Myangdi, 5 Feb: Pilgrims will now be able to reach Muktinath Dham, the temple of Lord Vishnu located at one of the world’s highest altitudes, from New Delhi, India, within just 30 hours.
This has become possible after the launch of a direct bus service from Beni, the district headquarters of Myagdi, to New Delhi. The new service has made travel to Muktinath more convenient. From Wednesday, Modern Era Tours & Travels and Srishti Yatayat Pvt. Ltd. will operate the service daily, with buses departing from Beni Kalipul at 6:45 AM.
The bus departing from Beni will travel via Syangja (Waling), Bhairahawa, Ayodhya, and Agra before reaching New Delhi. As it takes 27 hours from New Delhi to Beni and an additional 3 hours from Beni to Muktinath, Indian pilgrims will find it easier to travel directly from Delhi to Muktinath.
The bus service was inaugurated at Beni Municipality–8, Kalipul Bus Park, by Beni Mayor Surat KC. Speaking at the inauguration, Mayor KC expressed confidence that the service would also contribute to the promotion of the district’s religious and tourism sectors.
He stated that the service would be particularly beneficial for Indian Hindu pilgrims visiting religious and tourist destinations in Myagdi, including Galeshwar Dham, Pulaha Ashram, as well as Muktinath and Damodar Kunda in Mustang, and that it would help in promoting these destinations.
The event was attended by Deputy Mayor Jyoti Lamichhane, Ward Chairperson Uttam Kumar Karmacharya, Senior Vice President of Myagdi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rajesh Shakya, Chairperson of Dhaulagiri Gandaki Yatayat Pvt. Ltd. Umesh KC, among others.
The first passenger to travel directly from Myagdi to India was Umesh Kisan of Mangala Rural Municipality–1, Bharjula. The transport company announced that he will receive a 20 percent discount on every future journey.
According to Krishna Prasad Poudel, Chairperson of Srishti Yatayat Pvt. Ltd., the fare per passenger from Beni to New Delhi has been set at NPR 5,400, while the fare from New Delhi to Beni is INR 3,200.
Mayor KC also stated that Beni Municipality would support promotional activities in India to connect the religious sites of Myagdi and Mustang with India and attract more Indian tourists.
For passengers traveling from India to Beni, the bus will depart daily at 4:00 PM from Sarojini Nagar, New Delhi. The modern, well-equipped bus also allows passengers to visit and observe various religious cities in India along the route.
More than 100,000 Indian pilgrims visit Muktinath Temple in Mustang every year. Previously, travelers from Myagdi had to use bus services via Pokhara to travel to India. With the new service, New Delhi can now be reached from Myagdi in 27 hours. The distance between Beni and New Delhi is approximately 1,400 kilometers.
