In Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, at an altitude of 12,000 to 14,000 feet above sea level, the Tungnath Temple is Located in a remarkable amalgamation of faith, nature, and adventure. It is the highest temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in India, where the arms of Lord Shiva are worshipped. The temple is open for darshan from May to October and closed from November to April. Tungnath means “Lord of the Peaks” that form the Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys. It is also revered as the third of the five Kedars, located 3 kilometers from Chopta.
It is believed that Goddess Parvati performed penance here before her marriage to appease Lord Shiva. The history of the Tungnath Temple also dates back to the Mahabharata period. According to legend, after the Kurukshetra War, the Pandavas, seeking absolution for the sin of killing their brothers, came to the Himalayas in search of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva, seeking refuge from them, assumed the form of a bull and disappeared into the earth. It is said that the Pandavas built a magnificent stone temple known as Tungnath at the spot where Lord Shiva’s arms appeared, and this is where Guru Adi Shankaracharya also worshipped.
The journey to Tungnath Temple begins from Chopta. Due to its unparalleled beauty, Chopta is also known as the Mini Switzerland of Uttarakhand. The distance from Chopta to the temple is approximately 3 kilometers. On the way to the temple, one can see velvety meadows, Bugyals, forests of rhododendron flowers on both sides, as well as towering Himalayan peaks like Chaukhamba, Nanda Devi, and Trishul. There is also a musk deer breeding farm on the way to Chopta, where the beauty of the musk deer can be observed up close. Due to its historical significance, the Government of India has declared it a monument of national importance.