Panch Kedar / Third Kedar
तुंगनाथ
Traditionally called the highest Shiva temple in the world — a small stone shrine on a ridge above the Chopta meadows, looking out at a 200-km wall of snow peaks.
The arms of the bull appeared at Tungnath, which means “Lord of the Peaks”. Legend credits Arjuna, third of the Pandava brothers, with building the first temple. The present stone temple, about 1,000 years old, has a curved Nagara shikhara topped by a wooden roof.
Unlike Kedarnath, the priests here are local Brahmins from Makku village. In winter the deity is taken to Markandeya Temple at Makkumath.
A further 1.5 km above is Chandrashila, the “Moon Rock”, at about 3,640 m (often quoted as 4,000 m). Lord Rama is said to have meditated here after the war with Ravana, and the Moon god Chandra to have done penance here. The summit gives a 360° view of Nanda Devi, Trishul, Chaukhamba, Kedarnath and Bandarpunch.
About the altitude. Measured from SRTM satellite terrain data at the temple. The figure traditionally quoted is 3,680 m, which is close to the height of Chandrashila summit above it. Satellite terrain data is accurate to roughly ±30 m.
The building and its worship, the festivals, the trail stage by stage, month-by-month weather, facilities on the way, and the customs to know.
Tungnath is a small stone temple in the North Indian Himalayan style, close in form to Kedarnath. It is built of heavy stone slabs, with a curved Nagara shikhara topped by a wooden roof.
The garbhagriha holds the lingam, with a small mandapa in front and a stone Nandi outside facing the god. Around the main temple are several smaller shrines, including one to Parvati. Images of Ved Vyas and Kal Bhairav are also kept in the complex.
The daily round is a morning puja and aarti, darshan through the day with a short break for bhog, and an evening aarti.
The priests are local Brahmins of Makku village, not the South Indian priests of Kedarnath and Madhyamaheshwar. In winter the worship moves with them to Markandeya Temple at Makkumath.
The shrine is tiny and the queue can be slow on weekends. Remove shoes and leather outside and keep the sanctum quiet.
The opening date is usually fixed on Baisakhi at Makkumath by consulting the panchang.
The doli leaves Makkumath and climbs to the temple over a few days, usually halting at a shrine on the way and at Chopta. The doors open at the fixed muhurat.
The doors close after Diwali. The doli returns to Makkumath for the winter.
Celebrated at the winter seat in Makkumath while the high temple is under snow.
≈ 0.8 km+100 m
From the road, a paved path enters rhododendron forest. Shade and a gentle start.
≈ 1 km+270 m
Steeper climb out of the trees onto open meadow. The first big views of the snow peaks. Tea and snacks here.
≈ 1.7 km+360 m
The steepest part: tight switchbacks across open grass, with no shade. Benches along the way. The path is paved throughout.
≈ 1.5 km+230 m
Optional. A rough, unpaved path climbs steeply to the summit. Can be icy or snowbound early and late in the season. No water or shelter.
-13°C16°C
Approximate temperatures at the temple’s altitude (night / day). These are not weather-station records.
Most people take 2–3 hours up from Chopta and about 1.5 hours down. Add an hour or more for Chandrashila.
Yes. Ponies are available at Chopta and go most of the way to the temple. They do not go to Chandrashila.
Tungnath is served by local Brahmins of Makku village, unlike Kedarnath and Madhyamaheshwar, where the priests are Jangams from Karnataka.
It is traditionally called the world’s highest Shiva temple and is often quoted at 3,680 m. Terrain data puts it at about 3,410 m, which is lower than Kedarnath and Rudranath.
Based on: BKTC announcements as reported in the press (Baisakhi date-fixing, opening and closing) · Uttarakhand Tourism · Rudraprayag district website · Trek and travel guides (Indiahikes, euttaranchal.com and others) for trail facilities · Wikipedia (Tungnath) for cross-checking.
Traditional accounts, as told in the Puranas and by the temple communities. Versions differ from valley to valley.
At Tungnath, the “Lord of the Peaks”, the arms of the bull came up out of the earth. Tradition says Arjuna, the great archer of the Pandavas, built the first temple here.
The present shrine, about a thousand years old, sits so high that for most of the year it stands in cloud. A Nandi waits outside, facing the god.
Above the temple rises Chandrashila, the Moon Rock. Local tradition holds that Rama came here after the war with Ravana. Ravana had been a learned Brahmin as well as a demon king, and Rama meditated on this summit to atone for killing him.
The summit also takes its name from Chandra, the Moon. The Puranas tell how Chandra married the 27 daughters of Daksha but loved only one of them, Rohini. Daksha cursed him to waste away.
Chandra prayed to Shiva to be freed from the curse. Shiva could not undo it completely, so he softened it: the moon would wane and then grow again. Local tradition places part of Chandra’s penance on this rock, the highest point of the whole yatra.
At Kedarnath and Madhyamaheshwar the priests come from the south of India. At Tungnath they come from the hills. The priests here are local Brahmins of Makku village.
In winter the deity is carried down to their village and worshipped at the Markandeya Temple, Makkumath. It is named after the sage Markandeya, who in legend defeated death through his devotion to Shiva.
Each trail is traced from OpenStreetMap footpaths, and its height is measured every 20 m from satellite terrain data (SRTM). The hiker walks that real profile on a 3D satellite map. Speed comes from Tobler’s hiking function, adjusted for altitude, your pace and rest stops. At every step you see altitude, gradient, oxygen and temperature, and at the end the time you reach the temple.
3D terrain · satellite · camera follows the hiker
Data: trail lines © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Heights come from AWS Terrain Tiles (SRTM, about 30 m resolution), sampled every 20 m. Satellite imagery © Esri, Maxar. Distances are scaled to the official signboard length, because a traced line skips some switchbacks. Model: Tobler’s hiking function, 6·e−3.5|s+0.05| km/h on the trail gradient s. Speed is reduced 9% per 1,000 m above 1,500 m and multiplied by a pace factor, and a 10-minute rest is added each hour. Real times vary with weather, crowds and fitness.
Rishikesh → Rudraprayag → Ukhimath → Chopta (≈ 210 km), or via Chamoli → Gopeshwar → Mandal → Chopta.
Yog Nagari Rishikesh (≈ 210 km).
Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (≈ 225 km).
Sunrise over Nanda Devi, Trishul, Chaukhamba and Kedarnath.
≈ 1.5 km above · ≈ 3,640 mLake that reflects Chaukhamba; linked to the Yaksha–Yudhishthira dialogue.
≈ 2.5 km trek from SariMusk deer breeding centre on the Chopta–Gopeshwar road.
Kanchula KharakOmkareshwar Temple and the nearest town with full services.
≈ 29 kmCamps and simple lodges at Chopta and Dugalbitta; hotels at Ukhimath and Sari; a few basic rooms near the temple.
Madhyamaheshwar · Tungnath
Indicative / night₹1,000 – ₹3,500
Hub for Madhyamaheshwar and Tungnath. Has ATMs, pharmacy and fuel.
Tungnath
Indicative / night₹1,000 – ₹5,000
Chopta itself has camps and lodges. Dugalbitta has the better resorts.
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