Pashupatinath and Muktinath Tour

More About Pashupatinath Temple

Pashupatinath Temple, the holiest temple of Hindu devotees, is a religious site located in Nepal’s capital on the banks of the Bagmati River. The precise date of Pashupatinath’s construction is not clear, but the temple is believed to be built around 400 CE. The same site full of temples, statues, inscriptions, and ashrams is also a UNESCO world heritage site.

The pagoda-styled main temple homes a sacred linga of Lord Shiva, one of the Hindu deities. It is one of the iconic pagoda architectures of Nepal. If you look at the topmost roofs, it has a gold covering. And it has four main silver-covered doors to enter. Right in front of the temple, you’ll find a statue of Lord Shiva’s bull. Only Hindu devotees are allowed to enter the main temple. However, the other temples are open to all visitors.

Pashupatinath Area is stretched over 264 hectares in the outskirts of Kathmandu. Altogether, you will find around 518 temples inside the area. Some of the notable shrines of the site are Unmatta Bhairava Temple, Surya Naryana Temple, Budhanilkantha Shrine, Kirtimukha Bhairava Shrine, Hanuman Shrine, Vasuki Nath Temple, and many others. On the western bank of the river, you will find Panch Deva Temples.

Interestingly, the sacred cremation site is also by the temple on the banks of the Bagmati River. There is a belief that if a person gets cremated at Pashupatinath Temple, that person will get free of his/her sins. Thus, the cremation ghats of Pashupatinath Temple are one of the sacred sites in Nepal for cremation.

The sacred temple is famous not only for religious visits but also for sightseeing. Across the river, you will see many people observing the temple from across. You will also find foreign tourists exploring the place with cameras in their hands.

Also, most of the trekking and tour itineraries around the country reach Pashupatinath Temple in the capital at first. Only after doing a visit to the temple and other sites of Kathmandu do the tours get started.

More About Muktinath Temple

Muktinath Temple, a sacred temple to Buddhists and Hindus, is a pilgrimage site located in the Annapurna Region. It is also one of the world’s highest temples in the world, residing at an altitude of 3,800m. The temple is one of the Divya Deshams out of 108 in Hinduism. And according to the myths, it is a place for liberation and Mukti kshetra.

The temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu of Hinduism is pagoda-styled. Inside the shrine, you’ll find a golden statue of Lord Vishnu, bronze images of Baldev, Saraswati, Janaki, Garuda, and Lava-Kusha Sapta Rishis. These all names are of Hindu deities. There is an ancient Buddhist Monk statue inside the temple that the Buddhist monks worship.

Behind the temple, there is a half-circle wall dotted with 108 taps. The taps shower freezing water from the Kali Gandaki River. And pilgrims take a bath from these taps to wash their wrongdoings and sins. It is believed that the bath can eradicate the evils of devotees.

Next to Muktinath Temple, there is a small monastery, Mebar Lha Gomba. The monastery has a miraculous fire that never blows up. The eternal fire gets power from underground natural gas. Both Hindu and Buddhist followers visit this place. A little away from the monastery, there is a giant statue of a sitting Buddha.

Moreover, Muktinath Area is a perfect spot to enjoy the picturesque landscapes of the Mustang Region. You can also get snowy views of Dhaulagiri, the world’s seventh-tallest peak. Likewise, a visit to Muktinath Temple is necessary for every Annapurna Circuit trekker. The temple lies in the foothills of Thorong La Pass, the central mountain pass of the trek.