Tungnath Temple – The Highest Temple Of Shiva And Chandrashila Peak

Tungnath Temple Highest Temple Of Shiva And Chandrashila Peak: When you come for the Uttarakhand Char Dham yatra, you should keep ample time aside for Tungnath mandir and Chandrashila Peak. This is the highest temple of Lord Shiva in the world. Its distance from Haridwar is approx. 230 kms.

Haridwar is a key gateway for the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand. If you are planning to visit this holy pilgrimage, it is essential to allocate enough time for the visit to appreciate its spiritual and natural beauty. 

Travel Tips for the Char Dham Yatra:

1. Plan for Extra Stops:  For example, plan to stop at Chopta while travelling from Sonprayag to Joshimath. Though this may add 40-50 kms to your journey the experience is worth it.

2. Enjoy Special Activities: Chopta offers unique activities like camping, exploring the bugyals (alpine meadows), and enjoying the breathtaking natural scenery. These meadows are locally known as bugyals, a lush green area on top of hills or mountains, offering a serene escape and spectacular views.

3. Include Panch Kedar in Your Itinerary:  With careful planning, you can also visit the iconic ‘Panch Kedar’ temples during your trip. These include:

• Kedarnath Dham
• Madhya Maheshwar
• Tungnath
• Rudranath
• Kalpeshwar

Travelling to Tungnath Temple and Chandrashila Peak:

The trail to the Tungnath temple is well-maintained and certainly steep. From there, the path to the Chandrashila Peak gets more challenging, but the effort is rewarded with breathtaking natural views that make the fatigue at the summit vanish.

You can choose to stay overnight either near Tungnath temple, where accommodation is available or in Chopta. Early the next morning, at 6 am, you can watch beautiful early morning views. If you come even earlier, at 3 or 4 am, you can watch the sunrise from here.

On the Trail to Tungnath:

• Starting the Trek:  First of all, reach the entrance of the third of the Panch Kedar. Just 50 meters after the trek, mules and ponies are available for rent for Rs. 1200 or Rs. 800 for one side. But travelling on foot is the best part of this journey.
• The Steep Climb: The 4-kilometer journey is steep, so expect to feel breathless. Regular breaks will be necessary on the route along the way.

Tungnath Temple History

Lord Shiv showed himself in the form of a heart and arms to the Pandavas here. Since this is the highest peak on which a Shiv Temple is built, it is called Tungnath. There are Panch-Kedars in this Himalayan region. These Panch-Kedars came into being to grant nirvana to the Pandavas. Kedarnath temple is home to the hump side, Madhya Maheshwar holds the abdomen portion, Tungnath is home to the chest and arms, Rudranath is home to the eyes and forehead, while Kalpeshwar has his hair, and the whole face of Lord Shiva is visible in the Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal.

Adi Guru Shankaracharya renovated these temples about 1200 years ago. Lord Rama, who was accused of Brahma-hatya (killing a learned man), spent time meditating here. It is the tallest temple of Lord Shiva in the world.

Tungnath to Chandrashila Peak:

• Distance From Tungnath Is Approx. 1.1Km
• Google Map: Chandrashila Peak

After reaching Tungnath, the climb to Chandrashila Peak becomes even more challenging. Yet, the awe-inspiring views of the peak make every step worthwhile. It takes 25 minutes to cover just one kilometer of this journey. You can take a 10-minute break at a dhaba with tea. The beautiful views here are mesmerizing.

The tea is very tasty, especially in the cold weather when the sun is shining. When going on a trip like this, do not set any strict time target to reach the destination. Walk slowly, take a 10-minute to 15 minutes break, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

Initially,  three days would be enough to spend here. If you want to enjoy the fresh air, then definitely do a 3-day trip. The best time to visit here is May-June or September-October. If you want to enjoy the snow, then come from the last week of December to mid-January. These are the best times of the year. The atmosphere here is awesome!

You can enjoy Garhwali breakfast and also have some Buransh (rhododendron) juice. It is very popular in our village. The Buransh flower is large and very beautiful. It is very nutritious and beneficial for your heart as well as your mind. Rhododendron is the state flower of Uttarakhand. When you come here, you must not miss it. It is delicious! If you drink it here in the village, it will be pure and even tastier.

We will meet soon with a new article, a new journey! Till then goodbye! Thanks for your time!

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