Kailash Manasarovar yatra: Mukthinath yatra -3

Manokamana Devi Darshan

Some of the pilgrims who performed the Holy Kailash Manasarovar yatra decided to leave for their homes but a batch of new pilgrims from Chennai joined us and we all left for Pokhra by bus in the morning. Like any Indian city Kathmandu is also crowde with vehicles and there were traffic snarls all the way it took almost two hours to cross Kathmandu. We joined the picturesque Prithvi highway near to Tripureshwar temple. This highway links Nepal and India and passes through Pokhra. The road followed the Trisuli River. High mountains were on both the sides of the road and it was a fertile land. Step irrigation is being practiced there and we saw many paddy, banana, corn fields and orchards all long the way. There were innumerable small streams flowing from the mountains and mingling into Trisuli river and bridges were there on all the streams and the bus journey was enjoyable. Greenery was there all along the way and on the other side of the river shops and houses were there. We also noticed small shrines resembling Pasupatinath temple in the roofs of many houses. We also saw that Viswa Karma Pooja was being celebrated in many villges.

Some of the pilgrims who left for Muktinath

On the way to Pokhra we stopped at Mano Kamna Devi temple to offer our prayrs to the Mother Goddess fulfils one’s desires. This temple is one of the famous temples of Nepal. From the main road one has to cross the Trisuli river and climb about two mountains to reach the temple. But a rope way has been installed for the convenience of the pilgrims.

The total length of the rope way is 2.8 Km and is in three sections first a ramp awhen were it crosses the river and then it travels straight for some distance and then the final ramp and we reach the temple presincts. The scenario form the top when we were travelling in the rope car was really mesmerizing. The objects on the river looked miniscule seen from the top. There were many villages in between the roofs of the houses were painted purple. We learnt that it was the Corporate colour of NCELL a cell phone company of Nepal and for their advertisement they had painted all the roofs in purple. Westeners stay in these villages and enjoy the Takali cusinie a non vegeterial speciality of this area. This area is also famous for it’s Oranges. Enjoying the beauty of the mountains we reached Mano Kamna Devi temple rope car station. From there we have to trek some distance to reach the shrine and on both the sides of the path there were many shops selling souvineirs and eateries. Slowly we trekked and reached the shrine. There is a nice garden maintained at the station and a beautiful statue of Garudan the celestial bird and the mount of Lord Vishnu is situated here.

Panoramic view of Trisuli River from cable car above

Bridge across River

Boats in the River

The legend of ManoKamna Devi is told like this. Once when Ram Shah a Gorkha King was ruling this part, Mother Goddess incarnated here as his wife. Th secret was known only to a devotee Lakan Thapa. One day the king happens to see the queen as Goddess abd because of this he dies. As per the customs the queen commits Sati. But at the request of Lakan Thapa she appears here. When a peasent Thanjoj Baba was ploughing his land mysteriously milk and blood flowed from a spot. Lakan Thapa offered Pooja to the Goddess in Tantric way and the blood stopped . The temple for Mano Kamna eas established at the same sacred spot. Today the 21^stgeneration descent sof Lakan thapa are performing the poojas to the Goddess. Daily in the morning the poojas are offered to the Goddess in Tantirc way , Eggs, Oranges, Rice, Kumkum and Red cloth is offered and later only the devotees are allowed to worship the mother.

The Goddess is self formed here and is just a mountain peak. There are also other peaks representing Ganeshm Bhairava, Durga, Kanya kumara and Saptha mathas are also have manifested as smaller peaks. The brass stauesa are instllles We can go nearer to the Goddess and worship her. The temple is tall structure in dual pakoda style typical of the Nepal shrines. The wood works of the windows and the cross beams of the roofs is really wonderful. The roof is gold plated and shines in the sun. After a circumbulation of the shrine we entered the sanctum and offered our prayers for the well being of all. Later we crossed the confluence of Trisuli and Kali Gandhaki river enjoyed the beauty of the Golden Annapoorna ranges during the dusk time and reached Pokhra in the evening and stayed there for the night.