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Manakamana Temple is a temple dedicated to Goddess Bhagawati, one of the reincarnations of Goddess Parvati. The word Mana means ‘heart’ and Kamana means ‘to wish’. It is believed that one can fulfill their wishes by worshipping in this temple. The temple is situated in Gorkha district about 140 km southwest of Kathmandu. The temple sits on a mountain ridge at an altitude of 1302m. A scenic cable car ride directly takes you to the top to the temple from Kurintar, the nearest point on Prithivi Highway. The temple is an impressive built in Pagoda style and is surrounded by hills covered with magnolia and birch forests. The temple is particularly vibrant during the festivals of Dashain (Sep-Oct) and Nag Panchami (July-August) when devotees make animal sacrifices. Visitors can enjoy beautiful views of Annapurna and Manaslu Himalayan ranges from the temple.
The legend of Manakamana Goddess dates back to the reign of the Gorkha king Ram Shah during the 17th century. It is said that his queen possessed divine powers, which only her devotee Lakhan Thapa knew about. One day, the king witnessed his queen in Goddess incarnation and Lakhan Thapa in the figure of a lion. Upon mentioning the revelation to his queen, a mysterious death befell the king. As per the custom the queen committed SATI (ritual immolation) on her husband’s funeral pyre. Before her sati the queen had assured Lakhan Thapa that she would reappear in the near future. Six months later, a farmer while ploughing his fields cleaved a stone. From the stone he saw a stream of blood and milk flow. When Lakhan heard an account of this event, he immediately started performing Hindu tantric rituals at the site where the stone had been discovered thus ceasing the flow of blood and milk. The site became the foundation of the present shrine. According to tradition, the priest at the temple must be a descendent of Lakhan Thapa.
Itinerary
Day 1
Kathmandu - Manakamana - Kathmandu:
You will drive towards the destination Kurintar and then take the wonderful view promising cable car service. The facility of a cable car is just till Manakamana temple. The cable car rides over the distance of 2.8 kilometers in 10 minutes about. The cable car ride will be a different experience to see yourself crossing over the river Trishuli and ascends the green tropical forest where you can witness orange orchard, forest, local villages and view of Trishuli river valley. A huge chunk of hill is covered by beautifully nourished and then when the orchard is over you will then again pass over another hill till you reach the final stop of the cable car. The adventure isn’t over yet, you will enjoy the cable car ride over again when you return back to Kurintar.
After an exciting ride up with stunning views of the mountains and green valley, admire the red and black colored and abundantly decorated temple standing at 1,302 m (4,270 ft) above sea level. Feel the holy environment and enter the small dark chamber displaying ancient ornaments covered in dust and ashes. Many pilgrims come to worship here and often offer sacrifice animals—in fact there is a cable carriage for animals just for this purpose. Absorb the breathtaking views of the Manaslu, Himalchuli, and Annapurna mountains to the north, and grab some souvenirs and flavor local food from the nearby street vendors. You will then descend towards the cable car station and enjoy the downfall ride in the cable car till Kurintar and then drive back to Kathmandu.
Stay overnight in Hotel.