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Annapurna Circuit Photo Gallery - Jharkot and Muktinath with excellent views of Dhaulagiri.

Annapurna Circuit Photo Gallery from April-May 2008 and October 2002

301 Caves On Hill Above Jhong Khola Between Kagbeni And Jharkot Along the opposite walls of the Jhong Khola on the trail from Kagbeni to Jharkot, I noticed many cave entrances. Supposedly there used to be a cave settlement here about 2700 years ago. In excavation it has been discovered that they were the homes of a highly developed and ancient Mustang culture. Apparently internal staircases connect many of the caves and some of them are up to nine stories high. In more recent times, lamas have used the caves for religious retreats.

301 Caves On Hill Above Jhong Khola Between Kagbeni And Jharkot

302 Looking Towards Jharkot With Yakgawa Kang, Thorung La, Thorong Peak, Khatung Kang Yakgawa Kang ( 6481m), Thorung La, Thorong Peak (6144m) and Khatung Kang (6484m) along with some unnamed peaks shone on the horizon from the trail between Kagbeni to Jharkot.

302 Looking Towards Jharkot With Yakgawa Kang, Thorung La, Thorong Peak, Khatung Kang

303 Jharkot From West It was a murderous uphill struggle for me to Jharkot (3500m). I was relieved when I saw the village just ahead with the red walls of the gompas on the left.

303 Jharkot From West

304 Jharkot Entrance Chorten Looking To West I passed the entrance chorten to Jharkot and looked back to the west with the Hotel Plaza where I stayed in 2002.

304 Jharkot Entrance Chorten Looking To West

305 Jharkot Gompa Outside The red Sakya Jharkot Gompa is supposedly 500 years old. The inside was the smallest I had ever seen, seating maybe 10 or 15 monks for prayers, but to me it was just right as I could focus without the urge to run around. Photos were allowed.

305 Jharkot Gompa Outside

306 Jharkot Gompa, Young Boy, Wheel Of Life Painting I met a 13-year-old boy at the Jharkot Gompa, who showed me around. The Wheel Of Life painting was once again at the entrance.

306 Jharkot Gompa, Young Boy, Wheel Of Life Painting

307 Jharkot Gompa Statues Of Buddha The altar at the Jharkot Gompa has two statues of Buddha. The photo in front of the altar is the 41st Sakya Trizin, the head of the Sakya Buddhist sect.

307 Jharkot Gompa Statues Of Buddha

308 Jharkot Gompa Drum, Teapot, Vajra and Bell, Scriptures Four of the main tantric Buddhist symbols are on display at the Jharkot gompa: the drum, a teapot with a peacock tail, the vajra and bell, and the scriptures.

308 Jharkot Gompa Drum, Teapot, Vajra and Bell, Scriptures

309 Jharkot From Near Muktinath As I ascended from Jharkot towards Muktinath, I looked back to catch a magnificent view in the early morning sun of Jharkot.

309 Jharkot From Near Muktinath

401 Ranipauwa I passed through the village of Ranipauwa (3710m) where most trekkers and pilgrims stay. Around 100 years ago the queen (rani) donated a house for the hundreds of pilgrims coming every year to this holy place. The place was therefore called Ranipauwa.

401 Ranipauwa

402 Muktinath Entrance The entrance gate welcomed me to the temples of Muktinath (3750m), a holy place for both Hindus and Buddhists, located in a walled complex among a sacred grove of poplar trees. After Pashupatinath, Muktinath is Nepal's most sacred Hindu site. The Hindus call the place Mukti Kshetra, which literally means the place of salvation, while the Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa, which in Tibetan means Hundred Waters.

402 Muktinath Entrance

403 Muktinath Sarwa Sangdo Gompa With Statues Of Buddha, Avalokiteshvara And Padmasambhava Sarwa (also called Sangdo) Gompa is the first temple on entering the Muktinath temple complex. The building was reconstructed in 1981 by the villagers of Khingar and Jharkot. The main image is Shakyamuni Buddha. To the left of the Buddha statue is Avalokiteshvara (Tib. Chenrezig), the bodhisattva of compassion, of whom the Dalai Lama is a manifestation in human form. To the right of the Buddha statue is Padmasambhava (Tib. Guru Rinpoche), who brought Buddhism to Tibet in 8C.

403 Muktinath Sarwa Sangdo Gompa With Statues Of Buddha, Avalokiteshvara And Padmasambhava

404 Muktinath Shiva Parvati Mandir, Shiva Lingam, Krishna, Vishnu The only purely Hindu temple at Muktinath is the Shiva Parvati Mandir, with Shiva, the god of generation and destruction, and his consort mountain-goddess Parvati. Shiva’s lingam is one of Shiva’s icons at the temple. The main temple is surrounded by four small temples, one dedicated to Krishna, the eighth reincarnation of Vishnu, playing the flute, and another dedicated to Vishnu with four arms holding n his right hand the discus and in his left the conch.

404 Muktinath Shiva Parvati Mandir, Shiva Lingam, Krishna, Vishnu

405 Muktinath Narsingh Gompa, Padmasambhava Statue The Narsingh Gompa (the Lamp Temple) has a famous statue of Padmasambhava (Tib. Guru Rinpoche), supposedly sculpted by Padmasambhava himself when he stopped and meditated at Muktinath on his way to Tibet.

405 Muktinath Narsingh Gompa, Padmasambhava Statue

406 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Central Vishnu Temple The Central Vishnu temple, also called Chumig Gyatsa, is shared by both Hindus and Tibetan Buddhists, and is the second most important temple at Muktinath. The temple is built in the typical pagoda style of a Hindu temple in Kathmandu Valley and is dedicated to the Lord of Salvation (to Mukti Nath), Lord Vishnu, or Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara) as the Buddhists call him.

406 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Central Vishnu Temple

407 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Ganesh I was able to take a photo of this colourful Ganesh statue when I visited Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa temple in 2002.

407 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Ganesh

408 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Bells and Candles Next To Temple Entrance There was a hubbub of activity outside the Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa temple with the pilgrims lighting lamps outside the temple, ringing bells, and chanting. The Central Vishnu temple was build around 1815. Alas, I wasn't allowed to enter because I am not a Hindu.

408 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Bells and Candles Next To Temple Entrance

409 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Pilgrims Lighting Candles Hindu pilgrims light candles outside the Central Vishnu temple, Chumig Gyatsa, at Muktinath.

409 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Pilgrims Lighting Candles

410 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa 108 Water Spouts Set into the wall at the back of the Central Vishnu Chumig Gyatsa Temple at Muktinath are a set of 108 water spouts carved in the shape of bull’s heads.

410 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa 108 Water Spouts

411 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Water Spouts From Bull Heads Muktinath contains a wall of 108 waterspouts in the shape of bulls heads spouting sacred water.

411 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Water Spouts From Bull Heads

412 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Pilgrim Filling Water Bobtle At 108 Water Spouts Some pilgrims fill water bottles, some put their hand underneath and out it on their forehead or head, and some practically immerse themselves in the water and leave soaked to the skin. The pilgrims believe this will wash away negative karma, the results of one's past negative actions.

412 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Pilgrim Filling Water Bobtle At 108 Water Spouts

413 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Jerome Ryan At 108 Water Spouts Jerome Ryan puts his hand below each water spout at Muktinath and touched his forehead, kind of like the Catholic Church's 'holy water'.

413 Muktinath Chumig Gyatsa Jerome Ryan At 108 Water Spouts

414 Muktinath Jwala Mai Fire Temple Outside The Jwala Mai fire temple (also called Mebar Lhakang) is the most important Muktinath temple, located in the southern corner of the Muktinath complex. It is famous for a fire that never goes out - miraculous?

414 Muktinath Jwala Mai Fire Temple Outside

415 Muktinath Jwala Mai Fire Temple Inside Statues Of Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, Vajrapani The statues in the Jwala Mai fire temple at Muktinath are Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, and Vajrapani. Padmasambhava is just visible to the left. I kneeled on the floor with my forehead almost touching the ground to see the small 2-inch high blue flame that has been burning here for thousands of years. We now know that this eternal burning flame is actually natural gas. Pilgrims have been coming here for more than 3000 years to witness this natural combination of water, air and fire at one spot.

415 Muktinath Jwala Mai Fire Temple Inside Statues Of Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, Vajrapani

416 Dhaulagiri North Face Close Up At Sunrise From Muktinath I slept in and had to jump out of bed to catch the last few minutes of a beautiful sunrise over the north face of Dhaulagiri, seen from Ranipauwa near Muktinath.

416 Dhaulagiri North Face Close Up At Sunrise From Muktinath

417 Yakgawa Kang At Sunrise From Muktinath Yakgawa Kang ( 6481m) shines just after sunrise from Ranipauwa near Muktinath.

417 Yakgawa Kang At Sunrise From Muktinath


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