Muktinath pictures, Ranipauwa

Muktinath and Ranipauwa

Ranipauwa with the pilgrimshouse on the right, wich gave the village his name

Muktinath is only the area around the famous temples of Muktinath. Around 100 years ago the queen (=rani) donated a house for the hunderts of pilgrims coming every year to this holy place. The place was therfore called Ranipauwa (3750 m). Now you will find also many lodges build for the trekkers coming over Thorong la.

The lodgese are famous for their yaksteaks, lasagnes and some for the marihuana.

The Temples of Muktinath

In Muktinath there is a rockfissure, from wich water and natural gas is pourring. The gas burns only in a few very little thiny flames, but there is natural combination of al the four elemants earth, water, air and fire at one spot. Because of this, pilgrims came already since more than 3000 years to this holy place. Till now, you will meet indians, even from the south, nepalis and tibetans. As in may places in Nepal, the hindu and buddhist temples not only share the same area, but are closely tied togehter.

for more about buddhism and muktinath see: muktinath fundation

If you want to feel the spirit of this place, allow yourself at least 11/2 hours for the area.

The  Vishnu Temple

Nepali pilgrims

Around the visnu temple there are many fountains fed by a holy watersource. Pilgrims walk under them, even when its freezing cold.

Al around the hindu Vishnu temple, buddhist prayer flags flap in the wind

A hindu pilgrim reads holy texts

The buddhist temple, where the natural flame is burning

The lames are behing the little curtains, they ar very small, like the flame from a nearly empty lighter. There is again a bigger flame, but I´m sure that this one is feeded by bottled gas.

little buttellamps as offerings

Links on this side: muktinath fundation