Brief Introduction to Muktinath

Introduction
Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa is a sacred place for both Hindus and Tibetan Buddhists at 3750 meters (12,300 feet) at the Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas of Nepal. It is a great example of how two religions can share the same holy spot with mutual respect and support.
Attributes
In Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa all the elements are represented, not only earth, air and holy water, but also fire. Beside trees are growing at an unusual altitude. For this and reasons unseen yogis from both religions do their meditation at Muktinath.  

Padmasambhava & Dakinis The local name for Muktinath is Chumig Gyatsa (Hundred Waters). The tradional caretakers of Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa are the Tibetan Buddhist Chumig Gyatsa ('Muktinath') nuns with the head of the Gye Lhaki Dung as their abbot. This family is popularly know as the Lama Domar family, an unbroken lineage of Tibetan Buddhist Nyingma lamas from Muktinath Valley, which has Chumig Gyatsa as its religious seat for centuries The current abbot of Chumig Gyatsa is Muktinath Lama Wangyal. For Tibetan Buddhists Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa is a place of Dakinis, goddesses known as Sky Dancers. It is of great importance for Buddhists that Chumig Gyatsa is one of the 24 Tantric places. Padmasambhava plus the Mahasiddhas blessed it with their visit. The famous Tibetan yogi Shabkar visted Muktinath in 1818 and stayed for several days to 'connect to the place', as his autobiography tells us. The Padmasambhava Statue in Narsingh Gompa can be considered the most holy object together with the Chenrezig statue. This is a very brief enumeration. More information on Buddhist backgrounds - for instance on the natural fire - can be found in the pilgrimage guide "The Clear Mirror", written down by the late abbot of Chumig Gyatsa, Muktinath Lama Jampal Rabgyé Rinpoche.

Lord Vishnu & Shalagramas For Hindus, beside the natural fire representing Brahma and the holy waters, the central meaning of the Muktinath area is the veneration of the god Vishnu in the form of ammonites (shilas) called Salagrama-Shilas. There are many stories which tell of Vishnu turning into stone and all of them are closely connected to the holy Kali Gandaki River. This river, also known as the Salagrami, is a few hours walking from Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa. The building in 1815 of the Buddhist-Hindu temple of Vishnu and Chenrezig at Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa was initiated by the Nepali Queen Subarna Prabha who considered Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa Salagrama. Salagrama The Purana legends (300-1000 AD) mention Salagrama being the most holy spot connected to the Gandaki River. Salagrama is one of The 108 Temples & Celestial Abodes of Vishnu referred by the Tamil hymns of the Alwars of the 1st millennium CE. Although the veneration of Vishnu is central nowadays, there is also a connection with Krishna as well as with Shiva. ( back to top) Salagrama, Muktikshetra and Muktinath It is difficult to understand the exact status of Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa within Hinduism. There is no debate about the Gandaki River. However some Hindu schools have doubts regarding the status of Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa as a Hindu pilgrimage site*and have the opinion that the Celestial Abode of Vishnu connected to the Gandaki River (Salagrama) is the source of the Gandaki or a cave near to it. One of the reasons for their opinion is that contradictory to other Hindu pilgrimages sites connected to a holy river, one has to walk away from the holy Gandaki River for several hours to reach the site. Another reason is that 'Muktinath' as such is not mentioned in Hindu scriptures like the Mahabharata and the Puranas. The name 'Muktikshetra' does appear in the Varahapurana (c.144:v.122), but as the area near the Gandaki River and not as a spot in the mountains.** Muktinath Lama Wangyal pointed out the bottom line though, when he was asked what his opinion is in the very matter: "Look at the many, many Hindu pilgrims visiting Muktinath; no doubt this is a pilgrimage place for Hindus." Swaminarayan One Hindu Guru connected to Muktinath is Lord Shri Swaminarayan, Satguru of Sabij Yoga, the goal of which is the realization of and service to God Supreme. At the end of the 18th century this Satguru practiced severe penance in Muktinath for two and a half months and attained the highest degree of proficiency in Nishkamvrat. In 2003 his followers funded the new wall around Muktinath and raised a small monument for him at Muktinath.

More Information on Muktinath For more information please have a look at the Muktinath menu on the top of this page. In the Picture Album you can find pictures of Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa with Hindu and Buddhist backgrounds. The MFI Map of Muktinath shows the compound with its temples. This site contains also a satellite picture of the Gandaki area. For a great 360 degrees view of the Muktinath area, see the 360 cities site. References For references used to write this introduction, please have a look at the Reference Page. See our copyright notice if you want to use the content of this website. ( back to top) * See the comment at IndianTemples.Com **The status of Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa as the most holy spot connected to the Gandaki River, Salagrama, is questioned based on the Varahapurana chapter144, verse 182, mentioning an area "from Muktikshetra to Salagrama" of the distance of "15 yojanas" indicating Muktikshetra and Salagrama are not equivalent and Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa can not be Salagrama, since it is only a few hours walking from the Gandaki River while 15 yojanas is about 195 km.

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