The Manakamana temple situated in the Gorkha district of Nepal is the sacred place of the Hindu Goddess Bhagwati, an incarnation of Parvati. The name Manakamana originates from two words, “mana” meaning heart and “kamana” meaning wish. Venerated since the 17th century, it is believed that Goddess Bhagwati grants the wishes of all those who make the pilgrimage to her shrine to worship her.

The Manakamana temple lies 12 kilometers south of the town “Gorkha”. The temple is located on a distinguished ridge 1302 meters above sea level and overlooks the river valleys of Trisuli in the south and Marsyangdi in the west. The spectacular views of the Manaslu- Himachali and Annapurna mountain ranges can be seen to the north of the temple.

For bikers: This place is 104 kilometers from Kathmandu, approximately 2 and a half hours drive. This temple is very popular among Hindu worshippers, some days are busier than others but in general this location has time restraints. In earlier times the only way to reach the Manakamana temple was by walking uphill for about three hours. Now, there is a cable car that is designated for this purpose. Combining a visit to the temple with a journey to another destination like Pokhara and Chitwan is possible if planned well.