Nepal tour and pilgrimage Part II - Muktinath 02 10 2015

Nepal tour and pilgrimage Part II - Muktinath  02 10 2015

Along with the group of the tourists, I had darshan at Muktinath in the mid afternoon on 2nd October 2015.  As there was blockade of goods and supplies from Bihar due to security reasons, (because of the problem created by Madhesi Protestors with the announcement of the new constitution), the tour also had to bear the brunt as rationing of fuel was announced in Nepal for two wheelers, four wheeles and tourist vans and buses.  The bus supposed to have started from Kathmandu at 08.00 hours in the morning after breakfast in the hotel, did not arrive on 1st October 2015.  The earlier planned itinerary was to proceed to Manakamanadevi and have darshan and reach Pokhara the same evening of 01 10 2015.  As the bus arrived at 10.15 hrs, programme was changed to have darshan of morning abishekam at Pasupathinath temple/Kathmandu and then proceeded straight to Pokhara and reached at 7.15 PM.  The night stay was at Pokhara and the next morning reached by flight to Jomsom, a flight for 15 minutes duration but would have occupied at least 7 to 8 hours if one were to take the road.  Jomsom airport is between the hills and at an altitude of  8976 ft above sea level. 

                               Jomsom airport among the hilly terrain

From here, by tourist bus reached Gandaki river bridge (5kms from Jomsom) and had to cross the bridge by foot and reach the other bank and walk for 5 minutes to reach the tourist bus stand.  
Gandaki river - photo taken from mobile phone and from the bridge

From this point, it is around 2 hours by road journey, a distance of 29 kms to Muktinath.  The mud road formed on the hilly terrain with lot of stones is along the river bank, at many places.  Again, at Muktinath too, the tourist vehicles are parked at a distance of roughly 1 km from the temple.

Pony and pillion riding in bikes are the mode of transport to the temple for those who cannot make it by foot, with the altitude and also the gradient posing a problem.  I took an hour to reach the temple as only a few ponies were available and also there were no bikes because of the fuel supply crisis.  It is worth the pain of walking the distance and this is known once when you reach the temple.

The temple premises a strip of land among the hills, has the 108 saligrama theerthas and also the papa and punya kunds to take bath.   Care has to be excercised for those who would like to take bath in all the theerths, as even with running underneath the springs, even as you cover half the distance, heads get frozen.   A good samaritan on the way advised to have towels on our head as we take bath and many opted for sprinkling the theerthams.

108 theerthams and the two kunds (Papa and Punya) at Muktinath temple

In the temple premises, facilities exist for performing homams in the form of a homakund, but all materials have to be carried for doing homams.  One among the group had brought all required materials and homam was performed. (Thanks to Sri Thiagarajan of Chennai).  Darshan of Muktinath, in an sannidhi of 8'x8' can be had and offerings are taken and kept at the feet of the Muktinath by buddhist nuns.  No bar in taking photographs of Muktinath.  

             Muktinath, Bhoodevi and Sreedevi - Saligram, Garudan, Ramanuja  

On the way to the temple, a few shops sell Saligrams, genuineness of which cannot be vouchsafed.  Back to bus stand and the journey back to Jomsom, as overnight stay at Jomsom is essential for the reason that flights are available only in the morning (Wind velocity higher during afternoons and flights are not operated) and also 7 to 8 hours are required for jomsom to muktinath and back.
Even from Pokhara, the starting of the morning flight depends upon the weather both at Pokhara and Jomsom and hence the programme has to be a little flexible with an inevitable one day stay at Jomsom, which you wont regret because of the excellent scenery all around the airport surrounded by mountains.