The forehead of Sati on the sacred Gandaki river — in the high Himalayan valley of Mustang, where the Shaligrama stones are found.
The Gandaki Peetha is located in the Gandaki river basin in Nepal, associated with the Muktinath area or the Damodar Kund (the source of the Gandaki). The forehead (temple/brow) of Sati fell here. The Goddess and location are both called Gandaki — the river goddess of the Kali Gandaki, whose riverbed yields the sacred Shaligrama stones (ammonite fossils naturally shaped like Vishnu's disc) used in worship across India. The Bhairav is Chakrapani (Lord of the Chakra/Disc — an epithet of Vishnu), again reflecting a Shakta-Vaishnava theological synthesis.
Muktinath temple at 3,710 metres is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists — one of the 108 Divya Desams (Vishnu temples) of the Vaishnava tradition and simultaneously a Shakti Peetha. The temple's natural gas flame and water spring, similar to Jwalamukhi, are considered miraculous. The Kali Gandaki gorge — the world's deepest river gorge — that flows from this region is itself regarded as a living sacred corridor.
By flight from Pokhara to Jomsom (30 minutes), then 18 km to Muktinath by jeep or 5-hour trek. Pokhara is accessible from Kathmandu by road (7 hours) or flight (25 minutes).
May–October. Janmashtami and Ganga Dashahara are key festivals at Muktinath. The Valley is closed November to April due to snow.
The Muktinath circuit (Muktinath → Kagbeni → Marpha → Jomsom) is one of the finest Himalayan pilgrimage-treks in Nepal — allow 3–5 days beyond Pokhara.
The Temple (forehead) of Goddess Sati fell at Gandaki, consecrating this land as a Shakti Peetha. The Shakti here is Gandaki and the guardian Bhairav is Chakrapani.
One of the 51 sacred Shakti Peethas — explore its unique significance in the divine circuit.
Explore →One of the 51 sacred Shakti Peethas — explore its unique significance in the divine circuit.
Explore →One of the 51 sacred Shakti Peethas — explore its unique significance in the divine circuit.
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