Muktinath

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Muktinath Temple
Muktinath (Dhawalagiri)
CountryNepal
Muktinath is located in Nepal
Muktinath
Location in Nepal
Geographic coordinates28°49′01″N 83°52′18″E / 28.816854°N 83.871742°E / 28.816854; 83.871742
Architecture
TypePagoda
Elevation3,762 m (12,343 ft)

Muktinath is a

Buddhists, located in the Muktinath Valley at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass in Mustang, Nepal. It is one of the world's highest temples (3,800 m). In Hinduism, it is one of the 108 Divya Desams
and the only Divya Desam located outside India. But Muktinath was considered a temple of the purely Buddhist deity Avalokiteshvara until the middle of the eighteenth century. After Jumli Raja occupied Mustang's Thini, he encroached on the same Buddhist shrine and worshiped his idol. After King Malebamba sat on the throne of Parbat, Jumla was taken with his help and it was again considered as the temple of Avalokiteshvara. Muktinath was finally Hinduized after Bahadur Shah even waved Mustang.[1] It is also known as Mukti Kshetra, which literally means the 'liberation arena' (moksha) and is one of the Char Dham in Nepal.[2]

Baraha Kshetra
class=notpageimage|
Char Dham, Nepal
This is an Famous Muktinath temple Dedicated to Lord Narayan located at Mustang,Nepal.

This temple is considered to be the 106th of the 108

shaligrama shila
, the non-anthropomorphic representation of Vishnu.

Buddhists call it

Tibetan means "Hundred Waters". For Tibetan Buddhists, Muktinath is an important place for dakinis, goddesses known as Sky Dancers, and one of the 24 Tantric places. They understand the murti to be a manifestation of Avalokiteśvara, who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas.[3]

The site is close to the village of Ranipauwa, which is sometimes mistakenly called Muktinath.

Legend

Muktinath Temple complex with Ranipauwa village in the middle background. In the far background are (centre) the Dhaulagiri Himal (8167 m) and (left) Nilgiri North Himal (7061 m)

The Tibetan Buddhist tradition states that Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, meditated at Muktinath on his way to Tibet. This temple is praised by many saints of the Hindu tradition. Scripts narrating the temple's importance are available in the Vishnu Purana with the Gandaki Mahatmya.[clarification needed]

The waterway downstream from Muktinath along Kali Gandaki is the source of the shilas or

Buddhists
.

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 (rashi) and nine planets (navagraha), giving a total of 108 combinations. The 27 lunar mansions (nakshatras) are divided into four quarters (or padas) each giving a combination of 108 padas in total.

Architecture

The central shrine of Muktinath is considered by Hindu

Naimisharanya, Thotadri, Pushkar, and Badrinath. The temple is small. The murti is made of gold and is the size of a man.[citation needed
]

The

Divya Desams, where devotees take their sacred bath even in freezing temperatures.[citation needed
]

Religious significance

Hinduism

Sri Vaishnavism

Muktinath is sacred to the

Divya Desam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. Many devotees have contributed to it, most prominently the Alvars. Thirumangai Alvar could not reach Muktinath, but sang 10 pasurams from the nearest place, in praise of the deity. Periyalvar sang in praise of Vishnu as "Salagramamudaiya Nambi".[4]

The pontiff of

yagna performed between 3 and 6 August 2009. This is considered by devotees of the tradition to be a milestone in the history of Muktinath. A large crowd of devotees visits this shrine, where the deity resides in the form of Sri Paramapada Nathan with his divine consorts Sridevi, Bhudevi, Niladevi
, and Gotadevi.

Shakti Pitha

Main article:
Shakti Pithas

The Muktinath Temple is considered a Shakti Pitha for a yatra. It is one of the 108 Siddhpeeth and is named Mahadevi [Devibhagwat 7.14]. Shakti Pithas are sacred abodes of Shakti (primordial cosmic energy), formed by the falling body parts of the corpse of Sati when Shiva carried it as he wandered. 51 Shakti Pithas are revered by Shaktism, connecting them to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. Each Shakti Pitha 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's right cheek is believed to have fallen there.[5][6][7]

Sri Murti Mahatmyam

Muktinath is revered as a 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 spring at the Jwala Mai Temple with a flame just above the water, fueled by a naturally occurring gas outflow, giving the appearance of the water itself burning.[8]

Buddhism

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
(a religious offering of food) to the deity.

Tourism

Muktinath, being a 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 whom 4,537

Muktinath Temple, Mustang

Gallery

  • Panoramic view of Muktinath Valley
    Panoramic view of Muktinath Valley
  • Small river on the way to Muktinath
    Small river on the way to Muktinath
  • Newly built stairs at Muktinath
    Newly built stairs at Muktinath
  • Entrance to the temple area
    Entrance to the temple area
  • Jwala Mai Temple
    Jwala Mai Temple
  • Muktinath Temple with 2 ponds (right) and 108 spouts (left)
    Muktinath Temple with 2 ponds (right) and 108 spouts (left)
  • Muktinath Temple
    Muktinath Temple
  • Inside Muktinath Temple
    Inside Muktinath Temple
  • Bells, burning incense, and a smoking candle
    Bells, burning incense, and a smoking candle
  • Pilgrim passing under the freezing water from 108 holy spouts with friends filming
    Pilgrim passing under the freezing water from 108 holy spouts with friends filming
  • Close-up of one of the 108 holy spouts
    Close-up of one of the 108 holy spouts

See also

References

  1. ISBN 978-93-5057-251-1
    .
  2. ^ "Nepal's Top Pilgrimage and Holy Sites – The Abode of Spirituality". Nepali Sansar. 2019-03-30. Retrieved 2020-12-14.]
  3. ^ Zurick, David (2006). Illustrated Atlas of the Himalayas. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. p. 153.
  4. ^ a b R., Dr. Vijayalakshmy (2001). An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam (1st ed.). Chennai: International Institute of Tamil Studies. pp. 489–90.
  5. ISBN 1419186418. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help
    )
  6. ISBN 1417930160. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help
    )
  7. ^ "Kottiyoor Devaswam Temple Administration Portal". Kottiyoor Devaswam. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  8. ^ Jwala Mai Temple - (Dhola Mebar Gompa) Nepāl by Nepal Himalaya Trekking, retrieved 2 April 2023
  9. ^ Adhikari, Priyanka (2018-05-19). "Indian tourists make up majority of visitors to Muktinath". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  10. ^ "Muktinath Travel Guide – India to Nepal Road Trip". MOTOLOGS. 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2021-09-26.

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