Tungnath: The Mysterious Gem of the Himalayas Waiting to Be Discovered

 

Tungnath is a place high and hidden deep in the Garhwal Himalayas, cloud covered and shrouded in legends and myth.

Tungnath is one of India’s most enchanting and mysterious travel destinations often overshadowed by more commercial destinations.

The claim of Tungnath to fame reaches a little further than merely a trek, as it is said to be the highest Shiva temple in the world and also a door to deeper Himalayan mysteries.

A Temple in the Clouds

Rising to an altitude of 3,680 meters (12,073 feet) above sea level in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, Tungnath is perched.

This is part of the Panch Kedar — God of Lord Shiva often referred to as the five sacred shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Although it is high, what makes Tungnath such an exceptional site is also its mystery, embedded in its stone tales and terrain.

According to legend, the temple is more than 1,000 years old. In lore, the Pandavas went to penance upon Lord Shiva seeking after the Kurukshetra war.

They avoided him and transformed into a bull and disappeared into the earth.

The Panch Kedar is said to be the place where his body reappeared in five parts at five places in the Garhwal region.

It is Tungnath where the arms of Shiva appeared.

And what makes the place even more alluring is that the priest serving this temple is not local, unlike most Hindu shrines in India.

The rituals are performed by a priest from South India, particularly the Brahmins belonging to the Makkumath village.

It adds an additional layer of cultural mystique with the cross regional custodianship.

The Mystical Trek to Tungnath

The trek to Tungnath starts from Chopta which is popularly known as ‘Mini Switzerland of India’.

But the trail is just 3.5 km long, and that’s without including the kilometers within your heart and soul that this climb takes.

The trail meanders through rhododendron groves with whispering pine trees, and then it opens up to views of Himalayan giants like Nanda Devi, Chaukhamba and Trishul.

The air is thinner, crisper, and charged curiously as you climb. Of course, many trekkers claim to have a strange sensation of calm and keen perception — as if the mountain is whispering ageless secrets to those who are open to listening.

The silence of these heights is absolutely inexplicably serene.

The stone spire of the temple appears, as if out of nowhere, from the mist, weathered, ancient, majestic.

There it’s not just a temple, it’s a gateway to another realm.

The Ghost Village and the Vanishing Priest

Kanchula Kharak is a small, abandoned village situated quite close to Tungnath.

There are whispers among the locals of spirits that guard the forest trails and some travelers have reported seeing shadows moving between the trees where there are no people.

According to some, they had heard faint sounds of temple bells at night, even when there were no rituals.

Many are also fascinated by the vanishing of the priest in a seasonal manner.

The idol of Lord Shiva is moved from Tungnath to the Makkumath temple, when in winters the region is covered in snow making Tungnath unapproachable.

And the main priest follows and for six months the Tungnath temple is left to the silence of snow and wind.

According to the locals, however, strange lights start flickering in the temple on certain winter nights. Nonetheless, with no human priest, who or what is conducting the rituals? No one knows for sure.

Chandrashila: The Moon Rock and Celestial Connection

Chandrashila, the moon rock as the name translates, lies just 1.5 km above Tungnath.

One of the best and most spellbinding 360 degree views of the Himalayas this peak provides.

It is believed that Lord Rama meditated here after defeating Ravana and the moon god Chandra did penance here.

Chandrashila is, however, more than just a point where you can simply stand back and take an enticing photo of the valley below you.

Many people believe that the geomagnetic field on the peak is unique, which affects spiritual energy.

Often, trekkers speak of being ‘light’ or ‘lifted’, and some even report of having lucid dreams when spending overnight at Tungnath or Chandrashila.

The stars are nearly within reaching distance at night and, if the night’s lucky, the Milky Way arcs overhead.

This exact spot is very easy to see why it attracted ancient sages and seekers to achieve enlightenment.

Nature’s Enigma: Flora and Fauna and Forces Beyond Sight

Located within the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, a biodiversity hotspot, the forests around Chopta and Tungnath are part of the same.

It is an absolutely beautiful place, completely unique, and what makes it distinct is not the beauty — it’s the strange synchronicities that many travelers experience.

Birds appearing at crucial points in the show, sudden fog that clears for a few minutes to reveal breathtaking views, or animals appearing in the most unexpected places.

Nature is not only a setting for the Tungnath experience, it’s actively involved in it, many feel.

Even the flora has a legend about it here. Also found in this region are certain plants such as flowers and herbs that are considered to be healing or divine properties.

Besides worship, sadhus and mystics trek to Tungnath to collect herbs and meditate in peace and seclusion if he has been guided through dreams or some divine intuition.

Best Time to Visit

The ideal month to hike to Tungnath is between April and November. In spring rhododendrons bloom in blaring reds and pinks and in summer you can expect crystal clear skies and favorable weather.

There are golden hues and thinner crowds.

For those of you who cannot bear to miss appreciation through travel, winters are best to be avoided, since snowfall turns heavy, and the trails are closed, but for the brave, the early December snow enwrapping the trails to Tungnath offers a mystic silence (if you are brave enough to tough the chill and have a devotional heart to appreciate a temple’s sleep within snow).

Tips for the Journey

• Challenging altitude: Acclimatize. Trek after spending a night in Chopta.
• When travelling in Greece, avoid the temptation of packing as much as possible; instead, pack warm clothes, be that even during the summer months. Weather can change rapidly.
• Tungnath is not a tourist spot; it’s a sacrosanct place … Respect the Silence. Speak softly, tread gently.
• In other words, Stay Curious, Stay Safe: listen to the locals — they usually have knowledge about sudden weather changes or safe paths.

Why Tungnath is a Must-Visit

Tungnath is not a destination, but a revelation. A devout pilgrim, an adventurous trekker, mystic traveling to find energy portals or a traveler in need of silence in the midst of this noisy world, Tungnath has mystery to offer that it has guarded for millennia.

That’s where myths make up with mortals, the sky seems nearer, and every stone tells a tale.

If, however, you want a little more in your photos — meaning, magic, perhaps a little bit of mystery, then you’d better pack your bags. Tungnath is calling.