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Muktinath
Ironicfreak · CC BY-SA 4.0

Muktinath

मुक्तिनाथ

Sacred place in Muktinath Valley, Nepal

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Muktinath (Nepali: मुक्तिनाथ) is an ancient religious complex located in Mustang, Nepal, primarily associated with the cult of Vishnu. The temple of Muktinath, known as 'the lord of salvation' (mukti), is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists whom they worship as an abode of Hindu deities Vishnu and Shakti, and Buddhist bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara respectively. Located in the Muktinath valley at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass, it is one of the world's highest temples at an altitude of 3,800 meters.

Quick facts

Type
temple wd
Located in
Varagung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality (rural municipality of Nepal) › Mustang District (district of Nepal) › Gandaki Province (province of Nepal) wd

About

Muktinath is a shrine site. Although the surrounding valley and rural municipality (gaunpalika) bear its name, there are no human settlements called Muktinath. The place sits close to the village of Jharkot, overlooking it. Along the path between this village and the shrine lies the ancient hamlet of Ranipauwa, which nowadays forms a true village of Muktinath.

For Buddhists, Muktinath is an abode of dakinis - goddesses known as Sky Dancers and is considered one of the twenty-four Tantric places. Tibetan Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa, which in Tibetan means "Hundred Waters" and the murti is revered as a manifestation of Avalokiteśvara, who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas.

For Hindus, the temple is associated with the worship of Vishnu or Shakti, deities which are considered to have self-manifested at the site. The temple complex is known as Mukti Kshetra, which literally means "the place of liberation (moksha)" and is one of the Char Dham in Nepal. Muktinath is given an eminent status in the Sri Vaishnavism faith, as one of the 108 Divya Desam, or 'holy land', as well as one of the eight most sacred shrines in that tradition, known as the Svayam Vyakta Ksetras or Sthalas. In Shaktism, as well for non-denominational Hindus, it is also one of the 51 Shakta pithas, associated with the head of goddess Sati.

Muktinath is mentioned in ancient Hindu Vishnu…

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Questions

Where is Muktinath located?
Muktinath is located in Varagung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality, Mustang District, Gandaki Province, Nepal.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia (English): Muktinath · CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. Wikipedia (Nepali): मुक्तिनाथ · CC BY-SA 4.0
  3. Wikidata item Q1025465 · CC0 1.0
  4. Image: The Muktinath Temple.jpg by Ironicfreak (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Last updated · facts checked 7 November 2026

Cite this page

"Muktinath". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/places/muktinath. Retrieved 7 November 2026.

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Text from the Wikipedia article Muktinath, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: The Muktinath Temple.jpg — Ironicfreak, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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