Jomsom Muktinath Trek is an awesome combo of natural essence and divinity. It takes you to some holy places with fascinating views of mountains and mountainous terrain in the backdrop. You can experience the sacred vibes as you walk through the trail and pass some holy temples and holy monasteries on the route. “Muktinath” is the major attraction of this journey. Muktinath is a holy place located at an altitude of 3,710 meters in the Mustang region of Nepal. The place holds a high value amongst both Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims. It is a temple of Lord Vishnu and is also famous as Mukti Kshetra, which means the place to get freedom from the birth-death cycle. In Hindu mythology, the holy site is considered to be the place of liberation.
As per Hindu mythology, the Muktinath temple is one of the 108 Divya Deshams that consists of 108 taps of sacred Pushkarini water. Another myth related to this place is described in the holy book, Swasthani Barta Katha. According to the myth in the book, after the demise of Sati Devi (i.e., the first wife of Lord Shiva), Lord Shiva couldn’t bear the tragedy of separation and hence carried the dead body of Sati Devi and wandered around the earth like an insane person While wandering, Sati’s body parts decomposed in different places, and those places were termed Sakti Peetha. Goddess Sati’s mouth (Mukh) decomposed in Muktinath; hence, it was termed Muktinath. This place receives thousands of Hindu pilgrims yearly. The Hindu pilgrims visit Muktinath after completion of their “Char Dhaam” yatra to get salvation, while the remaining people visit this place to get some spectacular views of mountains and other forms of Mother Nature.
Keeping the religious value apart, Jomsom Muktinath Trek is a splendid journey that offers incredible views of mountains along with stunning landscapes. From the lush landscape to the arid, wild, and Tibetan plateau-like landscape, you will be able to enjoy the diversity. Walking along the Kaligandaki –the steepest gorge in the world, with astonishing views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himal, is a rejoicing experience. The journey starts with a drive to Pokhara, which is followed by a pleasant walk along the lush landscape to Ghorepani Poonhill. With astonishing views of mountains in the backdrop, the trail extends to Muktinath, from where the trail drops down to the Kaligandaki River and ends with a flight back to Pokhara from Jomsom, a charming Gurung village in that area.