Muktinath, Nepal - Temple - postcard c.1970s

• Postcard

   

• Picture / Image:  Muktinath Temple [Nepal]
• Publisher:  Cottage Industries and Handicrafts Emporium, Kathmandu
• Postally used:  no
• Stamp:  n/a
• Postmark(s): n/a
• Sent to:  n/a
• Notes / condition: 

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information (internal links may not  work) :

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Muktinath is a sacred place both for Hindus and Buddhists located in Muktinath Valley at an altitude of 3,710 meters at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass (part of the Himalayas), Mustang, Nepal. The site is close to the village of Ranipauwa, which is sometimes mistakenly called Muktinath as well.

Within Hinduism, it is called the sacred place Mukti Kshetra, which literally means the "place of liberation or moksha". This temple is considered to be the 105th among the available 108 Divya Desam, which are considered sacred by the Sri Vaishnava sect. The ancient name of this place in Sri Vaishnava literature, before Buddhist origin, is Thiru Saligramam. This houses the Saligrama shila considered to be the naturally available form of Sriman Narayana ^[1]- the Hindu Godhead. It is also one of the 51 Shakti peethams.^[2] The Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa, which in Tibetan means 'Hundred Waters'. Although the temple is has a Vaishnava origin, it is also revered in Buddhism.^[3] For Tibetan Buddhists, Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa is a very important place of Dakinis, goddesses known as Sky Dancers and one of the 24 Tantric places. They understand the murti to be a manifestation of Avalokitesvara.^[4]

The central shrine of Sri Muktinath is considered one of the eight most sacred shrines for Hindu Vaishnavas known as Svayam Vyakta Ksetras, the other seven being Srirangam, Srimushnam, Tirupati, Naimisharanya, Thotadri, Pushkar and Badrinath. The temple is very small. Muktinath is one of the most ancient Hindu temples of God Vishnu. The murti is of gold and is tall enough to compare with a man. The prakaram(outer courtyard) has 108 bull faces through which water is poured. It is of freezing temperature. The sacred water that flows in 108 pipes around the temple complex denote all sacred Pushkarini waters (Temple Tanks) from all 108 Sri Vaishnava Divya Desams including Srirangam, Tirumala, Vaikunta, where the devotees take their sacred bath even in the freezing temperatures. There is an old Buddhist monk present in the temple. The worship is conducted by Buddhists.

The Muktinath Temple^[5] Muktinath Yatra Nepat Tourism is considered as a Shakti Peetha. Shakti Peethas are sacred abode of Shakti formed due to the falling of body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi, when Lord Shiva carried it and wandered. There are 51 Shakti Peethas revered by Shaktism connecting them to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. Each Shakti Peetha has a Shakti shrine and a Bhairava shrine in the temple. The "Shakti" of Muktinath Shrine is addressed as "Gandaki Chandi" and the "Bhairava" as "Chakrapani". Sati Devi's temple on the forehead is believed to have fallen here. The mythology of Daksha yaga and Sati's self immolation had immense significance in strengthening Shaktism.Sati Devi immolates herself in this mythology. This mythology is the story behind Shakti Peethas^[6][7][8]

The Tibetan Buddhist tradition states that for this reason Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, had meditated at Muktinath on his way to Tibet. This temple is praised by many saints of Hindu tradition. The scripts narrating the importance of this temple is available in Vishnu Purana with the Gandaki Mahathmya.

The waterway downstream from Muktinath along Kali Gandaki is the source of all Silas or Shaligrams that are required to establish a temple of Vishnu anywhere in the world. It is considered to be one of the holiest places of pilgrimage for Hindus and Buddhists. It has 108 water springs and this number carries great significance in Indian philosophy. An example of the mystery surrounding the number 108, in Hindu astrology, there are mentions of 12 zodiacs (or Rashi) and 9 planets (or Graha), giving a total of 108 combinations. There are also 27 Lunar mansions (or Nakshatras) which are divided into 4 quarters (or Padas) each giving a combination of 108 Padas in total.

Ranipauwa is a town in central Nepal in the district of Mustang, formerly in the Kingdom of Mustang, about 12'140 ft. / 3'700 meters above sea level.^[1]

Ranipauwa with its numerous hotels, guesthouses, cafes, restaurants and souvenir-shops is a stop-over for both Hindu and buddhist pilgrims from all over the world on their way to the Temple of Muktinath as well as for trekkers on the popular Annapurna Circuit that runs around the Annapurna-Himal. When trekking clockwise, Ranipauwa is the last port of call before crossing the Thorong-La-pass (17'769 ft. / 5'416 meters above sealevel).

The town itself is not really much of an attraction, very few traditional buildings are being dominated by a large number of modern concrete-built hotels and other touristic buildings. Infrastructure is simple, incoming roads and local streets are not paved and electricity is not always reliable.