Many pilgrimages and tourist places around Badrinath Temple; Trekking and skiing are the destinations. Tungnath Temple is also a religious place that is not very popular, but this temple has a lot of recognition. Tungnath is one of the highest Shiva temples in the world. It is at an altitude of 3,680 meters. Apart from this, this temple is second in Panch Kedar. At the height of 12 to 14 thousand feet, Garhwal is among the most beautiful Himalayas. The beauty of this place covered with a sheet of snow looks very beautiful from July-August. Velvet meadows and flowers in bloom are the main attraction during these months.
History of Tungnath Temple
The history of Tungnath Temple is linked to mythology. According to the myth, it is believed that the Pandavas started their journey to find Lord Shiva after killing their cousins in the Kurukshetra war. Lord Shiva was furious with all the deaths and wanted to escape from the Pandavas. As a result, he turned into a bull, and when the Pandavas tried to capture the bull, it disappeared. Later, all the bull’s body parts were found scattered in different places.
Tungnath Temple Architecture
His trunk appeared at Kedarnath, daughter-in-law at Tungnath, head at Rudranath, navel at Madhyamashwar, and hair at Kalpeshwar. The Tungnath Temple was built at this place by the Pandavas to worship and please Lord Shiva. The temple’s name is derived from ‘Tung,’ meaning weapon, and ‘Nath,’ symbolizing Lord Shiva.
The texture of Tungnath Mahadev Temple Uttarakhand is very excellent. This temple decorated with stones looks beautiful. As you look upwards outside the temple, you will see the name Tungnath inscribed on the arch. On entering the temple, a stone idol of Nandi Baba is in front of Mahadev. The temple’s roof is made of stone and is topped by a wooden dome with 16 holes. A unique idol of Lord Shiva is installed in this vast temple painted with high towers; pictures of Pandavas are also present. The standard of Dai and Ganesh ji is also established at the temple entrance.
Tips While Visit Tungnath
- If you visit Tungnath Temple, let us tell you that photography is prohibited.
- During the trip to Tungnath Temple, you must carry trekking shoes, a winter jacket, sunscreen, water, and regular medicines.
- There are high chances of slipping on snow during the trek to Tungnath Temple, so carry waterproof trekking shoes, and you can also carry a stick for extra support during the tour.
- There are no charging points available on the trek route. That is why you can carry a power bank to charge your mobile phone.
- There is only limited network connectivity available on the trek route. Internet connection is limited to 2G.
- During the visit to Tungnath Temple, keep a raincoat with you to protect yourself in case of rain. There are no major covering halting points on the route.
Places To Visit in Tungnath
There are many tourist places around Tungnath Temple where you can enjoy trekking on the peaks of Tungnath apart from attaining peace spiritually and religiously. For your convenience, we have given below information about some important tourist places near Tungnath Temple.
Chandrashila Peak
Chandrashila is the summit point of Tungnath village in Rudra Prayag district of Uttarakhand. Chandrashila is also known as “moon rock.” It is also the pinnacle of five peaks, including Nanda Devi, Trishul, Kedar, Bandarpunch, and Chaukhamba. It is an attractive tourist destination at an impressive height of about 4000 meters above sea level. The distance between Chandrashila and Tungnath is about 3-4 kms. Trekkers often enjoy Chandrashila to Tungnath trek with the backdrop of snow-capped Himalayas.
Deoria Tal
Deorial Tal is one more attraction in the list of Tungnath. It is located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand at 2438 meters above sea level. Deoria Tal has situated 2 km from Sari village on Ukhimath road and offers an ideal trekking trail. The beautiful place has a magnificent view of chaukhamba peaks surrounded by deodar trees. Tourists can capture the stunning views here with their cameras. The experience of interacting with the people of this village will give immense joy to every tourist.
Chopta
Chopta is a small village in Uttarakhand, a beautiful tourist destination. Tourists come to trek this spectacular place. Chopta is a village decorated with alpine and deodar trees. The snow-capped peaks of Trishul, Nanda Devi, and Chaukhambha remain the center of attraction of this place.
Kanchula Kharak Musk Deer Sanctuary
Kanchula Kharak Musk Deer Sanctuary is a significant tourist attraction of Chopta, one of the main attractions of Chandrashila Tungnath tourism. Musk deer is the national animal of Uttarakhand, and this sanctuary is a beautiful place for tourists interested in wildlife. Many types of flora are found in this sanctuary. There are so many types of deer species found in Kanchula Kharak Kasturi Deer Sanctuary that even scientists have yet to trace all those species. Spread over about 5 square kilometers; this area is becoming famous from the point of view of tourism.
Rohini Bugyal
Rohini Bugyal is a hidden gem of a meadow in the thick forest of Chopta Valley. During the trek to Chandrashila peak via Deoria Tal, Rohini Bugyal is ideal for camping.
Magnificent views of the Garhwal Himalayas, including Chaukhamba, Neelkanth, Kedarnath peak, Thali Sagar, and Kedar Dome, can be seen from Rohini Bugyal.
Sari Village
Sari village is a beautiful village situated at an altitude of 2000 meters and about 20 kilometers from Chopta Hill Station. The village is surrounded by oak and rhododendron trees and rests peacefully in the lap of the Himalayas.
Sari Gaon, or Sari Gaon, is the base camp for Deoriyal Tal, a stunning lake just 2.5 km from here. Sometimes when all the hotels in Chopta are closed due to snowfall, you can find hotels and homestays all over the area for your stay. You can easily find some lodges or homestays in Sari.
Tungnath Temple Timings
Tungnath Temple is open for darshan mornings from 6 am to 7 pm. It may take you two to three hours to visit the temple.
Stay in Tungnath
If you want to stay here after visiting Tungnath and seeing the attractive places, then let us tell you that hotels and lodges are available at cheap to high prices around this beautiful place of Uttarakhand. You can choose any hotel at your convenience.
- Shrishti Lodge Hotel
- Moksha Hotel
- Forest Eco Resort
- Holiday Park Hotel
- The Meadows Chopta Resort And Camp
- Guru Kripa Palace And Anshu Hotel
Food in Tungnath
Tungnath tourist place is a tiny area and for your knowledge let us tell you that there are few hotels here. But roti, made from pulses filled with wheat and mandua flour, is very popular in the famous cuisine of Tungnath in Uttarakhand, served with bhang chutney. Tourists get a chance to taste unique dishes in Tungnath. Tungnath is very religious, so you get only pure vegetarian dishes here.
Best Time to Visit Tungnath
April to November is the best time to visit Tungnath. The city is in full bloom during the summer, and the air is fresh and crisp. The peaks are covered with a lush green cover of pine deodar and rhododendron. During monsoons, the place becomes prone to landslides. Hence it is advised to avoid it. At the same time, the winters are very mild, as Tungnath remains covered with a thick blanket of snow till the beginning of March.
How to Reach Tungnath
By Air: Jolly Grant Airport is the closest airport to Tungnath, approximately 260 km away. After reaching Dehradun, take a taxi or bus to Chopta. From there, the ascent of about 3.5 km to Tungnath begins.
By Train: Tungnath is the nearest railway station to Haridwar, which is situated at a distance of 225 km from Chopta. Taxis or buses are available outside the station till Chopta.
By Road: Tungnath can be reached via the Chamoli-Gopeshwar-Chopta road and the Kund-Gopeshwar road up to Chopta, about 212 km from Rishikesh. Buses and taxi services are easily available along the way. From Chopta, you must travel a short distance of 3 km to Tungnath Temple.
