25-day Kaligandaki conservation trek concludes at Damodar Kunda

By Harikrishna Sharma,Muktinath, July 2: The Kaligandaki Civilisation Trek, aimed at conserving and promoting the culture and heritage of the Kaligandaki River, the world’s only river known for the sacred Shaligram stones, has concluded at Damodar Kunda in Upper Mustang. 

The sacred pond is located in Ward No. 4 of Lo-Ghekar Damodar Kunda Rural Municipality.

The trek, which began from the famous religious site Devghat in Tanahun district on June 4, 2025, concluded on June 30, 2025, with special prayers, rituals and circumambulation at Damodar Kunda, informed trek coordinator and Principal of Mahesh Sanskrit Gurukul in Devghat, Phanindra Prasad Poudel. The 60-member trekking group included saints from Mahesh Sanyas Ashram, Madhusudanand Giri and Ramanand Giri, along with spiritual leaders from Harihar Sanyas Ashram, representatives from major temples and monasteries of Nepal, and invited spiritual practitioners from various ashrams in India.

During the trek, gatherings, prayers and awareness activities were organised across the districts along the Kaligandaki River. 

In Mustang district, efforts were made to promote the religious significance of the river through meetings and interactions, Poudel said.

The group also raised concerns over the increasing dissatisfaction among religious communities and the general public due to human activities along the riverbanks. 

The team highlighted that uncontrolled extraction of river materials like sand and stones has degraded Kaligandaki’s natural state.

The 25-day, 431-kilometre journey to Damodar Kunda was initiated by Mahesh Sanyas Ashram in Devghat, Tanahun, with the pledge to conserve the river’s original form, Mahesh Sanskrit Gurukul said.

The campaign also aimed to draw the attention of concerned authorities to the facts and problems observed along the Kaligandaki River. The stretch from Damodar Kunda and Muktinath down to Devghat is regarded as an exceptionally sacred region.

Religious scriptures say that the Kaligandaki River, believed to have flowed through the holy land where King Bharat meditated and where Lord Vishnu set foot, holds a deep connection with thousands of years of human spirituality. Originating from the world's largest mountain range, the Himalayas, the Kaligandaki is considered one of the holiest rivers on earth, nourishing the central region of Nepal.

Damodar Kunda, located at the source of the Kaligandaki River and known as the crown of the salvation region (Muktikshetra), is the only place where Shaligram stones are found. The Kaligandaki flows from Muktinath and Damodar Kunda through Myagdi, Baglung, Parbat, Syangja, Gulmi and Palpa districts.