Pilgrimage to Muktinath, Nepal

I have frequently been visiting Nepal and in every visit I would plan going to Muktinath knowing fully well how treacherous the route is. Finally, in this visit I have been able to do it.
An unforgettable trip for me, maybe because of the fact that I might never go there again in my life time.

Muktinath (मुक्तिनाथ) Mukti- salvation, nath- god or Muktichetra (मुक्तिक्षेत्र ) Mukti- salvation, chetra- area to Hindus and Chhumi Gyarchha (छुमि  ग्यार्छ) meaning 108 waters.

It is situated at an altitude of 3,750 meters, half of Mount Everest (8,848m) at the base of Throng La (pass) in the Mustang region of western Nepal. It is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists.  Only 20 kms north-east of  Jomsom, this region opened for tourism in 1992. The pagoda styled temple is said to be 2000 years old.

Considered holy by Hindus who worship Vishnu as Mukti Narayan or the Narayan or Vishnu of salvation and by Buddhists as Avalokiteshwar. Among the Hindus, it is said that one should visit this place after paying obescience at the Chaardhaam (चारधाम) or 4 holy places: Kedarnath, Badrinath, Rameshwaram and Dwarka.

I wanted to go all the way by road but was told that it was not a good idea at all as there were many bus changes involved and also given the constraint of time, which I always have. The program satisfied me as it enabled me to see the countryside while saving time.

We planned on flying all the way to Jomsom (Dzong-Sampa or Dzong-Sam in Tibetan) and then proceed to Muktinath by road.
I shall write a separate post on my trip from Pokhara to Jomsom. In this one, I shall just focus on writing about the Muktinath trip.

Annapurna permit

Since, the region comes under Annapurna Conservtion Area, a permit needs to be obtained before you venture on this journey.

The route map from Jomsom to Muktinath

The black arrows was the route taken on jeep and then we trekked from Ranipauwa to Muktinath, highlighted by the red arrow.

bridge in Jomsom

Our journey began from Jomsom where we were staying. Since, there is no bridge over Kali Gandaki river (one is being constructed) you need to cross using the woodden pedestrian bridge and take transport from the other side to Muktinath.

Bus and jeep station at Jomsom

It took us around 20 minutes to reach the bus station from our hotel.

Our jeep ticket

The jeeps are very paricular about loading passengers to maximum capacity, so you might end up waiting for more passengers to turn up.
After the vehicle filled up, we started our journey.

our trip, full of adventure, begins on this road

another jolt to the backbone!

need to hold my breath!

I just crossed it

Ekele Bhatti

Ekele is one and Bhatti is a drinking place. Earlier, this was the only place where people could come to drink hence came to be known as Ekele Bhatti or "one place bar".

Time to stretch our legs

Leaving a huge trail of dust behind.

It is not easy to live in such arid and harsh climate. Nothing grows here, all supplies come from far on mule back and now on jeeps or buses.

For a moment I thought that they were yaks but was told by a co-passenger that they are zho and zhomo, a hybrid between a yak and cow. They are domesticated for milk and meat.

In between Kagbeni and Jharkot, you see ridged mountains with small holes. They are actually caves which were inhabited by people of Mustang almost 2700 years back. I have put arrows to show them. The picture above shows them in the background.

A little ahead of Jharkot, the vehicle journey ended and the walking begins.

passing through Ranipauwa on way to Muktinath

Shaligrams amongst the souvenirs.  Shaligrams (ammonite) are considered as incarnation of Vishnu and are worshipped by Hindus.

After twenty minutes of walking, I see the first gate.  I jumped in excitement thinking I had reached my destination but on passing through the gate way, saw no signs of the temple. Still more to climb!

on path to God, you travel alone

Another twenty minutes of walking, feeling breathless we reach the second gate, and again my hopes rose about having reached my destination. But no, still way further.
This is the entrance to the temple premises.

A white wall surrounds it.

helipad just outside Muktinath premises

A bell on the side

Prayer wheels on the other side

huge bell outside

temple layout

 another prayer wheel just beside Samba Gomba

 Final steps to the temple through the tree lined track.
Trees have been planted and taken care inside the temple complex.

Vishnu paduka temple

Vishnu paduka or Vishnu feet temple is a small shrine on the right side while climbing up the last leg  of this journey.
Do not lose hope, just few more steps to go.

gushing water flowing into Gandaki river at the back of temple

The flight of steps at the back lead to temple and the one with bell leads to Jwalamai temple

water driven prayer wheels on right side before climbing the final steps

First sight of the temple

The three-tiered temple is not huge, then why do most Hindus have an ardent desire to visit it once in a lifetime? Hindus believe in rebirth and the fruits of what you do in this birth are given in next birth. The cycle continues till you achieve salvation. This temple is said to break this cycle and grant the devotee the boon of getting rid of this cycle of rebirths.

Buddhist prayer flags flutter in the background.

Vishnu on the torana with Saraswati on his right and Lakshmi on left

Gold idol of Vishnu adorns the main temple. Vishnu sits under the umbrella of sheshnaag or the eternal serpent. On his left side stands Saraswati and on his right side is devi Lakshmi.
The place is also a Shakti Peeth as Devi Sati's temple fell here.

There are three metal statues of Buddhist deities in yellow and orange.

A perfect co-ordination exists between the two religions. Morning and evening puja and prayer are conducted by the Hindu priest. After this is over, it is handed over to the Buddhist nun who handles the services for rest of the day.
Buddhist nuns here are considered as a symbol of Dakinis or celestial dancers who transported the souls of dead to sky.

Buddha is also considered as the last incarnation of Vishnu hence this place is very much revered by Buddhists. That is why you would see many prayer flags around the temple.

Bells hang all around the temple

On the side is a room where yak butter lamps are lit by Buddhists

a small Ganesha shrine just behind the main sanctum

Shiva temple

There is a wonderful co-existence of Vishnu, Ganesha and Shiva in the same temple complex.

Gandaki river is fed by melting snow. Freezing water enters through the 108 cows mouth (gaumukh- गौमुख) arranged in a semi-circle behind the temple.

Diffferently shaped cows mouth.

Muktidhara (मुक्तिधारा) or the stream of salvation

Bathing in muktidhara (मुक्तिधारा) or at least splashing with it is said to bring salvation. Buddhists believe that Guru Rinpoche ( Padmasambhav) meditated here and got enlightenment before going to Tibet in the 12th century. Bathing under this water is considered to ward off all sins.

A devotee filling his bottle with holy water.

Bathing in the two ponds ( kunda- कुण्ड ) in front of the temple is said to remove past sins. Freezing water flows from the water spouts.

We went during Shraddh (श्राद्ध) or the period dedicated to remembering ancestors - a fifteen day period. we saw people doing special prayer rituals for them.

They come here praying that their dear departed ones seek salvation.

I am rewinding my memory and thought of highlighting a few points which I feel I missed or came to know after I had already made my visit. It might come useful to pilgrims making a trip there.

• a word of caution for people who have backaches or travel sickness. the journey from Jomsom to Muktinath is physically very challenging.
• carry a cap and dark glasses. The sun is very strong so applying sun screen helps. My husband ignored it and by evening he was all sun burnt.
• the wind is dry so a lip balm is useful
• popping a couple of aspirin before the commencement of journey helps in thinning blood. The high altitude and rarified air makes one breathless very fast.
• wear comfortable footwear but also keep in mind that they would become very dirty with the fine dust.
• take short steps and breathe deeply. If option is available, avoid going up steps. You gain altitude fast by walking up steps.
• keep on taking small sips of water. The empty bottle becomes useful in bringing back the holy water.
• carry some snacks. Nothing is available at Muktinath.
• take a change of clothes if you plan to bathe (and a plastic bag to carry back your wet clothes).
• the journey from Jomsom to Muktinath is a little over one hour. Wear clothes, which if needed, can be discarded. They get badly spoilt.
• For those, who do not walk all the distance, there are mules available near the jeep terminus. They take the pilgrims for some fee. Also, motor bikes ply for that distance.
• People have experienced supernatural things at Narsimha Gompa or Mharme Lha Khang Gompa. If you are spiritually inclined pay your respects to Padmasambhava. He meditated at Muktinath. I would be writing in detail about this gompa in my next post.
• We were told there is no proper place to stay at Ranipauwa. But we saw few hotels there. If, you are not particular about food, break your journey. Attend morning and evening aarti at Muktinath. You will have to walk almost 30 minutes to reach the place.
• The last jeep and bus leave at 4 PM so plan your journey that way, but in case you miss your transport, there is a very basic Dharamshaala ( a place for pilgrims or travellers to stay) near the jeep terminus. It has been made under India-Nepal Economic Cooperation  Program (picture in my next blog post)

Having bathed in the freezing water and paying my respects to the deity, and praying that I make another visit some time, we return back to Jomsom.

There are many temples in Muktinath. My next post would be Places to visit in Muktinath, Nepal

Some beliefs and rituals in Bhutan

Along with being a beautiful country, Bhutan has continued to preserve its culture and rituals over a period of many years. It also makes a conscious effort to maintain it.

Combining this post with the one on the places I saw in Bhutan would not have done justice to the cuturally rich country.

It is not easy to get understand the culture or rituals of a place in such a short time. I have written what I understood from talking to people.

Dilbu dorje:

dilbu with dorje

In Buddhist rituals, both the dilbu or tilbu (prayer bell or ghanta in devnagari) and dorje ( vajra) are used together.

The dorje symbolises thunderbolt or lightening and represents enlightenment and truth.

The bell is used to invoke the presence of Buddha and the deities. It also symbolizes compassion and wisdom.

Together they form the symbol of purity which no force can destroy during the ritual prayer. Notice the bell in picture carefully and you see dorjis all around near the rim. 

I found an interesting feature in dilbu. If you rub its rim in a clockwise manner with a wooden handle, it starts vibrating to produce a resonating sound like a singing bowl !

Prayer wheel:

Very synonymous to any Buddhistic country is the prayer wheel. This along with prayer beads help in concentrating during meditation. A prayer wheel is a cylindrical oblong structure made of metal, stone or wood. They are either hand held like the picture below or are giant prayer wheels. Both serve the same purpose as they have a mantra inscribed ( Aum Mani Padme Hum). So, the more one turns the wheel, the more merits one accumulates. It should always be turned in a clockwise direction as the mantra is written in that direction and that is also the direction of the movement of sun across the sky.

hand held prayer wheel

Prayer wheel and prayer beads in hand 

giant prayer wheels

Sometimes, bells are attached to a wheel, so everytime the wheel spins, the bell rings.
In fact, I saw solar powered prayer wheels too. They are usually put on the dashboard of car.

solar powered prayer wheel 

Prayer flags:
These form a very important ritual in Bhutan and gives the country an ethereal character. One sees them everywhere, outside homes, on top of hills, bridges. They are hoisted to bring happiness, prosperity, long life not only to the planter but also to everyone around. It also helps in gaining merits for this and next birth.

Prayer flags on a hill 

I noticed different types of prayer flags. One running in horizontal direction and the other planted on a pole vertically. The horizontal flags or lungdhar are a series of rectangular pieces of cloth inscribed with auspicious mantra, symbols strung together at the top to a string.

            mantra incription                             so many flags!!                              getting ready to tie the flag

The flag has 5 colors representing Panchmahabhoot or the 5 elements from which the earth is made. It is strung in the same order of:
 blue representing space, white representing air, red which denotes fire, green standing for water and yellow meaning the earth.

There are certain conditions to this ritual :

• It is mandatory for the day to be auspicious, not all days are good. The good days are even forecasted by local newspaper. If, the day tis not auspicious then, the purpose is defeated.
• It needs to be blessed by a Lama.
• It should be hung high, the reason being that the strong winds carry the good vibrations across and takes away all the sufferings and misfortunes with it.
• They are also hung at the beginning of a long journey or starting a new venture or even by students for getting good grades in examinations.

We got a very good opportunity to partake in this ceremony. After the flag has been tied to a suitable place, Lama blesses the people wishing for the fulfilment of purpose. He sprinkles some rice symbolising flowers from sky.

Because of the strong wind, I had a hard time taking picture of one part of the flag. Each flag has certain symbols on it.
Garuda eating a snake ( top left corner) means to frighten all evils
Dragon (top right corner ) removing all dangers which fall from sky as lightening.
Tiger ( below left corner ) success in life without any hurdles or obstacles.
Lion (below right corner) to be ahead in each step of life.

Apart from these symbols, Buddha and a chorten can be seen. A flying horse in the center symbolizes achievement of all good work. The flags represent wishes made to God for fulfillment.

There are vertical flags also called darchor. Some are the same colors as lungdhar. They serve the same purpose as the lungdhar.

white flags on top of a hill

Then, there are manidhar or gurudhar prayer flags which are erected in memory of the deceased and help in smooth transition between heaven or next birth. If, possible 108 manidhars should be erected. These have inscriptions to Avalokiteshwar. The number 108 is concerned lucky by Buddhists. The reason being that Buddha attained enlightenment after 108 incarnations.

As with all things associated with prayers and beliefs, these flags need to be respected. They should not be placed on the ground or torn. They should not be removed once erected.

Chachapaa:

Prayer flags and chachapaas

Once, outside the takin reserve, we went up the road towards Bhutan Broadcasting Tower. On the way, we saw plenty of chachpaa in nooks, corners, everywhere.

Chachapaa placed along the mountain wall 

Chachapaa are usually made of clay and have a grain of rice, wheat and a statue of Buddha inside. These sealed structures are blessed by Lama and put in a place from its being under anyone's feet.
They are put for the prosperity and also for recovery of an ailing member in a family.

Torma:
I happened to see these on a roadside while walking one day. On asking, I was told that these are called tormas which are made either of clay or dough. A butter lamp is also put along with many things.

Torma on a roadside

close-up of torma

Tormas are put in many places and for various reasons. It might be put to remove any ill luck on a person or a family. It is also put to free a possessed person from di (male) or deem (female). An effigy made out of dough or a picture is put on torma so that di or deem gets tricked into believing that this is the person. The spirit or di or deem follows the effigy leaving the real person!
The tormas are then either put on a roadside or put in river so that the flow carries it away. The direction they face are specific for the purpose they have been made for.
This also forms a part of annual pooja, where 8-10 Lamas bless the household to remove any evil eye on the family.

Blessings by Lama:
Every guest who checks-in at the hotel is blessed by Lama so that their stay is pleasant and fruitful.




Doma and Paney:

Fresh paney leaves and doma                                                                    sold this way 

Doma is the areca nut (supari) and paney is betel leaf (paan).
This is loved by people here and they love to chew it. Unlike, in India where catechu ( katha) and generally dry areca nut is added, here only slaked lime (chuna) and fresh areca nuts are added.

I read a very interesting article on flight which mentioned that doma paney was introduced by Guru Rinpoche as a substitute for cannibalism that was prevalent during that time. Slaked lime and areca nuts imparts a red color to sputum and that gave an illusion of blood.
Apart from chewing, this also forms an important thing during prayer ceremonies.

So much more exist in Bhutan, but I witnessed just few of these things.
Hope in my next visit, I am able to understand more of Bhutan.