Nepal-A land of mountains and temples

A week-long tour of the land of mountains—Nepal—provides great relief, both spiritually and physically, as one passes through the snow-clad Annapurna Mountain range. When I got the opportunity to tour Nepal with nineteen families, the majority of them close relatives, the painful and tough journeys on narrow mountain roads turned joyful.

On day one, our Nepal tour group started from Gorakhpur, crossed the India border, and entered Nepal at the Sonouli border, making a night halt at the border. On the second day, we visited Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha. After exploring the sprawling lawns and Buddhist structures for nearly two hours, we set off for the challenging journey to Muktinath temple for darshan.

Traveling on a narrow off-road path, with landslides visible at several points, we faced anxious moments, balancing between the valleys on one side and the highest mountain ranges on the other. With the fast-changing climate, it was a stroke of luck for anyone to reach Muktinath without rain. However, our journey ended joyfully as we passed through apple orchards lining both sides of the road. Visitors can reach the temple either by walking, horseback riding, or using a doli (palanquin).

As per ritual, devotees bathe in both Papa Gundam and Punyagundam in front of the temple, and at the 108 water spouts, holy mountain water flows from the mouths of Nandis, while they chant "Namo Narayana" to seek the blessings of Muktinath, the supreme God. A night halt in nearby Jomsom is necessary, as nighttime travel in the mountains is impossible.

On the third day, we proceeded to Pokhara and visited the Guptnath Caves temple and the Bindyavahini temple.

On day four, we visited the Manokamna temple, situated at a height of 4,709 feet, overlooking the valleys of the Trishuli and Marsyangdi rivers. People believe that Manokamna Devi fulfills the wishes of devotees. Traveling to the temple via a ropeway, with breathtaking views of the Manaslu and Annapurna ranges, is an adventurous experience, as it is the longest 2.8 km ropeway covering several mountains and valleys.

After the darshan of Manokamna Devi, we proceeded to Kathmandu for a night halt.

On the fifth day, we visited the Pashupatinath temple, located in Kathmandu near the Bagmati river. This temple was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979, and the deity is believed to be half of Kedarnath. It is said that a complete spiritual tour is not fulfilled without a darshan of Pashupatinath.

The sacred Doleshwar Mahadev temple, located in Sipadol, Bhaktapur, near Kathmandu, is considered the head of Lord Kedarnath. Legend has it that when the Pandavas tried to catch Lord Shiva, who was disguised as a bull after the Mahabharata war, the bull’s head was severed from its body. The body remained in Kedarnath, India, while the head fell at the site of Doleshwar Mahadev. Therefore, a trip to Kedarnath is incomplete without a visit to Doleshwar Mahadev.

On the sixth day, we proceeded to Janakpur, the birthplace of Goddess Sita. We had the opportunity to see the Sita Swayamvara Mandapam, the animation museum of the Sitadevi family, and the ornaments of Janaka Maharaj's family. The view of Janaki Mandir brings immense joy to everyone.

To top it off, the cleanliness maintained by the Nepalese impresses all visitors. Although thousands of tourists visit the area, there is no littering of plastic waste, and public urination is absent. It is said that heavy fines are imposed for open urination.

We owe our gratitude to tour operator K Srinivasa Rao, who provided excellent accommodation, food, and transport throughout the journey.