Tungnath Temple

When it is open

In 2026 the doors opened on 22 April; the date was fixed on Baisakhi. The closing date is worked out from the panchang on Vijayadashami (20 October in 2026); it had not been announced by 5 October 2026. In 2025 the doors closed on 6 November.

Source: amarujala.com·Checked: 5 October 2026

The Panch Kedar story (by tradition)

The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee and Uttarakhand Tourism give this story: after the Mahabharata war the Pandavas sought Shiva’s blessing to atone for killing their own kin. Shiva kept avoiding them and hid in the Kedar region in the form of a buffalo. Bhima recognised him, and he sank into the ground; his body appeared at five places: the hump at Kedarnath, the arms at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the navel at Madhyamaheshwar and the matted hair at Kalpeshwar. At Tungnath the arms are worshipped. Local tradition and the news call Tungnath the "third Kedar".

We did not find this story in a Purana with chapter and verse, so it is given as a story of the tradition. The sources differ in small details, given further down this page.

Worship and the winter seat

Worship is done by the hereditary brahmins of Makku village; in 2026 the doors were opened by the mathadhish, Ram Prasad Maithani (Amar Ujala). According to the temple committee Tungnath is worshipped in winter at Makkumath, 45 km from Ukhimath. After the doors close, the deity’s palanquin travels via Chopta and Bhankun to Makku, where a Tungnath festival is held (Amar Ujala, 2025).

How to reach Tungnath

• The road goes to Chopta, which the temple committee puts at about 212 km from Rishikesh via Chamoli and Gopeshwar; from Chopta a footpath of about 3 km leads to the temple.
• The nearest railway station is Rishikesh (205 km according to the temple committee) and the nearest airport Jolly Grant, Dehradun (223 km).

Where the sources differ

• Shiva’s form: the temple committee and Uttarakhand Tourism’s Panch Kedar page say a buffalo; Uttarakhand Tourism’s Kedarnath and Madhyamaheshwar pages say a bull.
• Distance from Chopta: the temple committee gives about 3 km, Uttarakhand Tourism’s Chopta page about 3.5 km.
• Numbering of the five: the news calls Madmaheshwar the "second", Tungnath the "third" and Rudranath the "fourth" Kedar, while the temple committee’s page calls Madmaheshwar the fourth temple of the circuit. So no single order is given here.

Frequently asked questions