The history of Tungnath Temple is deeply intertwined with the legends of the Pandavas from the epic Mahabharata. According to Hindu mythology, the Pandavas sought Lord Shiva to absolve them of their sins committed during the Kurukshetra war. Shiva, unwilling to grant them forgiveness easily, disguised himself as a bull and hid in the Garhwal Himalayas. The Pandavas, in their search, identified him, and Bhima tried to catch the bull. In this pursuit, Shiva's body parts scattered across the region. Each location where a body part appeared became a holy shrine. Tungnath is believed to be the place where Shiva's arms (Bahu) appeared. The temple is believed to have been constructed by Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers, to appease Lord Shiva. The priests at Tungnath are local Brahmins from the Makku village near Chopta.