Why Muktinath Temple Is A Must Visit If You Are In Nepal?

By Author: weramblers
Total Articles: 79
Comment this article

Why Muktinath Temple is a must visit if you are in Nepal?
When you think of Nepal, you cannot help but think of mountains, treks, adventures and pilgrim spots. But among all these, the famous Muktinath Temple has a special connotation for both Buddhists and Hindus alike.
Located at an altitude of 3710 meters in the Muktinath Valley, the temple also forms the focal point of the famous muktinath yatra. Not just the people of Nepal but people from across the globe travel to visit this legendary pilgrim place. It is positioned close to the village of Ranipauwa in the Mustang district of Nepal.
Inside the Temple
The temple has Pagoda architecture and is significantly small. Inside the temple, there is a human sized statue of Vishnu in gold. It is called Mukti Narayan, this also forms the main statue of the temple. Besides this, there are a number of bronze images as well. These are images of Bhoodevi, the goddess form of Lakshmi; goddess Janaki or Sita; goddess Saraswati; Garuda, the mount of Vishnu; the sons of Rama and Sita who ...
... are fondly called Lava-Kusa and the seven sages that were created by Lord Brahma and are called the Sapta Rishis. The prayers at the temple are conducted by Buddhist nuns and an old Buddhist monk is present at the premises at all times.
There is another major attraction outside the temple, which is often the part of Muktinath Tour Package.
Behind the main temple, there is a semi circular wall that is accessorized with 108 faucets, made out of stone. These are placed at a height of seven feet and are one foot apart from each other. All the 108 faucets are beautifully carved into a shape of bull head and the mouths of these bulls hurl out the ice-cold water from River Kali Gantaki. As per a popular belief, walking under all the 108 water spouts can bring salvation to the pilgrims. Most of the pilgrims make it a point to follow this ritual before they consider their pilgrimage to Muktinath complete.
At the entrance gate of the Muktinath temple, there is a small Buddhist Monastery, known as the Mebar Lha Gomba. The monastery is visited by both the Hindu and the Buddhist pilgrims, often after they have offered prayers at the main Muktinath Temple. It is also popularly called the monastery of ‘miraculous fire’ due to a natural gas fire that burns incessantly inside the monastery. The Hindus worship this ‘miraculous fire’ as Jwala Mai or the goddess of fire.
Significance of the Temple
Muktinath is one of the oldest Hindu temples that are dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The central shrine of the temple is also counted among the eight most sacred shrines that are worshipped by Hindus and are better known as Svayam Vyakta Ksetras. The temple is also one of the 108 Siddhpeeth and is regarded as a Shakti Peetha for a yatra. The Muktinath Yatra is popular for the same reason. It is popularly called ‘Mukti Kshetra’ by the Hindus which literally translate to ‘place of salvation’.
The same Muktinath Temple is called ‘Muktinath Chumming Gyatsa’ by the Buddhists and it means ‘Hundred Waters’ in Tibetan. According to the Buddhist tradition, Guru Rinpoche who is called the Padmasambhava and is also regarded as the founder of Tibetan Buddhism had meditated at the muktinath temple while on his way to Tibet. The Tibetan Buddhists regard the temple as a place of special significance of Dakinis goddesses, better known as sky dancers. The place is also regarded as one of the 24 celebrated Tantric places.
The temple is a great symbol of harmony between the Hindu and the Buddhist religion.

https://www.weramblers.com We Ramblers is a leading Adventure Travel Provider in Bangalore, India organizes trips for all kind travel lovers and mostly adventure trips. As We Ramblers is a community that serves as a platform for the travel enthusiasts. Share your travel stories and meet budding travellers.