Shaligram Museum in Baglung sees surge in religious tourists

KATHMANDU: The Shaligram Museum in Kundule has seen a significant rise in the number of religious tourists in recent months.

Home to over 125,000 sacred Shaligrams displayed in one location, the museum has been attracting both domestic and international visitors.

These rare and revered Shaligram stones are preserved inside a 100-meter tunnel, making the site unique on a global scale.

According to museum patron Rishi Prapannacharya, the number of tourists has increased sharply due to growing publicity.

He shared that most foreign visitors are coming from South India, alongside many from various parts of Nepal.

Comparing to the previous fiscal year, the museum has welcomed nearly 50,000 more visitors this year.

While 100,000 tourists visited the museum last year, over 150,000 have already arrived in the first 10 months of the current fiscal year, Prapannacharya added.

Open to the public for the past four years, the museum has increasingly become a stopover for religious travelers en route to Muktinath in Mustang. “The museum is gradually gaining popularity. Compared to the past, tourist numbers have grown significantly, and we expect even more in the coming days,” said Prapannacharya. “Though not all tourists enter the museum, many visit the temple and admire the surroundings.”

Built inside a trident-shaped tunnel, the museum also features a detailed map from Tribeni Dham to Damodar Kunda, along with miniature replicas of various monasteries and temples.

Shaligrams on display range from small stones to those weighing as much as 300 kilograms.

Adding to its uniqueness, the entrance to the museum is designed in the shape of a tiger’s mouth, making it appear as though the museum is located inside the tiger’s head.

Tulsi Ram Sapkota, a visitor from Gaindakot, remarked that such a vast collection of Shaligrams cannot be seen anywhere else.

During his family trip to Baglung, he found the museum deeply impressive, inspired by the photos and videos circulating on social media.

Similarly, Menuka Paudel, who visited from Nawalparasi with her family, said she came with the belief that worshiping Shaligrams fulfills one’s desires.

After visiting Dhorpatan and Baglung Kalika, she said this was her first time seeing such a massive and diverse collection of Shaligrams in a single place.