Tungnath Temple - A Detailed Guide for UPSC Exam Preparation | Testbook.com

An Overview of Tungnath Temple

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• Situated at an altitude of 3680 m above sea level, the Tungnath temple is a significant shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is esteemed as the highest Shiva Shrine in the world. The temple is a part of the five and the highest Panch Kedar temples nestled in the Tungnath mountain range in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.
• The temple is believed to be discovered by Adi Shankaracharya.
• The Tungath temple opens annually with the opening of the Char Dhams of Uttarakhand during the months of April or May on Vaisakh Panchmi. The date of opening is determined by the Badri Kedar Temple Committee on Baisakhi.
• According to popular folklore, Arjuna, the third Pandava brother, laid the foundation of this temple. The temple, built in the North Indian style of architecture, is surrounded by shrines of other deities.

Legends Associated with the Temple:

• One popular legend about Tungnath Temple's history states that after the battle of Mahabharata, the Pandavas sought Lord Shiva in the Himalayas to atone for the sin of killing their kin.
• Lord Shiva, however, did not wish to confront the Pandavas and transformed himself into a buffalo.
• Despite this, the Pandavas recognized Lord Shiva. The Lord, in turn, disappeared into the ground at Guptkashi. However, the arms of Lord Shiva appeared at Tungnath in the form of a buffalo. Since then, the arms of the Lord are worshipped in this temple.

Understanding the Panch Kedars

• Panch Kedar refers to a cluster of five sacred shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva. These temples are situated in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand.
• Many legends associate the creation of these temples with the Pandavas, the protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
• The five temples constituting the Panch Kedars are:
  • Kedarnath Temple
  • Tungnath Temple
  • Rudranath Temple
  • Madhyamaheshwar Temple or Madmaheshwar
  • Kalpeshwar Temple