Muktinath Temple
The Muktinath Temple is located near Thorong La mountain valley in Mustang district, Nepal. Hindus and Buddhists both consider this as their sacred temple. To Hindus, the word Mukti means “Moksh” and they worship Lord Vishnu there.
The place is one holy to Hindus since they believe Muktinath temple is the place of the liberation of soul and body or to reach Nirvana. The place is at an altitude of 3,800 meters and is one of the world’s highest temples. The place is also known as Mukti Kshetra by Hindus.
Buddhists call this place as Chumig Gyatsa. They believe that the place is devoted to the Dakini goddesses and is a Tantric place. Buddhist monks are there in the temple who conduct worship. The snow-covered mountain valleys tend to make the temple look more incredible.
The temple has an outer yard named Prakaram which has 108 bull faces through which water is poured and flows through 108 channels across the temple and is believed to be sacred. This tank is one of 108 Divya Desams( where ‘Divya’ means “Divine” and ‘Desam’ means “place of abode”). The devotees bathe with that water and then worships Lord Vishnu.
Badrinath, Pushkar, Thotadri, Srirangam, Srimushnam, Tirupati, Naimisharanya, and Svayam Vyakta Ksetras are the 8 most sacred shrines to Hindus. Out of which Swayam Vyakta Ksetras is the central shrine of the Muktinath Temple. Muktinath Temple is one of the Shakti Peetha.
The architecture of the temple is a pagoda type. Inside the temple, there is an idol of Lord Vishnu which is 4-5 feet in height. The temple is small but is of great significance. On the way to the temple, you will get to see many places with ammonite fossils that are commonly called is Shaligram and Hindus believe this as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
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Attractions at the Muktinath Temple
- Mukti Kunda: “The Lakshmi Saraswati Kunda” are the two holy ponds located there. Taking a drop of that holy water takes away all your sin. The Kunda is located in the front of the temple.
- Shaligram: These are fossils that turn around to be very antique, ancient, and precious. And it is found all way along to the Kali Gandaki river. The stone is of great significance and needs to be there before constructing any temple for Lord Vishnu.
Shaligram stone
The stone there is in different colors and each color is believed to be one the incarnations(Avatars) of Lord Vishnu. Blue for Krisna, Black for Vishnu, white for Vasudeva, green for Narayana, and yellow fo the Vamana avatar. The tones are there even in the form of chakra which symbolizes god Vishnu.
- Jwala Mai Temple: The temple is located to the south of Muktinath Temple and is 5 mins of walking distance from Muktinath. The place is known for its holy flame that lights up continuously there.
- Mharme Lha Khang Gompa: The place is of great significance to Buddhists and is located in the north region of the temple.
- Mukti Dhara: It represents the holy water that flows through bull head-shaped spouts and is located at the backyard of the temple. It is believed that the holy water brings salvation after taking bath in it.
How to visit the temple?
Since the temple is located at the hills therefore you would need to issue two permits to visit Muktinath Temple.
- Annapurna Conservation Area Project Permit (ACAP)
- Trekker’s Information Management System Permit (TIMS)
There are many options to reach there, you may take the road route, flight helicopter but the best way and adventurous one is by trekking. Avail any of these as per your need and wants. The quick and easiest way to reach there is:
-Take a flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara and then from Pokhara to Jomsom( It will take hardly two hrs). Jomsom is a trekking place, so you may explore that place and next day drive to Manjunath(It will take you a maximum an hour).
-You may take buses from Katmandu to Beni and from Beni to Jomsom. It will take you almost a day but your visit will be pleasant. You may ride the ponies there to visit the destination.
Best time to visit!
Muktinath Temple is worth visiting. Since the mountain ranges have a high altitude and could be dangerous as well. So it will be more thrilling to visit Muktinath during favorable months.
Autumn is the best season in Nepal and neither that hot nor cold. You will get to see the clear sky and beautiful mountain views. Even most of the trekkers visit this place during this time.
If you visit the temple during the month of September then you will be likely to enjoy many festivals and events there including Yartung(Tibetian style horse racing). So, the months lining up from September to November is the best time to visit Manjunath Temples.
Things to do there
- Explore the trekking options of the place, The mountain ranges offer great sites for trekking.
- Mountain biking: It feels incredible biking down the mountain ranges in the fresh air.
- You may meet the folks there. They are so warming and welcoming and get to know the locals as well as the place more, with a different view.
- Food and cuisine will be the best way to discover flavors of the place.
- There are many places to visit in Nepal. You may visit other tourist destinations, Temple, mountains, Trekking and travelling options.