Mankamana Temple has located 12 km from Gorkha City. The temple is situated on an iconic ridge 1,302 meters above sea level and overlooks the river valleys of Trisuli in the south and Marsyangdi in the west. To the north of the temple can be seen the Manasalu-Himachali and Annapurna ranges. The temple is about 140 kilometers from Kathmandu.
Manakamana Temple, located in the Gorkha district of Nepal, is the sacred place of the Hindu goddess Bhagwati, who is believed to be an incarnation of Parvati. The name Mankamana is derived from two words, "Man" means heart, and "Kamana" means desire.
From the 17th century onwards, it is believed that the goddess Manakamana fulfilled the wishes of all those who come to her shrine to worship her wholeheartedly. Manakamana Devi dates back to the reign of Gorkha King Ram Shah during the 17th century.
The Manakamana temple is set in a square and overlooks a huge sacred magnolia tree. The temple is four-story with four-story pagoda-style roofs and is situated on a square post. In 1996, brass plates were installed on the roof. The entrance of the temple is in the southwest direction and is marked by a stone, which is a sacrificial pillar.
In earlier times, the only way to reach the Manakamana temple was about three hours of hiking. Now, there is a cable car facility from Kurintar, at a distance of 5 km from Mugling. Cable cars can ride a distance of 2.8 kilometers in 10 minutes or less. The cable car usually runs from 9 am to 5 pm during the daytime and stops from noon to half past noon during lunch. Manakamana Cable Car was inaugurated on 24 November 1998 by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.
