taxi to reach Chopta.

• How to reach Tunganath Temple by Train: If you are coming to Tunganath Temple by train, the favorite of all Indians, then the nearest railway station is Rishikesh. From here you will have to reach Chopta with the help of bus or taxi.

• How to reach Tungnath Temple by Road: Presently, almost every city and town of Uttarakhand state is well connected by road through buses. However, at some places the bus does not go directly, so you may have to change buses from there. You can easily get direct bus to Rishikesh from Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur etc. Then from there you can take a local bus or taxi for further journey.

Conclusion

I hope you liked the information given by me about Tunganath Mandir Chopta Uttarakhand. If you have any question related to this post, then you can ask us in the comment box and if you find something wrong in this post, then you must tell us in the comment box, so that we can correct that mistake while updating.

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