Facts
Tunganath temple is situated on the highest altitude in Himalayan Region,13,072 feet from the sea level, as the word means in Sanskrit. “Tunga” is peak and “Nath” is lord. Tunganath literally means “Lord of the Peak”.It is an abode of Lord Siva and one of the Panch Kedars , the five Kedar temples dediocated to Lord Siva, the important among them being the Kedarnath, which is visited by millions of tourists and trekkers every year. The high altitude temple is a Seat of Swyambhu Linga . The temple, is situated in Chamoli district of the Uttaranchal State of India. The Tunganath temple, on the inner Himalayan range, is among a few shrines situated at a height of more than 13,000 feet from the sea level. This gives it the magic of its own. To get there, one passes through the most delightful temperate forests in the Garhwal Himalaya.
Location and Approach
Kedar and Badri are connected by a route, which breaks off from Kund (in the Rudraprayag - Kedar route) and connects to Chamoli (in the Rudraprayag – Badri route) through Ukhimath, Chopta, Mandal and Gopeswar. About 70 kms from Kund is Chopta (On Gopeshwar-Ukhimath road, lies picturesque chatti of Chopta, (42 km from Gopeshwar and 30km from Ukhimutt) which serves as the base for the Tunganath temple. (From Rishikesh, one can easily reach Karnaprayag and then Gopeshwar (212 km from Rishikesh. Reaching Rishikesh from Delhi is just problem free. One can also go up to the Jolly Grant airstrip near Dehradun by an occasional plane). At Ukhimath and Gopeshwar there are GMVN Rest Houses D 180 dormi bed 48.
There is a bus called “bhookhadthal” from Ukhimutt in the morning (around 7.30am) which takes you to Choptha in one hour and a half .Bhookhadthal means hunger strike. This bus service might have been started thanks to such an agitation.! (Ukhimutt is around 15 km from Guptakashi)
A Blog report dated 9th April 2007 says the road between Gopeswar and Ukhimutt via Choptha is in very bad condition.
Choptha, the base to Tnuganath Trekking
Chopta is situated at a height of 12,000 ft from sea level. Though a scenic spot neglected by the tourism department, greenery around Chopta is in abundance, perhaps because the place is also called Cherapoonji of Uttarakhand. However, the tourist rest house owned by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) is a boon to the traveller. But a larger infrastructure needs to be developed there. From Chopta, an ascending trek of three km. takes one to the temple of Tunganath. The elevated journey instils a sense of fulfilment. What appeals in Chopta at 12,000 ft, is the silence and the absolute lack of the typical touristy environ
Trekking Journey to Tunganath
The trek from panoramic Chopta to Tunganath is between three to four km (and this distance can be covered in 3 hr.) but in that distance one ascends several hundred feel. The whole stretch is filled with rows of beautiful rhododendrons and avenues of pine trees. The feeling of uplift strengthens one to gaze at the ranges and the valleys for hours. The time seems to freeze here endlessly. Myriads of wild flowers and especially the blooming rhododendrons in summer heal the fatigued soul. Besides, dense oak and deodar forests, Alpine pastures, mountain ranges, diverse flora and fauna, and above all perpetual tranquillity drain out the human worries.
A journey to Tunganath is simply inspiring and divine. An ultimate destination with unequal and unparalleled splendour. The place exerts its magic on all who reach there with open mind and clear heart. Though comparatively small in dimensions, the temple leave an indelible mark because of its setting and the solid granite slabs from which it is built stoutly.
One can see the Himalayan ranges in their awesome avatar from this place except in case of clouds and rains, which are in plenty there. Weather is so uncertain that by the time you take a decision to make a move, there is rain or thunders.
The environment is so hypnotic and mystic that nobody bothers to think about the worldly things. One can only find him or her under a spell of divine spell wondering how and why the mountains invoke divinity in the mortal beings.
The place looks like a perfect wilderness. On reaching Tunganath, at a height of 13,072 feet from the sea level and below Chandrashila peak, one finds nothing between earth and the sky except rocks. The 50-feet something high ancient temple is the highest Shiva shrine in the region.
At Tunganath
The temple isn’t visible till you reach about 100 mts from its gates. The ribboned red flag atop the temple is symbolic enough to tell you, you are very close to the temple.The simple and somber granite temple is small compared to the other temples of the region. Locals from Chopta & villagers from Sari and beyond, have a couple of food shanties for the pilgrims. The other main concrete structure is the temple committee building.
The arched gateway of the temple leads you to a small open veranda. Tiny canary yellow flowers peeped from each crevice between the rocks giving it almost a kitsch feel at your feet. On one side of the foyer is the Ishaneshwar temple, a common feature of all Shiva temples here. The temple has a kund, which spurts up bubble on claps or other sound waves. Among several idols in the sanctum sanctorum there is a longish Shiva idol, believed to be the arms of Tunganath. Facing the doorway is a small idol of Nandi. A little into the temple premises, there are five small temples, barely 1 to 1.5 mt in ht, representing the Panchkedar. The shops outside the temple sell the essentials if you wish do puja . “Live for a month here and you will never leave”. said a sadhu in orange robes, and a mini auburn ’tunga’ of locks piled into a neat heap on his head, who stays behind the temple in a cave.
At Tunganath, very ordinary facilities are available but irrespective of that more than 10,000 pilgrims and tourists visit this divine place every year either to pay their obeisance to Lord Shiva or to just experience the panoramic views from the place. beyond the temple and one or two priests practically this place was empty when I went there in the month of June, during which the weather is congenial.
As you keep moving around, the multitude of clouds flicker touching your body and purified soul. This is how Hinduism comes closest to being a nature religion.
Other trekking possibilities from Choptha
Dugalbitha is just at a distance of seven km from Chopta. A government bungalow there is available for the tourists on permit. A little ahead is Sari village from where an ascension of two km takes one to Deoriyataal or lake (8,000 ft) in which an image of mammoth Chaukhambha is quite awesome and inspiring. Local taxies are available to Sari village from where trekking to Deoria Taal lake (8km ) is started.It is believed that the famous “YAKSHAPRASNA” episode of Mahabharata took place at this lake.
A little ahead of the Tunganath temple is Chandrashila peak or mountain of the Moon. The place is wrapped in mysticism where one is completely lost, perhaps trying to redefine one's own existence and the meaning of the very existence. Harmony is most evident in these remote places, reminding every moment that here is a place after all where Gods and mountains co-exist.
From Chandrashila (14,000 ft), a very great section of the Himalaya is visible. Legend has it that Goddess Chandrama (Moon) had spent a long time here in a penance. Bandarpoonchh, Chaukhambha, Neelkanth, Nandadevi, and several other peaks are clearly visible from this place. Chaukhambha (25,000 ft) looks so close as if at an arm's distance. The peaks also remind one of the fables that they are the ladders to the heavens. Nandadevi is of course clouded most of the times. Besides, a large part of Garhwal is seen from here, far away valleys and all that that is the grandeur of Garhwal. On the background of Tunganath is Ravanashila, where Ravana is believed to have accomplished tapa or penance. Wild buffaloes are regularly is site there.
The “Bhookhadthal” bus coming from Ukhimuut will take you to Gopeswar the next base station from where trekking to Rudranath Temple starts
