Tungnath Temple,
Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand
Tungnath Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord
Shiva, located in the mountain range of Tunganath in Rudraprayag district, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
Tungnath is the highest Shiva Temple in the world and is the highest
of the five Panch Kedar Temples. The temple is
believed to be around 1000 years old and is the third (Tritiya Kedar) in the
pecking order of the Panch Kedars. Tungnath is located close to hill station of
Chopta. Tungnath is reached through a path that wends through alpine meadows
& rhododendron thickets. Further, a steep trek from Tungnath Temple leads
to Chandrashila, a mountain peak, known for its panoramic views.
Legends
For brief details, please refer below link;
The Temple
Tungnath Temple is the highest Shiva Temple in the
world and is the highest of the five Panch
Kedar Temples. It is located on the Chandranath Parbat at an
altitude of 3,460 m (11,352 ft), and just below the peak of Chandrashila.
Tungnath is at the top of the ridge dividing the waters of the Mandakini
River (raising from Kedarnath) from those of the Alaknanda
River (raising above Badrinath).
The Tungnath peak on this ridge is the source of three springs, which form the
Akashkamini River.
The valley between Chopta and
Tunganath temple has wooded hills with rich alpine meadows with rhododendron
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 the Garhwal University is located here.
Nearing the top of the temple, there is a forest rest house at Duggalbitha,
just opposite to the Kedarnath range of hills.
The Kedarnath Wild Life Sanctuary, also called the
Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary, set up in 1972 to preserve the endangered musk
deer, which lies in the region, also has a musk deer breeding centre
at Kharchula Kharak near Chopta. From the top of the Chandrashila peak,
picturesque views of the Himalayan range comprising snow peaks of Nanda Devi,
Panch Chuli, Banderpoonch, Kedarnath, Chaukhamba and Neelkanth on one side, and
the Garhwal valley on the opposite side could be witnessed.
Chandrashila
Peak:
For brief details, please refer below link;
Tungnath Opening & Closing Timings
Tungnath temple opens with the opening of Char Dhams of Uttarakhand,
during April or May each year on Vaisakh Panchami and auspicious date is
decided by Badri Kedar Temple Committee on Baisakhi. During the winter season,
the temple is closed, and the symbolic image of the deity and the temple
priests are moved to Makkumath, which is 19 Kms (12 mi) from here. It
is near Duggalbitha 10 Kms (6 mi) before Chopta
towards Ukhimath.
Priests
The priest at this temple is a local Brahmin from
Ukhimath village, unlike the other Kedar temples where the priests are
from South India, a tradition set by the eighth
century Hindu
seer Sankaracharya. It is also said that the
Maithani Brahmins officiate as priests at this temple.
Climate
Climate of Tungnath is generally cool throughout the
year. Summers are very 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. Due to heavy snowfall, Tungnath
temple remains closed for around 6 months during winter. The best season to
visit Tunganath is from April to November.
For
brief details, please refer below link;
