Muktinath is a

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

temple, sacred to both

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

and

Buddhists Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

. It is located in Muktinath Valley at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass in

Mustang The mustang is a free-roaming horse of the Western United States, descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but because they are descended from once-domesticated animals, the ...

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...

. It is one of the world's highest temples (altitude 3,800 m). Within Hinduism, it is one of the 108 Divya Desams, and is the only Divya Desam located outside India. It known as ''Mukti Kshetra'', which literally means the 'liberation arena' ( ''moksh'') and is one of the ''Char Dham'' in Nepal. This temple is considered to be 106th of the 108 Divya Desam considered sacred by the

Sri Vaishnava Sri Vaishnavism, or the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya, is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, who ...

sect. Its ancient name in Sri Vaishnava literature is ''Thiru Saligramam''. The Gandaki river, which flows nearby, is considered to be the only source of the Saligram shila, the non-anthropomorphic representation of Vishnu. Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa, which in

Tibetan Tibetan may mean: * of, from, or related to Tibet * Tibetan people, an ethnic group * Tibetan language: ** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard ** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken diale ...

means "Hundred Waters". For Tibetan Buddhists, Muktinath is an important place of ''dakinis'', goddesses known as Sky Dancers, and one of the 24 Tantric places. They understand the ''

murti In the Hindu tradition, a ''murti'' ( sa, मूर्ति, mūrti, ) is a devotional image such as a statue, or "idol" (a common and non-pejorative term in Indian English), of a deity or saint. In Hindu temples, it is a symbolic icon. T ...

'' to be a manifestation of

Avalokiteśvara In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर, IPA: ) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars, one notable avatar being Padmapāṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, ...

, who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. The site is close to the village of Ranipauwa, which is sometimes mistakenly called Muktinath.

Design

The central shrine of Sri Muktinath is considered by Hindu

Vaishnava Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...

s to be one of the eight most-sacred shrines, known as Svayam Vyakta Ksetras. The others are

Srirangam Srirangam, is a neighbourhood in the city of Tiruchirappalli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. A river island, Srirangam is bounded by the Kaveri River on one side and its distributary Kollidam on the other side. Considered as the first among ...

, Srimushnam,

Tirupati Tirupati () is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tirupati district. The city is home to the important Hindu shrine of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple and other historic temples and is re ...

, Naimisharanya, Thotadri, Pushkar and Badrinath. The temple is small. The ''

'' is made of gold and has the size of a man. The ''

prakaram A prakaram (प्राकारः in Sanskrit), also spelled pragaram or pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer part around the Hindu temple sanctum. They may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the innermost prakaram. As ...

'' (outer courtyard) has 108 bull faces through which water is poured. The sacred water that flows in 108 pipes around the temple complex denotes the sacred Pushkarini waters (Temple Tanks) from the 108 Sri Vaishnava

Divya Desams A Divya Desam or Vaishnava Divya Desam is one of the 108 Vishnu and Lakshmi temples that is mentioned in the works of the Alvars, the poet-saints of the Sri Vaishnava tradition. Of the 108 temples, 105 are in India, one is in Nepal, and the las ...

, where devotees take their sacred bath even in freezing temperatures.

Rites

Worship is conducted by Buddhists, with a Buddhist monk present. A local nun manages the ''pujas'' (prayer rituals) in the temple. Pilgrims are expected to offer a '' prasad'' (religious offering of food) to the deity.

Shakti Peetha

The Muktinath Temple is considered to be a Shakti Peetha for a ''

yatra ( sa, यात्रा, 'journey', 'procession'), in Indian-origin religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, generally means a pilgrimage to holy places such as confluences of sacred rivers, sacred mountains, places associated ...

''. It is one of the 108 Siddhpeeth and is named Mahadevi evibhagwat 7.14 Shakti Peethas are sacred abodes of

Shakti In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and r ...

(primordial cosmic energy), formed by the falling body parts of the corpse of

Sati Devi Sati (, sa, सती, , ), also known as Dakshayani (Sanskrit: दाक्षायणी, IAST: ''Dākṣāyaṇī'', lit. 'daughter of Daksha'), is the Hindu goddess of marital felicity and longevity, and is worshipped as an aspect of the ...

, when Lord

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...

carried it as he wandered. 51 Shakti Peethas are revered by

Shaktism Shaktism ( sa, शाक्त, , ) is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti ( Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, al ...

, connecting them to the 51 alphabets in

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

. Each Shakti Peetha has a Shakti shrine and a Bhairav shrine in its temple. The Shakti of Muktinath is addressed as "Gandaki Chandi", and the Bhairava as "Chakrapani". Sati Devi's

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

on the forehead is believed to have fallen there.

Legend

The Tibetan Buddhist tradition states that Guru Rinpoche, also known as

Padmasambhava Padmasambhava ("Born from a Lotus"), also known as Guru Rinpoche (Precious Guru) and the Lotus from Oḍḍiyāna, was a tantric Buddhist Vajra master from India who may have taught Vajrayana in Tibet (circa 8th – 9th centuries)... According ...

, the founder of

Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...

, meditated at Muktinath on his way to

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...

. This temple is praised by many saints of the Hindu tradition. Scripts narrating the temple's importance are available in

Vishnu Purana The Vishnu Purana ( IAST:, sa, विष्णुपुराण) is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of ancient and medieval texts of Hinduism. It is an important Pancharatra text in the Vaishnavism literature corpus. The manusc ...

with the Gandaki Mahathmya. The waterway downstream from Muktinath along Kali Gandaki is the source of the Silas or

Shaligram A shaligrama shila ( deva, शालिग्राम शिला, Śāligrāma-śilā), also rendered as shaligram, is a particular variety of stone collected from riverbed or banks of the Kali Gandaki, a tributary of the Gandaki River in N ...

s that are required to establish a temple of Vishnu. It is considered to be one of the holiest places of pilgrimage for

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

s and

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

s. It has 108 water springs, a number that carries great significance in Hindu philosophy. As an example of the mystery surrounding the number 108, Hindu astrology mentions 12 zodiacs (or Rashi) and 9 planets (or Graha), giving a total of 108 combinations. 27 lunar mansions (or

Nakshatra Nakshatra ( sa, नक्षत्रम्, translit=Nakṣatram) is the term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology and Indian Astronomy. A nakshatra is one of 27 (sometimes also 28) sectors along the ecliptic. Their names are related to a ...

s) are divided into four quarters (or Padas) each giving a combination of 108 Padas in total.

Sri Murthy Mahatmyam

Hindu and Buddhist traditions claim this site to be the only place on Earth to host all five elements (fire, water, sky, earth and air) from which all material things in the universe are made. Along with the ambient earth, air, and sky, there is a water spring co-located with a flame fueled by naturally occurring gas outflow -- giving the appearance of the water itself burning. No other co-located water source and burning gas is known to exist. The riverbed of the

Gandaki river The Gandaki River, also known as the Narayani and the Gandak, is one of the major rivers in Nepal and a left bank tributary of the Ganges in India. Its total catchment area amounts to , most of it in Nepal. In the Nepal Himalayas, it is notab ...

has Shaligram stones that are used to worship Lord Vishnu. According to Sri Vaishnava philosophy, it is considered to be one of the most-sacred places of worship of Lord Vishnu, praised by Thirumangai Alwar in the compilation of Nalayira Divya Prabandha 10 Pasurams in Mudal pathu Iyndham thirumozhi. It is said that one has to be gifted to get the ''darśan'' (divine presence). Lord Sri Vishnu ''murthi'' and Goddess Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi are believed to give Jeevan Mukthi, hence it is called Mukthinath.

Sri Vaishnavic reference

tradition is a sub-sect of Hinduism, predominant in present-day

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

in southern India. The river Gandaki, flowing adjacent to the temple has a kind of stone called Salagram. The different patterns of the stone are worshiped as different forms of

. The colour white is considered

Vasudeva According to Hindu scriptures, Vasudeva (Sanskrit: वसुदेव, IAST: ''Vasudeva''), also called Anakadundubhi, (''anakas'' and ''dundubhis'' both refer to ''drums'', after the musicians who played these instruments at the time of his ...

, black as

, green as

Narayana Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: ''Nārāyaṇa'') is one of the forms and names of Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, referring to the masculine principle. He is also known as Purushottama, and is co ...

, blue as

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is on ...

, golden yellow & reddish yellow as

Narasimha Narasimha ( sa, नरसिंह, lit=man-lion, ), sometimes rendered Narasingha, is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is regarded to have incarnated in the form of a part-lion, part-man being to slay Hiranyakashipu, to end rel ...

and

Vamana Vamana (), also known as Trivikrama (), Urukrama (), Upendra (), Dadhivamana (), and Balibandhana () is an Dashavatara, avatar of the Hinduism, Hindu deity Vishnu. He is the fifth avatar of Vishnu, and the first Dashavatara in the Treta Yug ...

in yellow. The stones are found in various shapes with even shapes of conch and Chakra, the symbols of Vishnu.

Religious significance

The temple is revered in ''

Nalayira Divya Prabandham The Naalayira Divya Prabandham ( ta, நாலாயிரத் திவ்வியப் பிரபந்தம், lit=Four Thousand Divine Hymns, translit=Nālāyira Divya Prabandham) is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by ...

'', the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Kulasekhara Alvar in one hymn. The temple is classified as a '' Divyadesam'', one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. Many devotees have contributed to it, most prominently the

Alvars The Alvars ( ta, ஆழ்வார், Āḻvār, translit-std=ISO, lit=The Immersed) were the Tamil poet-saints of South India who espoused '' bhakti'' (devotion) to the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu, in their songs of longing, ecstasy, an ...

Thirumangai Alvar Thirumangai Alvar (IAST: ), also referred to as Thirumangai Mannan is the last of the 12 Alvar saints of south India, who are known for their affiliation to the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. He is considered one of the most learned Alvar ...

could not reach Muktinath, but sang 10 pashurams from the nearest place, in praise of Lord Sri Murthy. Periy Alvar sang in praise of Sri Murthi as "Salagramamudaiya Nambi". The pontiff of

Srivilliputtur Srivilliputhur (), is a Municipality in Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 75,396. The most important landmark of Srivilliputhur is 11-tiered tower structure dedicated to the Vatapat ...

(the most venerated Srivaishnava pilgrim centre in Tamil Nadu), Sri Manavala Mamunigal Mutt 23rd peetam Sri Sri Sri Satakopa Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji installed the idols of

Andal Andal ( ta, ஆண்டாள்), also known as Kothai, Nachiyar, and Godadevi, was the only female Alvar among the twelve Hindu poet-saints of South India. She was posthumously considered an avatar of the goddess Bhudevi. As with the A ...

(Sri Gotha Devi),

Ramanuja Ramanuja (Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmanuja; 1017 CE – 1137 CE; ; ), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and a social reformer. He is noted to be one of the most important exponents ...

, and

Manavala Mamunigal Alagiya Manavalan, best known by his epithet Manavala Mamunigal (1370–1450), was a Hindu theologian. He was a major proponent of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition in the 15th century in Tamilakam, disseminating it with the help of his eight di ...

there during the ''

yagna Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Book ...

'' performed between 3 and 6 August 2009. This is considered by devotees to be a milestone in the history of Muktinath. A large crowd of devotees visit this shrine, where the Lord resides in the form of Sri Paramapatha Nathan with his divine consorts of Sri, Bhoomi, Neela and Gotha Devis.

Tourism

Muktinath, being one of the world's most famous religious and tourism locations, receives thousands of visitors every year. According to the data provided by the Jomsom-based information centre of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), 9,105 foreigners visited Muktinath in April 2018 alone, among which Indian tourists were counted at 4,537. ACAP's data show that the number of Indian tourists visiting Muktinath temple has been increasing every year. International tourists visit Muktinath mainly en route to the Annapurna Circuit Trek. The route to Muktinath is also popular among the biking community throughout the year. Newly Built Stairs at Muktinath

Gallery

File:Muktinath Valley, Mountains, Nepal.jpg, Panoramic view of Muktinath Valley File:Entrance to Muktinath-Temple in Mustang-Region of Nepal.JPG, Entrance to the temple area File:Mukthinathsaligram.JPG File:Mukthinath1.jpg File:Mukthinath3.jpg File:View of Muktinath Temple.jpg, Muktinath Temple File:Muktinath Temple, Mustang, Nepal.JPG File:Pilgrim showering under the 108 holy Taps at Muktinath-Temple - Mustang - Nepal - with friends filming.JPG, Pilgrim passing under the freezing water from 108 holy spouts with friends filming File:Tap in Muktinath-Temple - Mustang - Nepal.JPG, Close-up of one of the 108 holy spouts File:Muktinath in the morning.jpg, Muktinath in the morning File:Smoking candles at muktinath temple, nepal.JPG, Bells, burning incense, and a smoking candle File:Inside Muktinath Temple.jpg, Inside Muktinath Temple Holy Shree Muktinath Temple

References

Picture in map of nepal {{Authority control Hindu pilgrimage sites in Nepal Hindu temples in Gandaki Province Char Dham temples in Nepal Vishnu temples in Nepal