Mukthinath is located at Thorong La mountain pass (3710 meters above sea level) at Mustang district, Nepal. It is a holy place for both Hindus and Buddhists. Hindus call it as 'Moksha-shetra'. It is a Narayana temple. Its ancient name was 'Thiru Saligramam'. It is one of the 108 Thivya Desam (holy places for Vaishnava Sect).
One can have a quick snana (bath) in the freezing cold sacred water which flows from 108 pipes around the temple complex before offering prayers to the presiding deity.
Snana at 108 pushkaranis
Lord Narayana is the presiding deity of the temple. The temple houses the saligrama sila (sacred stone for vaishnavas) considered to be naturally available form of Sriman Narayana.
There is Jwala-Mukhi temple just next to the main temple. It is considered as one of the 52 Sakthi Peethams (sacred abode of Sakthi).Jwala Maa is in a physical form of an eternal flame burning off the natural gas.
Jwala-Mukhi temple
March till June are the best months to visit this temple. It can be accessed by flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara, then from Phokhara to Jomsom. There is hard way too, to reach the place by a tedious journey by jeeps. But one will not the resist the serenity, beauty and breathtaking views of Annapurna -Dhaulagiri ranges and the ever flowing sacred Kali-Gandaki river. The sacred stone Saligramas are collected from the this Kali-Gandaki river.
Kali Gandaki river
Accommodations are available throughout the journey.
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