Muktinath Temple is situated at an altitude of 3,710 meters (12,172 feet) at the base of the Thorong La mountain pass in the Mustang district. Muktinath Temple is a highly venerated sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists. Hindus call the site Mukti Kshetra, which means the “place of salvation,” and it is one of the most ancient temples of the God Vishnu and the Vaishnava tradition in Nepal. The shrine is considered one of the eight sacred places known as Svayam Vyakta Kshetras (the other seven being Srirangam, Srimushnam, Tirupati, Naimisharanya, Totadri, Pushkar, and Badrinath), as well as one of the 108 Divya Desams, or holy places of worship dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Additionally, it is also one of the 51 Shakti Pitha goddess sites. The Muktinath Temple is small and contains a human-sized golden statue of Vishnu as Shri Mukti Narayana. In addition to Mukti Narayana, the temple has bronze images of Bhoodevi (the Earth-goddess form of Lakshmi), the goddesses Saraswati and Janaki (Sita), Garuda (the mount of Vishnu), Lava-Kusa (the sons of Rama and Sita), and the Sapta Rishis (Seven Sages created by Lord Brahma). An old Buddhist monk is present in the temple, and Buddhist nuns conduct the worship. To the devotee, a bath beneath these waters is more than a ritual. It is a rebirth, a washing away of past wrongs, and a renewal of spirit. Tantrics and yogis believe that the sacred vibrations of Muktinath open the gateway to higher consciousness, and sincere devotion can provide an opportunity to connect directly with the divine spirit. It is considered an ideal place for dhyan (meditation) and sadhana (spiritual practice), with the belief that sincere devotion here leads to moksha, or liberation from the cycle of rebirth. For those seeking moksha, meditation and sadhana practised in
Muktinath Temple is situated at an altitude of 3,710 meters (12,172 feet) at the base of the Thorong La mountain pass in the Mustang district. Muktinath Temple is a highly venerated sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists. Hindus call the site Mukti Kshetra, which means the “place of salvation,” and it is one of
