Kagbeni (2880 m) 1

In ancient times these place was called Hamsatirtha what had a connection with the sage Kakabhushundi, who, born as a crow, heard the story of Lord Rama from Garuda in his hermitage on Mahendracala mountain in Orissa. Here in Kagbeni he did penance, next to the hermitage of the 4 Kumaras. Kagbeni is also considered very sacred for Pitri puja as it is called Pitrimoksastala (where you deliver the ancestors from hell or give them the way for Liberation). It has amixture of buddhist and hindu pilgrims visiting this place, as one has to pass trough while visiting Muktinatha ksetra. Muktinath lies 15km away from kagbeni and towards the Thorong La Pass. Gandaki River is called after Kagbeni Mustang Khola, and splits into 7 main streams up from the Lo Manthang area. The Stream coming from Damodar kund is considered the Krsna Ganga, also known as Salagrami Krsna Ganga (today known as Ghechang Khola in tibetan language) and forms the spiritual input on the Gandaki, as Lord Vishnu is worshipped as a Mountain next to the Damodar Kund, and from him the Salagrama Silas emerge. Practically speaking the whole area from Damodar kund up to lower region of Gandaki is impregnated with the Salagramas.
Here in Kagbeni you have a Sri Vaishnava Dharamshala for saddhus and pilgrims to stay and get free food, with a Shrine of 108 Salagramas. The pujari was happy and i made a pic with him. The Center of Kagbeni has a lot of restaurants and hotels and only few tourists were there. In Lo Manthang was just recently a big spring festival, and from that few groups of westereners left for the city of Lo. But the rest of kagbeni was empty. It is the last place where you find electricity and i got all my batteries recharged. Here is also the last stop were we meet with the officials from the nepali goverment to check our permit for entering Upper Mustang.
The Officer told us that just recently they had one group trying to enter the inner circle of Damodar Kund, but one pass over 5900 m. they had to return as a heavy snow storm have stopped them. He told us even that we will not make it... Brr what a nice encouragement...