Tungnath Temple in Uttarakhand

Tungnath Temple: One of the Highest Shiva Temples

The Tungnath Temple, a beautiful structure with a mesmerizing scenery that is located in the very vast Garhwal Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand, is more than just an attractive old structure. It’s a deep spiritual spot. This sacred site has been visited by hundreds of years of people seeking faith, adventure, and serenity. It is a must-have destination on the way through the holy land of Devbhoomi and the ideal place to have a life-changing retreat with Atharv Yogshala.

Tungnath Temple History and Location.

The Tungnath Temple in Uttarakhand is a century-old temple and is considered one of the most special and respected shrines of India, with a story and history that takes us back to the time of the Mahabharata, behind it to uphold its position.

Tungnath Temple, Uttarakhand: The highest spot in the world.

This is the most amazing thing about it. The Tungnath Temple has recorded its name as the World’s Highest Shiva Temple in the World with an approximate height of 3680 meters (12073 feet). This is by extreme height, such that the views are simply superb, with massive peaks such as Panchachuli, Kedarnath, Nanda Devi, and Neelkanth everywhere.

One of the Panch Kedar shrines.

Do you know that Lord Shiva has five sacred places? And the highest of them is the temple known as the Panch Kedar. Its construction has a direct connection with the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata.

• History of Tungnath Temple (The Story): The Pandava brothers, after the great battle of the Mahabharata, were seeking forgiveness for having killed their own brothers (the Kauravas) in the war. Knowing the same, Lord Shiva did not wish to see them initially, and this is the reason why he turned himself into a bull. Upon realizing the bull, Shiva vanished, and various sections of his body came out in five locations.
• The Arms Appeared Here: It is felt that at Tungnath, the arms (or bahu) of the bull were present. This renders the location extraordinarily sacrosanct, indicating that it is a symbol of forgiveness and a potent belief.
• How It Appears: The stone structure of Tungnath is a typical North Indian design and very hard, though so small and simple in comparison with some of the gigantic Indian temples. It has been resilient to the severity of the Himalayan weather over the centuries.

The Tungnath Trek: Your Body and Soul Trip.

The hike to the temple, the Tungnath Trek, is reputed as being one of the most effortless, although most (ultimately) gratifying high-rise treks you might go on in the Himalayas.

Tungnath Trek: The Route and the Description.

• Originating Point: The journey of this small trek usually begins in Chopta, which is also commonly referred to as the mini Switzerland of India due to its green rolling meadows (known as Bugyals in the local language) as well as brilliant scenery.
• How Long It Takes: The total trek distance is not too long, and is approximately 3.5-4 km. An average person can complete the climb within a period of 3-4 hours.
• What You See: The path is mainly paved with rocks and flows around a beautiful, shaded forest of rhododendron trees and oak trees. The rhododendrons in spring are unbelievable in the brightness of their colors.
• Going Higher to Chandrashila: The trek not only ends at the temple, but there is an additional 1.5 km climb from Tungnath Temple to Chandrashila Peak (Moon Rock). The sunsets seen here are mythical. (As the great views we talk of in Deoria Tal).

Tungnath: The Ideal Meditation Place.

The devoted are attracted by the history and height, but people seeking inner peace are attracted by the unmatched quietness and wild nature of the area.

The reason why Tungnath is the most preferred place to find peace.

The vitality of this land is singularly useful in the great spiritual practice.

• High and Energetic: The pure air, the vast quietness, and the immense size of the mountains create an environment where one forgets the daily problems. This enables you to concentrate your mind more easily in the process of meditating.
• Spiritual Prehistory: This age-old temple has hundreds of years of worship that has imbued the whole space with the definite energy of devotion, a divine feeling that helps in spiritual practice.
• The View: You can think of practicing pranayama (breathing exercises) with the view of the mountains around such destinations as Kedarnath and Badrinath, which are sure to make you believe in your decision to choose this trek. It is the inspiration for planning our own yoga and Himalayan meditation retreat in India here.

Himalayan Meditation Retreat at Atharv Yogshala.

We spend our time within the Atharv Yogshala Himalayan meditation retreat, where we aim at uniting the ancient wisdom of yoga with the curative quality of the mountains.

• Yoga and meditation retreat in India: A retreat to us does not mean a retreat of asana (pose); it means an application of the concepts of yoga in your life. The physical difficulty of the Tungnath Trek is transformed into some form of moving meditation, which puts your limits to the test and enables your will to become stronger.
• Finding Stillness: Once up the mountain, one can sit in the temple or on the summit of Chandrashila and have the best Himalayan meditation retreat. The fresh air and the scenery make one focus more clearly and feel easier to relate with him or herself.
• The Full Package: Our Himalayan meditation retreat package includes trekking to such places as Tungnath, where you can enjoy both physical cleansing of the Himalayas of hiking with the combination of spiritual cleansing of yoga and meditation.

Final Thoughts: Putting It All Into Perspective 

The trek to reach Tungnath Temple is not easy, yet not so hard that one can predict it; it actually mirrors one’s inner journey on the same path through hardship, but eventually leads towards inner peace and higher contemplation.

From the divine convergence of rivers from Devprayag sangam, the Alaknanda, and the Bhagirathi at their confluence to form the Ganga, to participating in Ganga Aarti—a sacred ritual illuminating your spirit in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, is filled with major spiritual crossroad experiences. Tungnath represents the last location where your physical effort of climbing matches your spiritual conviction. 

This is why Atharv Yogshala includes the climb in our 6 Days of Himalayan Yoga & Trekking and 9 Days of Himalayan Hiking yoga retreat, allowing all the students on the trek to vividly experience the devotion that the Pandavas once had. After the trek, Students can view the beautiful panorama from Chandrashila Peak and focus on the calmness and silence they seek and were looking for.

The one thing about Tungnath Temple is that it is not only a mere destination, but it provides a glow and the refreshment for one’s soul through yoga, trekking, and the complete holistic experience that an individual is looking for. 

Will you join us on the hike?