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Holy Treks

Home > Travel Guide > Activity Guide > Pilgrimage > Holy Treks >

Manakamana

The Manakamana temple is perhaps the smallest pilgrimage site in Nepal, but it is definitely among the popular ones. This is the Manakamana Mai temple perched on a hill (1,220m) and tiny in comparison to other well-known shrines of Nepal. Yet, it is believed a pilgrimage to Manakamana ensures that your wish is fulfilled. Hence its popularity among the local people grows year by year.

Manakamana Mai is one of the Hindu Goddesses who protects the good and destroys evil. The temple falls in Gorkha district and is 120 km west of Kathmandu. A four-hour bus ride brings you to Abu Khaireni or the Cable car station, which is located immediately below the highway. Here the two parties part company. Those wishing to walk have a hard trek ahead of them up from Abu Khaireni while those opting for the cable car have a ten- minute comfortable ride to the temple. If the trek is the option you choose, it is best to start in the early morning to avoid the afternoon sun. The hike up may take up to four hours but the return journey downhill can be done in an hour. As injuries are likely on the steep incline, caution must be taken while descending.

The recent introduction of the cable car has depleted the ranks of hikers while long queues of passengers waiting to get on speak volumes for the popularity of this new joyride. Devotees are allowed to transport their goats by cable car too; after paying a fee. Tuesdays and Saturdays are unusually crowded and there might be a long wait ahead of you when you get to the temple itself.

The Manakamana temple is a two tiered pagoda style structure. It is ringed with lodges, shops and a police station. A Magar priest chants mantras while devotees make offerings or sacrifices. It is believed that this Thapa Magar priest's ancestor named Lakhan Thapa built the shrine about twenty-one generations ago. It is most often crowded. November to February seems to be the favored time to visit and since the advent of the cable car few people opt to stay overnight much to the chagrin of lodge owners.

The Manakamana village can also be visited and an enchanting view of such peaks as Annapurna, Himalchuli and Manaslu make the trip even more rewarding. The famous Gorkha town from where the first Shah King of Nepal started the unification of this country lies about 25 km. away.

Plan a Holy/ Spiritual Trip

Activity Guide

•	Holy Treks	Balmiki Ashram
•	Temple Darshan	Barah Chhetra
•	Festivals	Devghat
		Gosainkunda
		Kailash
		Manakamana
		Muktinath
		Ridi

Manakamana Temple (Send as an e-greeting)

Gorkha Bazaar on The Way to Manakamana
(Send as an e-greeting)

A Manakamana Village Girl With Her Baby Brother
(Send as an e-greeting)

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