Muktinath, a hugely elevated shrine established in Nepal is one of the very divine places where there is no religious bar hence, the place sees a huge influx of devotees coming from all around the world. It happens to be one of the must-visit places if you are a theist and love exploring new places. This highly venerated is believed to be the most ancient temple of Lord Vishnu showcasing the Vaishnava tradition in Nepal.
Hindus call this place ‘Mukti Kshetra’ which literally means the ‘place of salvation i.e. a place where you get to attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death. This happens to be a perfect place to find fossilized amenities such as Shaligram that is found all along the upper reaches of the Kali Gandaki.
Significance of Visiting Muktinath Temple
As per Hindu mythology, it is believed that this world is an illusion or ‘Maya’ of a cycle of life and death. Everyone wants to get rid of this cycle and attain nirvana and a visit to Muktinath will help you to achieve this goal. Revered to both Hindus as well as Muslims, this pilgrimage calls out the ardent devotees of Lord Vishnu from near and far.
There are 108 waterspouts established in the backyard of this hugely elevated shrine that is termed as ‘Muktidhara’. This is the place where frozen water is continuously flowing from the bullhead and two Kundas or ponds and it is believed that taking into these waterspouts lets you attain salvation.
Architectural Grandeur of the Shrine
The central shrine of Shri Muktinath is believed to be one of the eight most sacred shrines for Hindu Vaishnavas called Swayam, Vyakta Kshetras, the other being Naimisharanya, Srimushnam, Srirangam, Tirupati, Badrinath, Pushkar, and Thotadri. The temple is very small in size and the idol is of gold and is tall enough to compare with a man.
The outer courtyard has 108 bull faces through which water is poured into. The water of these Kundas is of freezing temperature and this divine water flows into 108 pipes around the temple complex denote all sacred Pushkarini waters. There is an old Buddhist monk established in the vicinity of the temple and the worship is conducted by Buddhists.
Shakti Peethas happens to be the sacred shrine of Goddess Shakti established due to the falling parts of the corpse of Sati Devi when Lord Shiva carried it and wandered. There is a total of 51 Shakti Peethas revered by Shaktism and connecting them to the 52 alphabets in Sanskrit. Each Shakti Peetha has a Bhairava and Shakti shrine in the temple and the ‘Shakti’ of Muktinath temple is addressed as ‘Bhairava’ and the ‘Gandaki Chandi’.
According to Hindu mythology, Sati Devi’s Temple on the forehead is believed to have been fallen here. Sati’s self-immolation and the mythology of Daksha Yagna had immense importance in strengthening Shaktism Sati Devi immolates herself in the mythology.
How to Reach Muktinath
Reaching Muktinath is neither very difficult nor very easy and one can select any mode of transport enlisted below as per their convenience.
By Helicopter – after collecting your baggage at Kathmandu Airport, you can start your helicopter tour to reach Muktinath. The helicopter ride continues for one and a half hours. After completing the puja rituals at the shrine, you can either fly back to Pokhara or Kathmandu.
By Road – the jeep runs between Kathmandu and Pokhara i.e. a total of 206 km will be covered and this takes almost 6 hours to cover the distance. You will have to spend overnight at Pokhara and then the next morning drive via Beni, Tatopani, Ghasa, and Marpha. You will be covering a total of 170 km in almost 9 hours to reach the desired destination. You will be spending an overnight stay in Jomsom and then early morning leave for Muktinath.
After paying homage at the shrine, drive back to Pokhara and then to your city.
By Flight – On reaching Kathmandu Airport, you will be flying to Pokhara and it takes almost 25 minutes to cover this flying distance. One needs to be informed that the flights from Pokhara to Jomsom fly early morning and then cover the leftover distance by driving towards Muktinath. Post completing your Yatra, fly towards Jomsom, and then stay there overnight.
The next day flies from Jomsom to Pokhara in the morning and then drives towards Kathmandu. However, traveling to Muktinath from Kathmandu is quite an easy way.
Best Time to Visit Muktinath
However, Muktinath is a year-round destination but the most ideal and recommended time to plan your Muktinath trip is during the summer season i.e. March and May. Autumn is also a great time to plan your holiday in Muktinath as the weather is quite pleasing and favorable in September and October. You are highly advised not to plan your vacation in Muktinath during the monsoon months as the destination is nestled as a huge elevation and receives extreme rainfall.
The alluring apple orchards spread all over the place leave the travelers to spellbind with their irresistible beauty, especially during the autumn months.
For further information, you can reach out to Namaste India Trip to get the most customized and affordable deals and discounts on Muktinath tour packages. Our well-experienced team members are always engaged in designing the best and budget-friendly Muktinath travel plans for our clients.
Muktinath Travel Permits
A devotee needs to collect two permit cards before they commence their journey from Pokhara to Muktinath via road, trek, and flight also.
About Company Namaste India Trip
Namaste India Trip Pvt. Ltd., a Delhi-based company is one of the fastest-growing companies in the travel and tourism sector. Established in the year 2009, NITPL is an online travel platform and has emerged as the ‘Best travel agency in India’ and has received many awards from the government of India Tourism. This Delhi NCR-based company has excelled its branches over several big cities such as Mumbai, Rishikesh, Bangalore, and Dehradun and is planning to cover a few more cities.
The company with its professionally managed and well-experienced team members keeps themselves always engaged in organizing adventure, religious, cultural, honeymoon, hill station, and wildlife tours in India through a sprawling network. Our team is 24 hours available to help you in providing the best services including itinerary design, ticket reservation, hotel bookings, customizing the travel plans, quality food, and transportation.
You can also customize the holiday packages for your planned vacation and all you need to do is just contact our executives and share your desires and preferences with them. They are surely going to adjust the itinerary as much as possible and will help you in availing the best deals available on that specific travel package.
Also Read: Chardham Yatra of Uttarakhand
