Chopta · Uttarakhand
Sri Tungnath Mahadev Temple — Chopta, Rudraprayag District, Uttarakhand (World's highest Shiva temple — 3,680 m)
Tungnath — 'Lord of the Peaks'; Tritiya Kedar (third) of the Panch Kedar; the manifestation site of Shiva's arms (bahu)
अन्य नाम: Tritiya Kedar · Bahu-Kedar · Neelakantha
इस मन्दिर की विशेषता
Sri Tungnath Mahadev — per the Pandava-Panch Kedar narrative, Shiva's arms (bahu) emerged here; the sanctum holds the Shivalinga alongside images of Vyasa, Kala Bhairava, and the Pandavas; in winter the Utsav Murti (doli) is moved to the Markandeya Temple in Makkumath (Mukku Math) village
Permanent Shivalinga; Pandavas + Vyasa + Kala Bhairava as supporting images; the Utsav Murti is moved to Makkumath in winter
सम्प्रदाय: Shaiva — Pandava Panch Kedar tradition
After the Kurukshetra war the Pandavas reached Varanasi on Krishna's counsel; Shiva fled to Garhwal in bull-form (Nandi-rupa); at Guptakashi Bhima recognised the bull; Shiva dissolved into the earth and re-emerged at 5 sites: Kedarnath (hump), Tungnath (arms), Rudranath (face), Madhyamaheshwar (navel), Kalpeshwar (hair)
Sri Rama performed tapasya at the adjacent Chandrashila peak to atone for slaying Ravana
06:00 (during the open season) से 20:00 (during the open season) तक · मध्याह्न विश्राम 12:00-15:00 (midday rest)
विशेष नियम: Trek-only access (no road / no helicopter); 3.5 km uphill from Chopta; thin oxygen; monsoon (July-August) landslide risk; sanctum holds ~10 devotees at a time
No admission fee; trek-only access; photography respectfully permitted during worship.
When Tungnath closes, the Utsav Murti is worshipped at the Markandeya/Markateshwar Temple in Makkumath village for ~6 months.
Makkumath Markandeya Temple → Bhootnath Temple → Chopta → Tungnath — begins 3 days before kapat opening.
Temple closed due to snowfall; worship at the winter-seat Markandeya Temple in Makkumath; Nishita Kaal 00:09-01:01 (night of 15-16 February). 2026 — Sunday 15 February.
Date declared by BKTC on Baisakhi via Panchgarna astronomical calculation. For 2026 two source-clusters disagree: 22 April 2026 (some sources) and 2 May 2026 (other sources) — wait for the official BKTC announcement. 3-day doli procession Makkumath → Chopta → Tungnath.
April-June and September-October are best; July-August monsoon brings landslide risk.
Estimated ~4-5 November 2026 (around the Vijayadashami window); the Utsav Murti is moved Tungnath → Chopta → Makkumath; worshipped at Makkumath for ~6 months.
The site where Shiva's arms (bahu) emerged per the Pandava narrative; the 3rd tirtha of the Panch Kedar pilgrimage
स्रोत: Pandava Panch Kedar tradition
3,680 m — the world's highest Shiva temple; the unique punya of highest-altitude darshan
स्रोत: Sthala tradition (multi-source verified)
1.5 km further up from Tungnath, the Chandrashila peak (4,000 m) was Sri Rama's tapasya site for atoning the Ravana-vadha; Chandra-deva's tapasya is also said to have been performed here
स्रोत: Ramayana-related tradition
Arjuna's first foundation-laying; the site of the Pandavas' atonement sankalpa
स्रोत: Pandava Panch Kedar narrative
Sri Rama's tapasya site for atoning the Ravana-vadha; Chandra-deva's tapasya site; 360° Himalayan view (Nanda Devi + Chaukhamba + Trishul)
Base of the Tungnath trek; famous bugyal (alpine meadow)
Alpine lake reflecting Chaukhamba; popular companion trek
5 sq km musk deer conservation area
Markandeya/Markateshwar Temple — the 6-month winter residence of Tungnath's Utsav Murti
Next tirtha of the Panch Kedar
Foremost of the Panch Kedar and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas
Tritiya Kedar — arms; sequence: Rishikesh/Haridwar → Kedarnath (hump, 16 km trek) → Chopta → Tungnath (arms, 3.5 km trek) → Gopeshwar → Rudranath (face, 18-20 km trek) → Ukhimath → Madhyamaheshwar (navel, 16-18 km trek) → Helang → Kalpeshwar (hair, 2 km trek — year-round open); total ~1,400-1,500 km road + ~60 km trek
5 मंदिर · 14 दिन
Tungnath temple darshan + 1.5 km additional climb to the Chandrashila peak (Rama-tapasya site); one of India's most popular winter/all-season treks
2 मंदिर · 2 दिन
Tungnath-Chandrashila + Deoria Tal + Kanchula Kharak — a principal trek circuit of the Garhwal Himalaya