As the rocky ways winding through pristine meadows and blooming
rhododendrons reaches its summit, there stands the highest Shiva shrine
on earth, the Tungnath temple. Considered one of the sacred Panch Kedars, this
shrine is where the Lord's arms is considered to have appeared. The Pandavas
are believed to have built the temple along with the other Kedars. Adi
Shankara, the proponent of Hinduism, is said to have discovered the temple.
Location Uttarakhand , Rudraprayag, Dehradun
Legend
The Pandavas after the war of Kurukshetra, went in search of
Shiva to ask pardon for the sins of fratricide. Shiva, avoided them, took
disguise of a bull and went into hiding in Guptakashi. The Pandavas chased him
there. Shiva's body in the form of bull materialised at five different spots
where the Pandavas built the temple in his honour. Lord's hands were
materialised at Tungnath.
This Temple is part of famous Panch Kedar Yatra.
Architecture
This ancient temple built in North Indian architectural
style is made of stone. The Tungnath temple bears resemblance to Kedarnath
shrine. It has roofs built of stones,
with the highest dome having a wooden stage with arch openenigs. At the
entrance to the temple there is a Nandi stone idol facing the sanctum. At the
right of the temple entrance is the idol of Ganesha. The temple also has images
of the Pandavas, idols of Vyasa and Bhairava. There are smaller shrines
dedicated to Parvati devi and other gods.
Picture Courtesy: "Tungnath temple" by Varun Shiv
Kapur - originally posted to Flickr as Tungnath temple. Licensed under CC BY
2.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tungnath_temple.jpg#/media/File:Tungnath_temple.jpg
Culture
Tungnath is not only famous for the temple but also a
popular tourist destination with breathtaking beauty and scenic treks around
it.
Darsan Info
Temple timings : 6.00 AM to 7 PM
The temple is open from April - November. It is closed
during winter.
Cafe Buransh
Cafe Buransh is situated above Sari, a tiny village hamlet
located at an altitude of 2,000 m (6,000 ft) in the Uttarakhand Himalayas.
Tungnath, the world’s highest Shiva temple, situated in the Chopta Valley, is
an hour’s drive from here followed by a three-km hike or a pony ride. Shri.
Kedarnath, one of the Char Dhams, is a 90-minute drive followed by the option
you take to reach the destination: hike/helicopter/pony ride. Madhyamaheshwar -
another Panch Kedar, Kali Math, Kali Shila, and Badrinath are also pilgrimage
places which can be covered during your stay here. Deoria Tal, a high-altitude
lake with mythical connotations is a two-hour uphill walk from Cafe Buransh.
How to Reach: People usually fly to Dehradun (connection
flights available from Delhi) and take a 6-hour drive from
Dehradun/Rishikesh. The drive covers
holy places like Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Agustyamuni, and Ukhimath. The nearest
rail-head is Haridwar (225 km).
Darsan Dresscode
Devotees are advised to wear clean and conservative attire
while visiting Tungnath Temple.
Famous Festival
April - Opening of the temple on Akshaya Tritiya(April/May)
November - Temple closes for winter after Diwali
Temple Rituals
Tungnath temple have local priests unlike the other Kedar
temples, where in accordance with the precedence set by Adi Shankara, the
priests are from South India. The priests make a paste of marigold petals and
sandalwood to apply to the deity as well as tilak for the visitors
Special Rituals
Devotees are allowed to do the pooja by themselves.
Additional Info
Small eateries are available near and around the trek path to Tungnath
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