Muktinath

Muktinath is a word composed of two words Mukti and nath where mukti means salvation and nath means god, which hold great significant for the people of south Asia.

                Muktinath is especially prayed by Hindus for attending moksha or freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth. It is the hidden realities that all Hindu believes in god for attaining moksha. Hindu believes that this world is an illusion and a visit to muktinath will help them to get rid of illusion. The famous muktinath is visited after visiting four dham (pilgrimage sites) which are four special religious sites.

                        Muktinath (3800 mtr) at the foot of the throng-la mountain pass, this place is known for Buddhist religious site as well. The holy shine muktinath includes a Buddhist gompa and the pagoda style temple of Vishnu. Hindu called it muktichhetra. Place of salvation and this is one of the 51 sakti peeths. (Power place)

     According to the Hindu myth lord Bishnu turned into shaligram because of brindas curse and the result many shaligram (holy stone prayed by Hindu as a incarnation of lord bishnu) found here and people called place of salagrams. Devotees of south India call this place mukti dham which means holy pilgrimage place of salvation and it is must for them to visit this place once in their life. Similarly, Buddhist calls this valley the, ”chumig gyatsa” which means “hundred waters in Tibetian language.

                        For Tibetan Buddhistmuktinath is a very important place of dakinis, goddesses known as sky dancers and this is one of the 24 tantric places. Tibetian believes this idol of muktinatn to be manifestation of avalokitesvara. Hindu regard muktinath as bishnu and Buddhist regards as Buddha. Especial days to worship there is Rishitarpani, Ram nawami and bijaya dashimi, this day’s thousand of pilgrim gather together and celebrate the festival.

Best time to visit this place in March to June and to September to November. This place does not camping and there are no hotels but there are houses and hotels below the temples. The valley has seven historic village putak, jhong, chhyonkher, purang, jharkot and khinga. Ranipauwa is a new settlement founded by people of purang. The main ethnic group of the valley is bhotias.