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Art and Religon in Nepal

2008-03-14T16:44:00.004+05:30

Art and Religion in Nepal
Nepalese expressions of art, classical and modern, are imbedded in the daily practice of religion.
Unique craftsmanship is most easily found in temples, architecture, shrines, fountains and the design of religious objects. Understanding
the various religious creeds as well as the representations of gods
and goddesses enhances the appreciation of Nepalese art.

Nepal, the only country that is a Hindu state,
boasts tremendous religious tolerance of the many faiths practiced
within its borders.

Hinduists predominate in Nepal as 86.5% of
the population.

The next largest religious groups consist of
Buddhists, 7.8%, and
Muslims, 3.5% of the population.

Common
to all of these religions is the integration of religious expression
within everyday life. In contrast with Western religions, these
religions involve codes for- individual behavior and daily rites
of worship. In the morning, people gather at temples, sanctuaries
or river banks to offer prayers and puja.

Hinduism (Hinduism in Nepal)

The word Hinduism was introduced in the 19th century to define the
aggregate beliefs of the Arya, immigrants who left Central Asia
in 1500 BC, and animist religions of native populations in India.

Basic concepts. Cosmic law rules the good order
of the world, be aware and respect cosmic law. Lead the life of
a good Hindu, observe rules, perform all rites, accept the caste
of birth. Caste system supplies code of conduct and rites done.
Encompasses all parts of life; rites but also who to take drink
from, associate with, marry, etc.

Principles of Hinduism: Dharma religious law and
moral code by which people can earn enlightenment. Karma is the
life balance of action and reaction; individuals responsible for
decisions and consequences. Leading good Hindu life will bring rebirth
into a better life. Samsara is cycle of reincarnations determined
by karma. Moksha is liberation from samsara; individual unites with
universal timelessness, ultimate serenity, nirvana. Path to moksha
is good Hindu life.

Each deity has different names, as well as different
symbols, attributes, tasks and powers according to what god it represents.
Each deity has a vehicle, an animal usually which serves master.
Primary Hindu gods are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Brahma
is the creator of the universe. Attributes are the rosary, the receptacle
of holy water, the ladle and the book. Mount is a goose or swan.
Brahma usually represented with four heads, allows him to watch
over world. Very few statues of Brahma since creation is done.

Saraswati
is Brahma's consort and is goddess of knowledge, learning and music.
She is often portrayed with four arms, plying the veena (seven stringed
musical instrument) with two hands as well as holding a rosary and
a book. Sits on a lotus riding a peacock or a swan. Often a crescent
moon on forehead. Worshipped by Buddhists as a form of Manjushri,
the Bodhisattva of wisdom.

Vishnu
is the preserver of life and the world. Attributes are the conchshell,
the disc, the lotus and the mace. Mount is Garuda, a mythical half-man
and half-bird. He often appears in some of the following forms:

Narayan,
which means "he who guides development in all fields"
or universal knowledge.

Buddha,
ninth reincarnation of Vishnu.

Rama,
warrior who rescued wife Sita who had been taken by Ravan, demon-king
of Ceylon.

Krishna,
personification of manhood who bewitched 'gopis' (milkmaids and
shepherdesses) with whom he frolicked. Forms of Rama and Krishna
more popular in India.

Shiva,
the destroyer and regenerator. Attributes are the trident, the tambourine,
the tiger skin, the club, and the lingam. Mount is Nandi the bull.

Pashupati,
master and protector of animals, especially of cattle, who is the
friend of life.

Bhairav,
the form of Shiva eager to destroy everything, including evil. Usually
a black statue, with necklace of human skulls.

Hanuman,
the monkey god. Symbolizes faithfulness and willingness to help.
Associated with successful military undertakings and assisted Rama
in fight against demon-king Ravan who kept Ram's wife Sita imprisoned
for 12 years.

Ganesh,
(Ganapati) one of the most popular gods in Nepal. Infallible, charitable
and has power to decide fate of any human enterprise. Universal
power. Shiva and Parvati's son. Shiva was away, Parvati bore a son
while he was gone. Ordered son not to let anyone in. Shiva came
home, young guardsman barred him from entering so he chopped off
the guard's head with sword. Parvati terrorized, Shiva promised
to bring him back to life by beheading the first living creature
he found in the forest. Saw elephant first, so cut off its head,
rushed back and put it on Ganesh's head. Ganesh always dressed in
red, four arms and body covered with layers of sandalwood paste.
Only one tusk, mount is a shrew, sometimes mistaken for rat or mouse.
Consequently all three are sacred.

Parvati,
Shiva's consort. In benevolent forms, Devi, Uma, Shakti or Annapurna
as the "dispenser of abundance." As wreaking havoc, forms
of Kali, Durga or Bhagavati.

Buddhism (Buddhism in Nepal)

Based on meditations of GAUTAMA SIDDHARTA, also called Sakyamuni
(wise man of the Sakya clan) and later the Buddha (Enlightened one).
Philosophical doctrine and code of conduct. Based on the three jewels,
Buddha himself, dharma, Buddha's teachings and prescribed conduct,
and sangha the community.

Buddha
was born in Lumbini, Nepal around 544 BC. Son of raja (title for
rulers and wealthy landlords) who sought reason for human misery.
Left his family and experimented and traveled; found enlightenment
through meditation at Bodh Gaya.

Dharma
is the doctrine of four truths discovered through meditation.

Existence is unhappiness.

Everything in life brings suffering, birth,
responding to needs and death. Origin of suffering is in needs,
wants and desires of men and being attached to material values
(illusions of the senses).
Unhappiness is caused by selfish cravings
or passions.
Selfish cravings can be eliminated by renunciation
desires and following the eight-fold path:

1. Right views, understanding and vision

2. Right purpose, aspiration and intention

3. Right speech

4. Right vocation and honest livelihood

5. Right conduct and action

6. Right effort and dedication

7. Right alertness and mindfulness

8. Right concentration and meditation.

Sangha
is community of Buddhists. Used to mean monastic community but concept
broadened. Showing the path to enlightenment.

About 100 years after Buddha's death, communities
disagreed and split over ways to achieve enlightenment. Traditional
school of Theravada Buddhists follows Buddha's original teachings.
Mahayana school accepts some changes, various ways to enlightenment
(became Zen).

Scripts appeared also introducing changes. Deification
of Buddha, and separation between mortal Buddha like Siddharta who
will reappear, and transcendental ones which are only understood
through meditation (Dhyani Buddhas). While enlightenment reached
through individual effort, idea spread that meditation Buddhas give
merit to those who worship them. Bodhisattvas are humans who reached
enlightenment but instead of joining nirvana chose to help others
reach enlightenment.

Tantrism (Tantrism in Nepal)
Movement from with the Mahayana school appeared in first century
AD in fringe areas of India. Hindus and Buddhists came into contact
with animist religions and integrated beliefs and practices. Yoga,
physical exercises to control body functions, mantras, repetitive
utterances, bijas, magic syllables, use of designs and objects such
as mandala and dorje. Transformed into Lamaism which penetrated
also into Nepal. Purpose was to shorten the road to enlightenment
with such practices.

Prayer Flags and Prayer Wheels take
prayers to the sky, to the divinities. Idea that movement creates
power. Prayer wheels rotated clockwise to send mantra to the divinities.
Usually brass cylinder with pre-Sanskrit script, ranja, writing.
The wheel contains parchment like paper upon which the Tibetan incantation
OM MANI PADME HUM (image
top) is repeatedly
printed. Some rough translations of this mantra are

Oh, the jewel (mani) concealed in the lotus
(padma) ah.

One specific interpretation of this incantation
is that of a prayer the Boddhisattva Padmapani who controls reincarnation

Oh, Padmapani, give me the jewel in the lotus, which is the blessing
on non-rebirth or attainment of Nirvana through the acceptance
of the Buddhist doctrine.
A more general interpretation is

Oh, may the jewel remain in the lotus, meaning may Buddha's teachings
remain pure in our minds and souls.

Vajra or Dorje looks like
two crowns with bases attached by a metal ball. Each crown has four
outer spokes and one inner spoke to represent the meditation Buddhas,
united at the top to convey that they are but one. Means "thunderbolt"
symbolic attribute of Hindu god Indra who is the divine power of
natural forces, and the "diamond", the substance that
is translucent and unbreakable. The Dorje is primarily a symbol
of power but is also a representation of the male.

Ghanta,
the bell is bronze and topped with crown shaped handle. The bell
symbolizes the female. In a metaphysical sense, male represents
knowledge and female represents wisdom. Both important to rituals.

Statues and temples for Buddha or to Bodhisattvas.

Chaitya,
a somewhat conical stone structure, shrines for gratitude or worship.
Always show four statues representing each of the dhyana-Buddhas
or meditation Buddhas.

Facing north, Buddha Amogasiddhi
with right hand upward and palms outward to express fearlessness
and blessing (associated with green).

Facing east, Buddha Akshobya,
right hand outstretched with fingers touching earth calling Earth-goddess
to witness that Buddha resisted temptations put forth by demon Mara
who was trying to lure him away from his meditations. Also thought
of as calling to witness Buddha's deserving supreme enlightenment.
(blue)

Facing south, Buddha Ratnasambhawa
with right hand palm outward to express compassion. yellow

Facing west, Buddha Amithaba,
two hands folded, resting on lap in meditation. red.

Some chaityas or scrolls show a fifth central
figure, the Buddha Vairocana
who is above or in the middle of the previously mentioned four.
Hands folded in front of chest he is perfect sovereignty as "turning
the wheel of the Buddhist doctrine." white.

Another common Buddhist statue is that of the
Tara, either white
or green Tara. Were the two wives of Srong Tsam Gampo, King of Tibet
that they converted to their faith, Buddhism. Deified.

Bodhisattvas honored often are Padmapani,
holds a lotus flower and is master or reincarnations. Manjushri
is honored as bearer of wisdom by Buddhists and Hindus. Holds book
of knowledge in left hand and a sword to strike ignorance with right.

A historical look demonstrates that artistic expression
reflects the religious and ethnic diversity within the valley. Nepalese
art became prominent in the 13th century through the work of Balbahu,
also known as Arniko,
an architect for the king of Tibet and possibly the Emperor of China.
Nepalese art is recognized for its candour, simplicity and harmony
balanced with intricacy and decoration. The Malla dynasty promoted
all forms of artistic expression from the 14th to the 19th centuries.
Tibetan forms of expression influenced art in the valley beginning
in the 17th century. Tantric and Buddhist themes introduced greater
differentiation between Nepalese and Indian art.

Architecture in Nepal

People walking the streets of Kathmandu cannot fail to notice the
abundance of religious buildings in the city. Temples exist near
or around royal palaces, as well as at important geographical locations
including the top of hills, river banks or near wells. Private temples
were built anywhere and can be found in almost every neighbourhood.

The temples are sites of magnificent stone and
wood carvings. Most of the stone carvings are from the eleventh
and twelfth centuries and reflect the influence of Indian art from
the Gupta (5 and 6th century A.D.) and the Palasena (10th to 12th
century AD.) periods. Wood carvings are predominantly from the eighteenth
century used to decorate pillars, door and window frames, cornices
and supporting struts. Struts of Hindu temples usually contain an
erotic scene which attracts speculation from visitors. The motivation
for such motifs are natural; in countries where death is predominant,
procreation is sacred in some respects as the embodiment of life-giving
energies and fertility. Sexual union also represents the union of
the individual with the universe in the Vedas which are Hindu texts.

Temples are usually one of three types; pagodas,
shikaras or stupas. Stupas are exclusively a Buddhist temple, but
pagodas and shikaras may be Hindu or Buddhist. Buddhist temples
are almost always surrounded by a wall with a defined entrance way.
A wall of prayer wheels often surrounds the temple. Whether Hindu
or Buddhist, these temples are not places of religious gatherings
popular within Christianity and Muslim religions but are sites of
individual worship.

Pagodas (devala in Nepali) are usually square
or rectangular with a simple geometric design. The base of the temple
holds an image of the god honored by the presence of the temple.
The temple has several roofs which get proportionately smaller with
height. The number of roofs is usually odd, since odd numbers are
more auspicious than even numbers. Many scholars believe that the
pagoda style of roofing mimics the multi-tiered style of umbrellas
held over royalty or images of deities during processions. The building
is usually brick, although the foundation may consist of stone blocks.
The doors and windows are wood with latticed patterns for adornment.
A torana sits above the door, also of wood or bronze-plated wood,
depicting the triumph of good over evil with the image of a gryphon
holding in its grip a naga or kirtimukha. The struts of the temple
(tunal in Nepali), carved wooden brackets which support the projecting
roof eaves at a 45 degree angle, consist of a deity standing upon
a lotus flower above a decorative scene, often erotic, carved upon
the lower part of the strut. The struts in the corners of the pagoda
often depict a roaring lion or mythical animal which conveys power.
The roofs are plated with copper or gilded bronze and the corners
of the roofs always turn upward. These corners end in a human or
animal's head facing downward and a bird in flight on the upward
slant. A metal ribbon hangs from the topmost point almost to the
ground, symbolizing the path for the deity to descend to earth and
people to rise to the divine. Kinkinimala adorn the edge of the
roofs; unmoving bells with a thin metal clapper which tinkles against
the bell in the wind. One or two bronze bells also stand near the
entrance of the pagoda. Protecting this entrance are bronze or stone
images of dragons or lions. Mirrors often hang from a temple wall;
these are a modern addition to ensure that a woman's tika is neatly
placed in the center of her forehead. Examples of pagoda style temples
are the Taleju Mandir in Kathmandu's Durbar Square, the Golden Temple
in Patan and the Nyatapola in Bhaktapur.

Shikaras are similar in design to Indian temples,
best recognized by a majestic dome roof. Some describe the dome
as an unopened lotus flower or a folder royal umbrella. The base
of the temple is square with many stories of balconies. Two famous
shikaras are the Krishna Mandir and the Mahabuddha, both located
in Patan.

Stupas, designed as funeral mounds, usually have
a cubic base with a spherical body and a towered roof. This design
mimics the mandala design, a cosmic representation of the universe
conducive to meditation. The cubic base symbolizes the earth's solidity,
the spherical mound symbolizes water, the tower is fire, the ring
above it air, and the crowned top symbolizes ether. Thirteen steps
between the mound and the tower represent the number of steps to
attaining perfect knowledge. Most of the stupa is painted masonry
white but the four sides of the tower hold the omniscient eyes of
Buddha. The eyes watch over the universe, and the symbol between
the two prominent eyes is the third eye which allows one to see
beyond and inside the self. The symbol in the typical position of
the nose is the Devanagari script for the number one, to remind
people that only one way exists to salvation. The stupas, designed
to hold remains or relics, are not hollow. People encircle stupas
by walking clockwise, often spinning prayer wheels embedded in the
wall surrounding the temple. Boudhanath and Swayambhunath, the largest
stupas in Kathmandu, are approximately 2000 years old.

Painting in Nepal
The earliest paintings appeared in 11th century AD. and consisted
of illustrated manuscripts on palm leaf or rice paper. Thangkas,
a more predominant form of painting, are popular among Buddhists
in Nepal as well as in Tibet and date back to the late 14th century.
These paintings on cotton are rectangular in shape and usually longer
than they are wide. They are framed with three stripes of Chinese
brocade of blue, yellow and red which represent the rainbow which
separates sacred objects from the material world. Older Thangkas
consisted of mineral-based colors, while current Thangkas are produced
with vegetable-based or chemical colors. Frequent themes of Thangkas
include images of Buddhist figures, mandala designs, the wheel of
life design, or depiction of scenes or stories.

Mandalas are geometrical patterns which assist
in the practice of meditation, as well as symbolize the nature of
the universe. The symmetrical pattern reflects the development of
the cosmos from an essential Principle and its rotation around a
central axis.

Other Buddhist symbols are common to Thangkas
and wall paintings. A picture of four guardians may adorn the entrance
to a monastery; two images are benevolent to greet worshippers,
and two are fierce looking to protect against evil spirits. Other
symbols are the wheel of moral law, the umbrella to protect against
evil, the victory banner of Buddha's doctrine, two golden fish which
represent wealth, the endless knot of eternal re-birth of everything,
the flower-vase holding eternal bliss, the conch-shell proclaiming
the benefits of enlightenment, and the lotus flower which symbolizes
purity and the release of spirituality from earthly roots.

The fable of the four unanimous brothers involves
an elephant standing near a fruit-bearing tree with a monkey on
its back. The monkey holds a rabbit on its shoulder and a bird perches
on the rabbit. All hold a piece of fruit. The bird maintained that
while enjoying the shade and fruit of the tree, they owe gratitude
to him since he planted the seed of the tree. The rabbit replied
that while the bird sprinkles seed without regard, he watered the
seed daily and conscientiously. The monkey stated that it was his
dung, not the planting or the watering which was essential to the
seed's growth. The elephant acknowledged their contributions, but
said that it was his protection of the plant from other animals
which made the tree's growth possible. The moral of the story is
that cooperation causes fruitfulness.

The wheel of life symbolizes the endless cycle
of reincarnations. A demon holds the wheel with fangs and claws
to symbolize how repulsive it can be to participate in life. Buddha
is portrayed outside of the wheel standing erect since he reached
enlightenment and escaped the cycle of rebirth. The center of the
image is a circle which contains the three vices; the rooster symbolizes
lust, the snake symbolizes hatred, and the boar symbolizes ignorance.
A ring around this circle shows the six stages of reincarnation;
at the bottom is hell for the doomed, followed by the world of the
pretas which are greedy and slaves to their desires, the last inferior
world of the animals portrayed with a pastoral scene, the human
world of towns and villages, the world of the Titans which wage
war against the gods, and the world of the gods portraying beauty
and serenity. Another ring illustrates small images to teach a lesson;
a blind woman using a stick to walk symbolizes impulses created
from ignorance, the potter manifests these impulses with the focus
on feeling, a monkey picking up fruit represents the consciousness
of acting on impulses, men in a boat symbolize that consciousness
can create individuality but also separation, an empty house with
an open door represents sensory perceptions translated into action
by the mind (perceptions enter through windows but leave as actions
out the door), a couple embracing shows how sensory perception creates
physical desires, a man hit by an arrow demonstrates that touch
excites the senses with pain or pleasure, a woman filling a man's
cup shows that excitement of the senses creates a thirst for more,
a monkey grabbing for fruit shows desire becoming a demand for more,
the expecting mother shows that such eagerness for more is part
of existence, the child's birth demonstrates birth as a necessary
condition, and a man carrying a body shows death as a necessary
condition of existence.

literature
Literature appeared in the valley during the 18th century. Poetry
is the predominant form of writing from this period, but most authors
are unknown. The following centuries brought more poets and writers
inspired by religion as well as social problems. Musical lyrics
celebrate the beauty of nature and life, or convey a legend.

Bronze figures
Bronze figures, sometimes alloyed with copper, appeared in the valley around
8th century AD. These images usually represented religious deities
or legendary figures. The most frequently used production technique
is that of cire perdue, a form of wax casting. Images often contain embedded semi-precious stones, usually coral or turquoise, or are gilded with gold.

Jewelry
Jewelry of gold and silver reflects the preferences of ethnic groups.
Gurung women often wear large disc earrings of bronze and copper,
while Sherpa women often have turquoise and silver earrings. Other
forms of jewelry include nose rings, pendants, engraved silver belts,
anklets and bracelets.

Pottery in Nepal

Pottery flourishes in Patan and Thimi, a locality near Bhaktapur.
Common forms of pottery are terra cotta oil lamps used to light
homes during the festival Dipawali, and flower pots decorated with
peacocks and elephants.

Preservation of art

People constantly express concern about the
preservation of art in the valley. Many temples and statues are
in various stages of disrepair. Two earthquakes, one in 1833 and
one in 1934, left a wake of destruction in the country. Until recently,
Nepal lacked people with the scientific knowledge required for artistic
restoration. Authorities also battle with the establishment of priorities;
financing the development of infrastructure and addressing social
and health concerns of the population detracts money from restoration
projects. Foreign aid projects specifically addressing the maintenance
of palace squares and other historical sites are becoming more popular
and provide valuable assistance in the preservation of Nepalese
art.

Festival in Nepal

2008-03-14T14:21:00.006+05:30

Festival in Nepal

Nepal is not only the land of mountains; it is also the land of festivals. There are more than 50 festivals celebrated in Nepal every year. While the national festivals have fixed dates, religious festivals are set by astrologers following the lunar calendar. The best part about the festivals in Nepal is that all the events are celebrated with the same enthusiasm and galore the way it used to be hundreds of years ago when people had no other means of entertainment. New Year: It is known as “Navavarsha” in Nepal. Nepal has its official calendar that begins from the first day of the first month Baisakh. This very first day is observed as Nepali New Year which usually falls in the second week of April. People go for picnics, have get-togethers and celebrate the day socializing in various ways as this day is also a national holiday.

Lhosar (Tibetain New Year): This is the New Year of the Tibetans and Sherpas of Nepal which falls in February. The Buddhist monasteries in Kathmandu like Boudhanath and Swayambhunath are decorated with eye catching colorful prayer flags pulling the crowd. The people perform their traditional dances and welcome their New Year with feasts and family gatherings wearing all the new clothes and finest jewelries and exchanging gifts.

Saraswati Puja: Saraswati Puja or Shree Panchami is a day to celebrate the birthday of Saraswati – the Goddess of Learning. This is a day when people from school students to scholars worship their pens and books to please the Goddess and expect her favor in their studies so they become wise and knowledgeable. People also throng around the idol of Goddess Saraswati, especially in Swayambhunath and offer flowers, sweets, fruits, etc. On this day, small children are taught to read and write and people write on the stones and slabs with chalks and pencils. This day which falls between January/February is regarded as a very auspicious day for marriages too as it is believed that Goddess Saraswati herself blesses the couples. Normally it is the astrologers who fix the marriage date and time in Nepal.

Shivaratri (Maha Shivaratri): Shivaratri or the night of Lord Shiva that falls sometime between February/March is one of the major festivals of Nepal. This day is dedicated to the Lord of the Lords – Lord Shiva or Mahadev who lived in Mt. Kailash in the Himalayas. Lord Shiva is the most worshipped God in the Hindu religion. More than 100,000 of Hindu devotees from India and Southeast Asia throng weeks ahead of the festival and gather in and around Pashupatinath temple – one of the holiest shrines of the Hindus in Kathmandu to pay their homage to Lord Shiva on his birthday. “Pashupatinath” literally means “the Lord of animals” as Lord Shiva is considered as the guardian and protector of everything that exists in the Himalayan Kingdom. On this holy day, worshippers take dip and bath in the holy river at early dawn and fast for the whole day and stay around fire to keep them warm as it is still winter in Nepal. The devotees also freely indulge in using marijuana and other intoxicating substances as these things are believed to please Lord Shiva and marijuana use is legal only on this sacred day. More ...

Holi: This festival of water and colors that falls between February/March is also known as “Phagu” in Nepal. This day is observed to rejoice the extermination of female demon Holika who together with her King brother conspired to kill his son Pralhad, an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. This day, playful people especially the young ones wander through the streets in groups on foot or vehicles with various colors smeared all over them and the people in houses make merry throwing colors and water balloons at each other and also to these people on the streets.

Ghode Jatra (Festivals of Horses): This festival takes place between March/April and a grand horse parade takes place at Tundikhel. Although this festival does not have much of religious aspects, a large number of people, even from outside Kathmandu flock around Kathmandu to witness the horse race and other exciting sports activities performed by the Army in the presence of the King and the Royal family.

Buddha Jayanti: Buddha’s birth anniversary is celebrated every year during May in Nepal. On this day people swarm in Swayambhunath and Boudhanath to pay homage to Lord Buddha and also visit Buddha’s birth place in Lumbini and chant prayers and burn butter lamps. Lord Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha Gautam but he abandoned his luxurious life when he realized the misery of mankind and went in search of enlightenment.

Gai Jatra (Cow Festival): This festival of cow is celebrated every year in August/September. This is one of the most popular festivals in Nepal as it is full of humor, satire, comedy, mockery and shades of sadness too at the same time. And on this day satires and jokes on anybody is legal. As per the tradition, the family who has lost a relative during the past one year must take part in a procession by sending young boys in cow like attire and walk through the streets of Kathmandu lead by a cow. Cow is regarded as a Goddess and it is also the national animal of Nepal. This festival also purges many who have lost their loved ones as they get to console themselves as to they are not the only ones who have been bereaved and it also teaches to accept death as a part of life.

Krishna Janmastami: KThe birth anniversary of Lord Sri Krishna, believed to be the 8th incarnation of Lord Vishnu falls sometime in August/September. All the devotees assemble in Krishna Mandir, the ancient Krishna Temple in Patan Durbar Square and other temples with the idol of Sri Krishna and offer prayers, flowers, food, sweets and chant hymns too.

Teej: This is a Hindu married woman’s day for her man. This festival is celebrated in August/September. Women clad in beautiful red saris with shining potes (glass beads), singing and dancing is the sight almost everywhere in Nepal during the festival of Teej. On this day women observe a fast and pray Lord Shiva for the long, healthy and prosperous life of their husbands and their families. The unmarried women also observe this festival with unabated zeal with the hope that they will get to marry good husbands. From early dawn, women queue up in the multiple lines in Pashupatinath to offer their prayers to Lord Shiva.

Indra Jatra: This festival named after Lord Indra- the God of Rain and also the King of Heaven is celebrated by both the Buddhists and Hindus in Nepal in August/September. This festival lasts for eight days with singing, mask dancing and rejoicing. The chariot of Kumari – the Living Goddess is taken through the main streets of Kathmandu with much fanfare. On the first day, the King of Nepal also pays homage to Goddess Kumari. The crowd of excited people from performers to spectators engulfs the streets of Kathmandu during this festival. People get to enjoy various classical dances like elephant dance, lakhe – a very popular dance of a man with a mask.

Tihar: This festival of lights that falls between October/November is the second biggest festival after Dashain. This festival lasts for five days and people worship Laxmi – the Goddess of Wealth. All the houses are cleaned and decorated with the belief that Goddess Laxmi will enter the house that is the cleanest and people lit candles, oil lamps and other lights and the whole place looks illuminating. During the five days, crows, dogs and cows are worshipped and honored with vermilion, garland and delicious food for what they have done in the lives of humans. Crows are regarded as the messenger that brought news even during the times when there were no postmen and no postal services. Dogs are the most obedient animals and they guard our house as true guardians. Cow is also a symbol of wealth in Hinduism and she is also the national animal of Nepal. During Tihar, the Newari community in Nepal also observes Mha puja – a ritual of worshipping one’s own body and life. On this very day, the Newari New Year which is also known as Nepal Sambat begins. The festival ends with Bhai Tika – brothers’ day when his sisters worship him for his long and healthy life to safeguard the lives of his sisters. This is also a gambling time in Nepal as gambling is not illegal during this festival.

Dashain (Bijaya Dashami): During the month of Kartik (late September and early October), the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country. The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood. Read more about Dashain festival...

Listing Festivals in the Table Form

Month	Festival	Description
October / November	Dashain	The largest and most cherished festival of all.
November / December	Tihar	Second largest festival for brothers and sisters.
January	Sweta Machhendranath Snan	The Sweta (white) Machhendranath has a week long festival in which he is bathed, oiled and painted. The goddess Kumari visits him at this elaborate temple near Asan Tol. This god is pleased by music, offerings and attentions to hope for a rainfall in the planting season.
January	Maghe Sankranti	This festival is celebrated to worship the god Vishnu who is thanked for his efforts in making the days longer and warmer from the Magh month of the Nepali Calendar. Devotees take bath in holy rivers, eat pulaow (rice cooked with lentils, dried fruits and peas). This festival is observed on the first day of Magh Month.
January	Basanta Panchami and Saraswati Puja	The Goddess of education, Saraswati is worshiped through the country. Students join with teachers others for puja in their school, others visit the temples and religious sites.
January - February	Swasthani	The goddess Swasthani regarded as the ultimate gift grantor is worshiped on this festival. According to the legend, Parbati got Lord Shiva as her husband only after worshiping Swasthani. In every home
February	Maha Shivaratri	The Pashupati temple, in other words, the Lord Shiva's temple is remains packed with devotees for 2 to 3 days before the festival. On the day, one will find almost impossible to visit the Pashupati temple which remains jammed literally! The day is observed by visiting Pashupati temple, drinking and dancing. Sadhus - the replica of Lord Shiva enjoy the day by smoking cigars and sweets.
February	Losar	The festival of Sherpas and Tibetan who welcome the near year by celebrating this festival in which one can see feats, family visits, songs and dance in monasteries and colorful prayer flags decorating streets and rooftops.
March	Fagu Purnima or Holi	Call it ugly or awesome, this is the festival of colors. If you are new to this festival, you will like it more!! Hide your clothes when walking on the streets! what? The festival is of just a single day but the fever starts 7 days ahead. Its all about splashing others with water and color. Color powder is often mixed with water and is filled in balloons which are then thrown at anyone for a good splash. Youth enjoy the final day of the festival as portraying one's chests and face fully covered or painted with different colors.
April	Chaitra Dashian	Celebrated to observe the Lord Ram's victory over Rawan. Devotees visit the RAM and Durga temples to perform puja.
April	Ghode Jatra	A great jatra (gatherings) takes place to please the demon who is believed to be buried under the soil of Tundikhel. The jatra is purely an stunt of show-jumping, motor cycling, horse riding, gymnastics and sky diving all performed by the Nepalese Army.
April	Biska Jatra	Communities at Bhaktapur and its surroundings replay a drama passed on generations to another. The drama is about sacrifices and pleasing goods.
May	Rato Machhendranath Jatra	Rato (Red) Macchindranath is a rain god. In ancient times, the Kathmandu valley was a land of agriculture. This festival of gatherings (jatra) is dedicated to the God for hope for rains during the monsoon season.
May	Buddha Jayanti	Lumbini, a piece of land is truly a gifted land by nature. It is where the lord Buddha was born. On a full moon day, the may 6th, the Lord's birth, enlightenment and salvation are celebrated through the Nepal. Swayambhu and Boudhanath Stupas receive huge visitors during this festival. Stupas are Buddhist monuments traditionally containing relic(s) of the Lord Buddha
July - August	Gunla	The time when monsoon has arrived and the rice have been planted, it is time for Buddhist to observe this festival. This is an ancient festival initiated 25 century ago by the Buddha. During this one month festival, prayers, fasting and medications and religious music takes its turn.
August	Janai Purnima and Raksha Bandhan	Its a time for Hindu and Buddhist to change a sacred thread (Janai) which is tied on the neck sliding from the right to left hands, and it is also the time to tie Raksha, a red or yellow thread (believed to have the power to protect) around wrists.
August	Gai Jatra	To most Nepalese, it is like April fools day. This festive season is also a time to remember your lost ones and also to ease the pain. The word Gai means cow in English. Cow is the goddess of wealth and is regarded as the souls of the departed to the gates of the netherworld. Sharing of sorrow and to taking the comfort in knowing that their lost ones are safe is the true reason of celebrating this festival. Satire, jokes and cartoons are published on newspapers and magazines. These such jokes are mostly describing the political situation of the country for the last year. Press and media feel like writing just about anything on this day, for its a jokes day!
September	Teej	A festival purely for women to perform puja, workshop lord Shiva, and go into fasting for a day to ask for husband's long time and strong bond of love. Women wear red saris, sing and dance in Pashupati temple or anywhere in the junctions. The blessings of Shiva and the Lord's wife, Goddess Parbati ensure that family life strengthens and is joyous.
September	Indra Jatra	Right after the monsoon, this festival is celebrated to thank the gods for giving enough rains to the Kathmandu valley. A great celebration and jatra takes place in the Kathmandu durbar square.
October-November	Mani Rimdu	It is a a five days festival celebrated by the Sherpa in the Everest region. The celebration consists songs, masked dances and prayers. The gathering is for "the good of the world". Trips to the Everest during this festive season are very rewarding.
December	Bibah Panchami	This is the festival that observes the marriage of Lord Ram and Sita. Festival lasts for up to 7 days, during which enactment of the marriage ceremony of Ram and Sita are performed in stage in villages, towns and city areas. Ram, the hero and Sita are the heroine of Ramayan, the most popular Hindu epic ever.

The Spectre of the Feline Form

2008-03-12T11:43:00.005+05:30

The Spectre of the Feline FormLions, tiger, leopards and snow leopards held an unrivalled position in the subcontinent before man challenged their very existence. The fascination with the feline form was an explosive combination of fear and admiration.The elusive yet omnipresent presence of these animals in the wild – its speed, power and hunting prowess transformed it into an entity that inspired veneration. Over the centuries, the feline form became entrenched in our psyche and its image a leitmotif that runs palpably through our folklore and our religion. Till today, parents name their male children Singha (lion) and Sher (tiger) after these awesome cats. As children we were told that there was a time when Gods and Goddesses walked the earth and had discourses with human beings. Malla legends from the 12th century, record that the Goddess Taleju Bhawani, rode proudly on a tiger and visited Hanuman Dhoka in the middle of the night, to play ‘paasa’, a game of dice with the King and in the course of the game, impart advice to the monarch on how the country should be governed. Immersed in this legend, I would imagine the feral smell of the tiger mingling with the fragrance of the divine, the sudden clanging of the temple bells in the inky dark night as the Goddess appeared, and the accompanying roar of the tiger to herald her arrival at the entrance of Hanuman Dhoka Palace. These stories would make me wonder how the King was able to focus on a game of dice, while in the company of a Goddess and her tiger.I grew up collecting prints of Gods and Goddesses. My favourite images were of female deities – they rode tigers and swans with elegance and panache. I would find myself wondering how the Goddess Durga maintained her balance sitting sideways on a tiger, carrying all the accruements of war in her dextrous and innumerable hands. I adored the images of these bejewelled Goddesses with their beguiling faces, heavy bosoms and wide hips, posing on lotus or reclining like the grand odalisque on a buoyant serpent throne in the middle of a primal ocean. I would get goose bumps as I gazed at the wrathful image of Kali, clad in nothing but a tiger skin and a necklace of human skulls, her feet crushing the writhing form of a male demon.In the Terai, tribal artists carved in wood, sacred images of a beast that threatened to devour them. Local games such as ‘paasa’ or ‘baag chaal’ were based on the move of the tiger. In and around Kathmandu, stone and metal temple winged lions were designed and crafted to keep silent vigil over the temples. The metal crown above the sacred niche in which the Gods and Goddesses are interred, are sometimes embellished with the image of a fierce tiger. In some cases tiger stripes and leopard spots are used as design elements to mark a sacred area of the temple. Ancient textiles, carpets and furniture also mimicked these abstractions. Our temples and our religious paintings (paubhas and thangkas), are replete with the image of the tiger and wherever these images occur, they are synonymous with divine power or shakti.
Local stories narrate that skilled tantric sorcerers from ancient times had the power to transform themselves into an array of animal forms and the tiger was one of them. Recently, the eminent artist Batsa Gopal Vaidya shared an interesting account of his family’s relationship to a tiger. Batsa narrated to me that his ancestors were healers and medicine men, hence the name ‘Vaidya’. His great, great grandfather was able to cure even the most obscure ailments from his clinic and home in Mangal Bazaar, Patan. However, what really elevated him to fame was his relationship with an ailing tiger that came to his courtyard. The fearless Vaidya extracted a deadly bone that was lodged in the tiger’s throat and treated its wounds. After the tiger was cured, it became a daily visitor to the Vaidya home and would bring deer or a goat each day, as an offering to the medicine man. This relationship finally changed when the tiger brought the bloodied limb of human being and laid it down at the feet of Vaidya. This act of love horrified Vaidya. He ordered the tiger back to the jungle and commanded it to stop visiting him. As the story goes, the tiger never returned. However, as a result of these unusual visits by the tiger, Batsa’s great great grandfather become known as ‘Baag Vaidya’ or the ‘tiger doctor’ and his house with its mysterious courtyard became a landmark and was called Baag Vaidya Chowk. Till today, Batsa Gopal’s home is referred to as Baag Vaidya Chowk and some of his family members still maintain the family profession of healing.The spectre of the tiger has its own place in traditional Nepali medicine. Local healers paint the image of a tiger on the body of person suffering from shingles. This unusual cure involves the collaboration between a Vaidya and a Chitrakar artist. The artist would be summoned to paint the form of a tiger on the patient’s body, as it was believed that the divine tiger would ‘eat up’ the affliction or scare it away. Lions, tigers and leopards have had a historical link with divinity and invincibility in our part of the world. In Sri Lanka the ancient Kings of this island were supposed to be the descendents from the union between a lion and a princess, hence the name ‘Singhala’ or ‘lion people’. However all this was to change with the arrival of the British on the subcontinent. In India, lions, tigers and leopards were hunted mercilessly and jungles cleared with commercial intent as railway lines were being installed across the length and breath of India. A host of writers, during the British Raj, like Rudyard Kipling recorded their encounters with the feline form. Tipu Sultan the King of Mysore, was one of the fiercest opponents of British rule in India. His bravery and war skills won him the title ‘Tiger of Mysore. Tipu commissioned a monumental clockwork piece that showcased a tiger mauling a British soldier. The idea behind this fabled art piece was to illustrate that the British were just as vulnerable as the tigers they were shooting, and that the myth of their invincibility was an illusion.Jung Bahadur Rana probably saw his first real ‘singha’ or lion in India. After his trip to England in 1850, he returned to Nepal and commissioned a set of contemporary bronze lion sculptures, which he gifted to the Pashupatinath Temple, where the Lord of Animals is venerated. Not far from Pashupatinath, is the Temple of Jaya Baageswori. Before the Ranas banned the practice of suttee in the 1920’s, this grim temple that venerated the Immortal Tiger Goddess, used to be the last place that a widow would visit before committing suttee on her husband’s funeral pyre.In order to gain distinction within their own clan, certain branches of the Rana family in Nepal added the title ‘Shumsher’ (equal to a tiger) and ‘Narasingh’ (like a lion). The anglophile Rana Prime Ministers emulated the British in hunting down an astounding number of tigers. Photographs from this period document the gruesome large-scale termination of this majestic species. Tiger skins were sent all the way to Van Ingen and Van Ingen in Madras, so that they could be professionally mounted to adorn the walls and palaces of many durbars, minus their whiskers, as it was believed that a tiger’s whiskers when crushed and blended with milk or any other liquid could cause internal bleeding if consumed. Tiger claws and teeth were also highly prized as they were considered to be talismans against the evil eye. The decimation of the tigers meant that vast swathes of thick jungles were cleared forever and human settlers began to move into areas once occupied only by wild beasts and tribal people. Gradually the myth and religiosity of the tiger was debunked. In the 1930’s, the Jawalakhel Zoo provided Nepalis the opportunity to view these fearsome cats up close and personal. By the twenty first century, the tigers and leopards in Nepal were almost hunted to extinction and special laws had to enacted to protect these big wild cats. Meanwhile in Kathmandu, great palaces and buildings were being built with names evoked the majesty of a feline form that was not even native to Nepal : Singha Durbar, Singha Mahal and Singha Sattal. Between the leopards spots, the tigers stripes and the ‘fearful symmetry,’ lies the sad tale that even Kipling would have been desolate to narrate -today the greatest threat to the tigers, bears and rhinoceros, come from China and Taiwan. Tiger, snow leopard and leopard skins are highly valued by oriental collectors. Local and international poachers have formed their own nexus and are now involved in the number of tiger and rhinoceros deaths in the subcontinent. According to ancient Chinese texts, the strength, power and virility of these animals are supposedly manifest in their flesh, bone and horn. As a result, the belief that consuming the flesh of the tiger can revitalise flagging libidos and a host of other physical deficiencies has fuelled the breeding of tigers in captivity. This bizarre and tragic trend has not been reversed as affluent Chinese are prepared to pay large sums of money to gorge on tiger meat. While a few tigers remain alive in the wild in China, an estimated 4000 tigers are held captive on farms. A few weeks ago, the North China zoo that could not raise enough resources to feed its animals encountered a tragic situation where starving tigers turned on each other to satiate their hunger. Bizarre news reports from Three Gorges Forest Wild Animal World zoo in central China reveal horrific stories documenting the beheading and skinning of a Siberian tiger within the confines of this zoo itself and the gruesome discovery of two tiger cubs deep frozen in the fridge of the same zoo. In West Bengal, encroachment of the forests, parks and tiger sanctuaries by villagers has made its impact on the ‘critical tiger habitats’ and forced tigers to move to the high mountains of Neora, which is situated between Bhutan and India’s eastern state of West Bengal. Closer to home, the tiger population is dwindling day by day and the there are only 1,300-1,500 tigers left in the Indian jungles. In Nepal the real numbers of tigers are hard to come by due to the decade long conflict but the estimates are just as grim.Kathmandu Valley is still surrounded by forested hills and only leopards roam in what is now left of the forest or jungle cover in Ranibann, Nagarjung, Shivapuri, Nagarkot and Godavari. In the book ‘Long Pilgrimage - The Life and Teaching of Shivapuri Baba’ authored by John G. Bennet, it is mentioned that a leopard would walk in and out Shivpuri Baba’s humble cottage harming no one. Leopards venture out into human settlements only when their territory is being encroached upon. With the ever-burgeoning human population and the unprecedented speed in which Kathmandu is expanding, the leopard’s habitat is being compromised and it is no wonder that these animals have become disoriented and made ill-fated forays into Kathmandu city. What is tragic about these leopard visits is the way in which the animal, which is a protected species, is hunted down and shot. In the last five years leopards have accidentally ambled into private homes and public spaces in Buddhanilkantha, Nagarkot, Lazimpat, Thamel, Tundikhel and Maligaon. In Buddhanilkantha and Nagarkot leopards have stalked and killed dogs and some chickens but the incidence of them mauling or killing people has been minimal. And yet the public response to these leopards has been horrifically brutal. Today in Nepal, we have the technology to dart, tranquillise and in effect net these animals so that they can be released back into the wild or handed over to a zoo. Tragically, this seldom happens. Though some of my friends share my sentiments about the way the leopard are killed instead of being darted, these incidences exemplify the marked difference in the way Nepalis treat animals now. However, the tiger, lion or leopard with all its associated symbolism and religious connotations, continues to inspire the artists. A few days ago, I came across a meaningful quote: “the way a nation treats its animals gives a clear indication about how a nation treats its own citizens”. Perhaps the twelve years of conflict has hardened us all. The callous way in which buffaloes and other animals are transported into the valley for human consumption is disturbing. Constant ritual sacrifices, the brutal and primitive Rango Jatra of Bhaktapur and the Bakhra Jatra of Khokana are still conducted with no thought given to the subject of animal cruelty. I find this surprising in a country that has a Hindu-Buddhist majority – both these religions extol the principles of compassion and karma. Wayne Edwards a Tasmanian artist writes: “when man sees himself apart from the animals...when he sees himself above the animals and more than their guardians...he is no longer part of nature and the planet- he is an isolated organism...destined not to connect with the life forces of the universe.” Legend has it that in Namo Buddha, not too far from Kathmandu, a devout Buddhist Prince offered his own body to feed a sick, hungry tigress and her cubs. This sort of concern and compassion towards sentient beings seem out of place in these cynical modern times. The question is how do we redeem ourselves?

हनी हुन्तिंग इन नेपाल

2008-02-12T17:36:00.000+05:30

Honey hunting is an age-old tradition here in Nepal. Local honey hunters show their exceptional skill by hanging themselves from cliffs as high as 300 meters using bamboo ladders and hemp ropes, while harvesting the honeycombs. See the spectacular honey hunting on the steep bee cliffs to experience the tradition and culture of the local people. See them while you trek in the foothills of The Himalayas.

Honey Hunting is the real and frequent activity of indigenous Gurung and Magar Community in Bhujung and Pasgaon for honey hunting from which they are able to solve their problem of bread and butter. This ancestral job of honey hunting still continues in many remote villages of Nepal while offering high tourism potential. A large section of travelers are increasingly showing their interest in honey hunting thereby ensuring staple sources of local revenue generation, besides Ghalegoan Bhujung and the hole of Annapurna region, Dhading and Jharlang across Ganesh Himal Arun valley in Makalu and other trekking areas have become Popular for honey hunting, a new tourist activity but in Nepal except Bhujung area of Annapurna region, special package of Honey hunting for tourist is not developed yet. Nerveless few lucky tourist get chance to observe honey hunting on spot while traveling along the trekking routes. There are myriad be nests found in the inner and outer rings of different trekking areas which if professionally scientifically and technically managed, provides an immense potentiality of promoting honey hunting as an add- on product.

Honey Hunting, the collection of Honey from the nests of wild Bees built on steep cliffs is an age-old tradition. Local honey hunters show their exceptional skills by hanging themselves from cliffs as high as 300 meters using Bamboo ladders and hemp ropes, while harvesting the honeycombs. Everyone is thrilled to watch honey hunters at work.
Adventure Pilgrims Trekking & Travels organize this kind of Honey hunting Tour With part of Trekking. This is a camping Trek including Honey Hunting. Ghal Adventure Pilgrims Trekking & Travels has well experience at Honey Hunters to do the Job, you will enjoy the Trip. Come on our holiday and discover local tradition and Goring culture in Nepal. Don't forget your camera!!

Trekking in the foothills of the Annapurnas. See the spectacular honey hunting on the steep bee cliffs. Be welcomed by the Gurung people and learn about their traditions and customs.

These holidays give you the opportunity to sample traditions and culture. See them while you trek in the foothills of The Himalayas.

Season : Spring & Autumn
Itinerary Details:

Day 01 : Arrive Kathmandu, Adventure Pilgrims Trekking & Travels Rep. will transfer to Hotel. O/n at Hotel.
Day 02 : Kathmandu – Besishahar (5hr Drive) by Tourist coach. O/n at hotel.
Day 03 : Besishahar – Ghalegaun (6-7hr trek). O/n local lodge.
Day 04 : Ghalegaun – Bhujung (3hrs trek). O/n local lodge.
Day 05 : Bhujung – Thaku Bhir (hunting place). O/n camping.
Day 06 : ThakuBhir (Free day to watching hunting). O/n camping.
Day 07 : ThakuBhir – Bhujung (3hrs trek). O/n local lodge.
Day 08 : Bhujung – Besishahar (6hrs trek back). O/n at Hotel.
Day 09 : Besishahar – Kathmandu. (5hrs Drive Back). by Tourist coach O/n at Hotel.
Day 10 : Kathmandu O/n at Hotel.
Day 11 : Departure onward.

For more details contact info@trekinepal.com or see Adventure Pilgrims Trekking on web.

ट्रेक्किंग थे टॉप ऑफ़ थे वर्ल्ड ऎंड प्रोफ़ वेक्स्लेर क्रेअशन

2008-02-12T16:22:00.001+05:30

The government of Nepal and the Maoist rebels who have been engaged in a civil war since february 1996 have signed a historic peace treaty, paving the way for the restoration of the tourist trekking trade in this beautiful Himalayan countrey. More than 13,000 people were killed in the conflict, and though the voilence was never directed towards tourists who converge on the contry to enjoy treks through the stunning landscape, tourism(a major component of the nation's economy) was down more than by 30% in recent years. This year is satisfactory. Under the new agreement, Maiost insurgents will be confined to 28 UN-monitored camps(to which many have already reported) and the turn over their weapons to be placed in safekeeping. The government's army will be confined to barracks, and lock up an equal number of arms. An interim government, which will include the Maiosts, is to be established to oversee elections that are to take place by june but it postponed and going to held in November 2007.

Art of Prof. WEXLER

For the last 200 years, Nepal has been ruled by a Hindu monarchy, and the king was considered an incarnation of the god Bishnu. But calls for change became more intense after the ruling king family was gunned down by the heir apparent, who also killed himself,in June 2001. Then- reigning King Birendra had made democartic reforms, but his brother Gayandera( who was named king after his demise) did not enjoy the same popular support, and declared martial law when the insurgency escalated. The upcoming vote will establish the future of the monarchy, and the Maoist have pledged to honor the results but now Maoist wants republic from the cenate, even if the monarchy they wish to abolish is voted to remain in existence as a ceremonial institution.

WEX Kathmandu (World Explorer Club) Manager Govinda Panta says that it is a time of great hope in his nation; even though his generation has suffered, they are looking forward to a time of peace for theis childreen. He will be happy to organize treks for any WEX members, and intresteted peopls wanting to visit, through his company ADVENTURE PILGRIMS TREKKING. Keep an eye out in future World Explorer issues for WEX trek, on November. In the meantime, see Govinda,a website at: www.trekinepal.com. (Retuers, 21 nov. 2006; World Explorer editorial)

हिमालयन पिक्चर स्लिदे Show

2008-02-11T13:49:00.000+05:30

You are now in Himalayan Shangrila Overview Page via Slideshow.

Those picture is from Himalaya, Hills, Low Land(Terai) Darjeling, Sikim, Phuntsuling Bhutan. Following is based upon Annapurna Himalaya Trekking. World Famous Trekking Route/Trail which lies in Nepal.

Do you love to read FOLKLORE and Adventure Stories?? Go forward.

Thank you very much for taking time to look it out. I welcome all if have comment or question which you are egar to know.

Unseen Caves of Nepal

2008-02-10T14:51:00.001+05:30

The Upper Mustang region has been opened to foreigners only recently and access to that region is restricted. The trekking routes in the area are arduous and few venture along the winding rough trails beyond a certain point. The cliffs are dotted with caves, many of which are inaccessible to man. It is believed that many of them house beautifully decorated chortens and other religious artifacts.
Two caves that have been explored and unfortunately even vandalized recently are known as Luri and Tashi Kabum, a few hours walk from Yara, along the Puyonkhola gorge. The Luri gompa can be accessed from the Gara village, on the ridgeline to the north above Yara. However if one takes another route one can see the Tashi Kabum caves too.

A narrow ravine to the east from Yara forks with one trail climbing the ridge to the left and going to Gara. The trail to Tashi Kabum is to the right and goes over a ridge to the Puyon Khola valley. Tashi Kabum is an hour's walk above Yara. Access to Tashi Kabum is difficult and you have to crawl on your stomach to enter the cave. The Luri and Tashi Kabum caves are very similar. The walls and ceilings are plastered and are attractively painted. In the center of each cave is a beautiful chorten with sufficient space to go around it. The two chortens are alike in size and shape but differ in their decoration. The base of each chorten consists of a staggered 12-cornered tiers and the tall terracotta spire is crowned by a canopy. The Luri chorten has small paintings around the base and four larger frescoes on the upper dome. They are covered with a hard ceramic-like glazing.

The walls are painted with religious frescoes on the lower walls and ceilings that are similar to Newari thangkas. Painted in earth and ochre colors, the artwork in both caves is quite different from anything else in Mustang. The Luri cave has a mandala on the apex of the dome surrounded by frescoes of eight teachers. To think that there are many other cave temples around that may never be seen by man!

Exploring Untouched Dolpo

2008-02-10T14:14:00.000+05:30

Dolpo, pronounced “Dolpo-pa” in Nepali, is a region located in the Shey-Phoksumdo National Park, which was established in 1984. The National Park lies in the distinctly remote and isolated corner of mid-west of Nepal. Its area covers more than 3555 square kilometers.

Dolpo-pam, as it is called in the local language, lays behind the Dhaulagiri massif which boarders the Tibetan Plateau. Thus, its culture is often equated to be more akin to the Tibetan culture than that of the Nepalese as the Tibetan culture of today has been more predominate within the Dolpo region of Nepal. Adding to this basis, Dolpo’s seclusion has often been compared to the secretive world of the Tibetan people.

Only recently has the Nepal Government permitted the journeying into the undisturbed and vague ecological mystery surrounding Dolpo. Since ancient times, the locals in Dolpo have lived, traded and cultivated as was done by counterparts in Tibet. The symmetry has led to a rich cultural arena privileged to live in its virgin past and with only a minimal degree of influenced from the dominating Western world.
In Dolpo’s ecological system, the wild fauna and flora are at their most prominent and innocently beautiful state. Within this picturesque forum the dramatic Snow Leopard, prized Blue Sheep and Himalayan Black Bear reside in this vastly undisturbed conservation area. The majestic awe is further displayed when one considers the unquestionable beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Dolpo’s rich habitat can be seen through the forests which are made up of the delicate Silver Fir and Birch forests as ones makes their way to Chaurikot. It’s a tranquil yet memorable encounter that includes both exciting and emotional experiences. Suddenly and without realizing you have come across a mystical cloth of mist over the rugged narrow hilltops, the scenes of the North Jagadu Himal and Patrasi emerge partially shrouded in the distance through the unstable weather systems that are manifested by changing cloud formations.

Within this latitude of Nepal, which is similar to that of Cairo, the horse shoe with rising majestic mountain peaks soars over 21,000 feet. These and other dramatic changes take place as travelers wander deep into the center of Dolpo. Here an unexpected desert takes shape, cold in frame but home to the undisturbed Tibetan people of times past.

It’s here that the hidden secret protected by unclimbed peaks and deep valleys that you will find secluded monasteries. Treks through these parts are breathtaking and a once in a life time experience as few have made the effort because of the challenging geography known centuries back. Its richness is being discovered now in Nepal and in all its beauty as one travels through the Dolpa area.
Explorer DOLPO with WEX NEPAL & Adventure Pilgrims Trekking Nepal's Member.

तीजी फेस्टिवल इन लोमंग्थंग, उप्पर मुस्तंग

2008-02-09T14:02:00.000+05:30

Mustang the last Forbidden Kingdom in Nepal - Mustang trek is an exceptional, extended trek in a remote and wholly unique corner of Nepal - a great cultural trek of the Himalaya and totally safe!

The Tiji Festival ( Festival in the Forbidden Kingdom, Mustang Lo- Manthang)
Portions of the following account of the Tiji Festival are excerpted from: East of Lo Manthang: In the land of Mustang. Peter Matthiessen and Thomas Laird, Shambhala Press, Boston, 1995. and Mustang, a Lost Tibetan Kingdom. Michel Peissel, Book Faith India, Delhi, India, 1967.

"We found ourselves in the midst of a festival in which over a thousand men, women and children were taking part. Before us spread a sea of weather-beaten brown faces that contrasted with those of the beaming, dirty little children who clung like grapes upon the rooftops of the houses" " The women… looked superb in hand-woven sleeveless Chubas (a bath-robe style dress made of thick wool) over bright, loose silk blouses. Around their wastbands were tucked two aprons, a short one that hung down in front, the other caught in the belt and hanging down behind to the ground. These were gaily striped in bright, narrow bands of blue, red, green and yellow. Many women were literally smothered with ornaments of silver and precious stones…necklaces of bright orange corralline stones alternating with turquoises…ivory-white bracelets made of truncated conch shell (and). head-dresses…studded with turquoises. ran along the central parting of their hair and fell down their backs." Michel Peissel

Michel Peissel was the first westerner to witness the Tiji festival in 1964 during a visit to Mustang by special permission of the Government of Nepal. He was also only the third westerner to ever visit Mustang. He arrived in Lo Manthang in time to witness only the last day of the festival and later wrote: "The scenes I witnessed were so extraordinary and so unexpected that I dared not believe my eyes and even today I have some trouble in believing in the reality of what I saw that day."

The Tiji festival is a three-day ritual known as "The chasing of the Demons" that centers on the Tiji myth. The myth tells of a deity named Dorje Jono who must battle against his demon father to save the Kingdom of Mustang from destruction. The demon father wreaked havoc on Mustang by bringing a shortage of water (a highly precious resource in this very dry land) and causing many resulting disasters from famine to animal loss. Dorje Jono eventually beats the demon and banishes him from the land. Tiji is a celebration and reaffirmation of this myth and throughout the festival the various scenes of the myth will be enacted. It is of course timed to coincide with the end of the dry winter / spring season and will usher in the wetter monsoon season (the growing season for Mustang). Tiji comes from the word "ten che" meaning the hope of Buddha Dharma prevailing in all worlds and is effectively a spring renewal festival.

For 2008, the Mustang Tiji festival date are May 2, 3, 4

Itinerary of Tiji Festival Trek.

Day 1: Arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), you will be met by our Airport Representative, and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel. B.B.

Day 2: Full day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu valley (Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath, Swayambhu, and Kathmandu durbar square) and receive the official permit from Immigration. Overnight at hotel. B.B.

Day 3: Drive or fly to Pokhara. On arrival you will transfer to Hotel for your overnight stay. During day time you can do a sight seeing to Davisfall, Mahadev Cave, Tibetain Refugee Camp or boating in Fewa Lake. Overnight at Hotel. B.B

Day 4: Pokhara fly to Jomsom 2720m and trek to Kagbeni2810m.
Fly to Jomsom, the district headquarters of Mustang and short trek up to Kagbeni. You will explore the town of Kagbeni with visiting Red house Monastery, the starting point of the "Upper Mustang".. Overnight at Camp. B.L.D.

Day 5: Kagbeni trek to Chhuksang 2980m and hike around with visiting some monastery. Overnight at Camp. B.L.D

Day 6: Chhuksang trek via crossing Dajori la pass 3736m to Samar 3660m. Overnight at Camp. B.L.D

Day 8: Samar trek via Charate or Rangchyung Cave of Guru Padmasambhav and Shyangboche la 3850m to Gheling 3570m. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.

Day 9: Gheling trek via crossing Nyi la 4010m and to Ghami then continue to Drakmar 3820m. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.

Day 10: Drakmar trek via crossing Mui La 4170m and to Lo Gheker then continue to Tsarang 3570m. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.

Day 11: Tsarang trek to Lo Manthang and rest 3800m. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.

Day 12: First day of Tiji Festival in Lo Manthang. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.
Early in the afternoon, horns resounded — the short horn or kagyling, which announces the two twelve-foot copper dunchens, with their elephantine blartings, followed by two double-reeded horns, all accompanied by drum and cymbals. Next, an ancient and enormous tanka three stories high was unrolled down the entire south wall of the square. The tanka portrayed Padma Sambhava (or "Guru Rimpoche") who brought this ceremony to Tibet in the 8th century. At mid-afternoon, in high wind and blowing dust, eleven lamas in maroon and gold, wearing high red hats, came from the palace and took their places along the wall beneath the tanka, with Tashi Tenzing on the elevated seat just in the center. As the monks and lamas commence chanting, twelve more monks come from the palace in maroon and royal blue and glittering gold brocade, with cymbal-shaped hats decked with upright peacock plumes. Soon they withdraw, to be replaced by the masked dancers who" start the portrayal of the Tiji myth. "Dorje Jono repels the demon through the power of his magical dancing — he dances fifty-two separate dances, one of them in ten different bodies, each with a different head. As the dances end, Dorje Jono kills the demon, after which his people are relieved of their plague of misfortunes, water becomes plentiful once more, and the balance and harmony of existence are restored.Camp at Lo Manthang.

Day 13: Second day of Tiji Festival in Lo Manthang. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.
For the second day of Tiji, numbers of Loba have arrived from the outlying hamlets, and the small square is thronged with wild beautiful people, with all of the women and children, at least, in traditional dress.The King of Mustang, " wears a whole crown of tiny river pearls set off by dozens of large red coralline tones interspersed with matched ornaments of turquoise. Fortunately, all lost in the horde of undefended merry faces. The costumes and masks, the twelve-foot horns, the gold cups of wheat, the butter cakes, the snow peaks and wind and dust and sun, the mehti, snow leopard, snow pigeons, saligrams, the dying glacier and the desert ruins, the drunks and rajas and foreigners, the dogs and yaks. Tantra! Camp at Lo Manthang.

Day 14: Third day of Tiji Festival in Lo Manthang. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.
On the third day, Tiji ends with the ceremonial destruction of the evil remains, represented by some long black yak hair and red torma cakes minced to a dark red gurry. The demons red remnants are set out on an old tiger skin, where-upon they are attacked by bow and arrow, slings, and the old guns. The poor devils remains are over- turned upon the ground, each time to a wild cannonade from the old muzzle-loaders and a wave of cheers and smoke. Tiji is over, and next day the people will go home to their own villages.

Day15: Day trip with horse to Upper part of Lomanthang such as Nyphu, Garphu, Namdrul, Tingkar and Namgyal Gompa (The richest Gompa in Upper Mustang) and return to Lo Manthang. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.

Day 16: Lo Manthang trek down to Tsarang 3560m and explore the valley with visit Old Buddhist Library of Lo Manthang and Monastry the trip will continue after lunch to Ghami. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.

Day 17: Ghami trek via crossing Nyi la 4010m to Gheling trek down to Samar 3050m via crossing Shyangmochen 3800m and same route. Camp at Cheile. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.

Day 18: Samar trek down to Chhuksang and continue to Kagbeni. Overnight at camp. B.L.D.

Day 19: Kagbeni trek back to Jomson and short hike to Thini Village. Overnight Guest House. B.L.D.

Day 20: Jomsom fly to Pokhara and free time for walk around or continue fly to Kathmandu which can make 1 day shorter from this trek. Overnight at Hotel. B.B.

Day 21: Pokhar fly or drive to Kathmandu. Overnight Hotel. BB.

Day 22: Leisure day in Kathmandu. Overnight Hotel. BB.

Day 23: Transfer to Airport for your home departure. Farewell !!

Note: B.B> Bed and Breakfast, B.L.D> Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Note: For this trek it require minimum 2 person in a group.

The above prices are includes:
- Airport pick up and drop by car / Van / Bus.
- Accommodation with breakfast at deluxe hotel in Kathmandu and Pokhara as per above program.
- Kathmandu City Tours as per above program, inclusive of tour guide, car / van.
- 1 Sirdar, necessary Sherpa, Cook, Kitchen Boy and helpers.
- Full board Camping with 3 times meals a day and Hot drinks cooked in our private kitchen, 2 men tent, Foam mattress, Dining tent, kitchen tent, toilets tent, tables, chairs & All necessary kitchen utensils and camping equipment.
- All necessary porters, their equipment & sleeping tent and Insurance or donkey.
- All the ground transportation from Kathmandu to Pokhara and to starting point and back to Kathmandu.
- 13 days Upper Mustang Special Permit US$ 910 per person and T.R.C fees.
- Government taxes and Insurance for Nepalese staff.
- Welcome and farewell dinner.
- Domestic flight from Pokhara/Jomsom/Pokhara and all the tax in domestic Air.

The above prices are excludes:
- Lunch and dinner while in Kathmandu - allow US$ 15 - US$ 20 per day.
- Travel insurance
- International air fare to and from Nepal.
- Nepal entry visa fee US$ 30 (duration 60 days from date of issue)- you may easily issue the visa upon your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport - Kathmandu.
- Departure Airport Tax in Nepal - approx. US$ 24.
- Items of a personal nature such as alcoholic drinks, cold drinks, laundry and telephone calls.
- Personal Trekking Equipments for detail please Click here, High risk medical insurance and Emergency rescue evacuation if needed and flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu.
Tips for trekking staffs.
Entry fees of Temples and other sites while sightseeing around Kathmandu.

The Lost Tibetan Kingdom Of Mustang

2008-02-08T15:23:00.000+05:30

The flight from Bangkok touched down nimbly, and taxied into one of our favorite cities in the world, Kathmandu. This time there was extra element of excitement for us, though, because we were here to explore the Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang. You can usually have a pretty good time in Nepal throwing together treks without a lot of pre-planning, but this is not the case if you want to set foot in Mustang. Govinda Panta, our friend and associate, runs Adventure Pilgrims Trekking (look for the world explorer?s logo outside his office on the street running north from the main square of the Thamel tourist district). Govinda can help with any Nepal adventure, but even for him, getting to Mustang involved months of bureaucracy- filing permits, registering staff, enumerating equipment and supplies, defining itineraries, etc. But here we were, ready to go! And there was Govinda, greeting us outside the airport with katas, the white scarves presented to people as a sign of respect and courtesy.

As we go re-acquainted with Kathmandu traffic on our taxi ride to our hotel (the pretty swanky Vaishali), Govinda introduces us to Pratap Gurung, who would serve as our sirdar, or expedition coordinator. To go to Mustang, an expedition has to have full staff including a sirdar, a cook and enough porters to carry all the supplies, which must include tents for lodging and all food to be consumed during the stay. Stoves and cooking utensils must also be carried in, with enough kerosene to last the duration. And, as noted above, all those things must be documented and approved by the trekking authorities, who will then issue the very expensive permit to enter the Forbidden Kingdom (which fees is on the process to reduce now.).

Mustang (also called the Kingdom of Lo) is a kingdom within a kingdom. It is a small northwestern border district which has historically walked the tiger trope between its larger neighbors, Nepal and Tibet. The people and traditions are Tibetan Buddhist, but the region has long been recognized as an automonomous Nepali state with its own king. The arrangement came about in antiquity when the King of Mustang began paying tribute to the Ghurka rulers of Nepal, and the status quo was respected even by Chinese when the overran Tibet in the 1950s. Today, the King of Mustang has a seat in the government of the King of Nepal, and spends some time in Kathmandu each year tending to affairs of state.

From Kathmandu, we flew to Pokhara and then to Jomsom to position ourselves for the 80_mile trek in and out of Mustang. The short flight to Jomsom is one of the most spectacular you can take, as you basically fly from the Pokhara Valley into the "Great Himalayan Breach" and land on a postage stamp-size runway 8,000 feet up. The Great Himalayan Breach is so named because here the Kali Gandaki River cuts through the highest part of the Himalaya, between the Annapurna range and the 26,800- feet Mount Dhaulagiri. The peaks on either side of the river tower 18,000 above it, so the canyon walls here rise over three miles above the riverbed. One feels very diminutive in a little 18-seater being buffeted by the wind!

This day, we made a safe landing and met our porters at the designed inn. We strapped on our loads (theirs significantly larger and heavier than ours) and set off to kagbeni, the gate way to mustang. In past trips, we had turned at Kagbeni and trekked off to the holy temple of Muktinath since we lacked the necessary permits to enter Mustang. This time, we were elated to stop at the police checkpoint and the be able to sign in and processed toward Lo Manthang, the medieval, walled capital city of The Forbidden Kingdom!

Trekking is a whole lot of work, no matter how you slice it, during this trip, I was reading the book Mustang: A Lost Tibetan Kingdom by Michel Peissel, the first Westerner granted to a permit to spend time in the area in the 1960s. I was gratified to read the part where he asks his Tibetan friend which part of trekking he liked best and the answer was: "Going down when I'm climbing up; going down up when I'm walking down." Once you realized that the gorgeous mountain-and-valley vista you see before sunset, you have the picture. Mustang is particularly rugged country reminiscent of the American Southwest, expect on a much grander scale; mostly desert and rocky, its mean elevation of 15,000 feet makes it even higher than Tibet. The road to Lo Manthang involves crossing three mountain passes over 12,000 feet.

So we set off, following the course of Kali Gandaki at first. The Land of Lo is typical of other parts of Nepal in certain ways. The people are quite spiritual, and along the footpaths, even in the middle of nowhere, are placed orange, white and black chortens which are to be circled clockwise, or passed to the right. Rock cairns (to which all are encouraged to add) are also abundant, particularly at the passes. All along the landscape, but particularly on bridges and passes, prayer flags wave their petitions heavenward. Prayer wheels are inserted in walls built along trails to help travelers send their requests into the ether. We shared the path with a Saddhu one day. These men are typically successful businessmen who, later in life, decide to leave their families and wander the countryside seeking spiritual enlightenment, dressed in saffron fobs and carrying staffs. Some that you encounter in the towns or larger temples seem to be in it for the photo-opportunity tips, but we had little doubt this man in remote Mustang was really on a quest.

In the ensuing days, we scrambled through the ruins of the fortresses of forgotten medieval warlords; we visited Buddhist monasteries with their dusty libraries, grand status and grisly relics(e.g. an old mummified hand with long fingernails); we played Yathzee by candlelight in towns with no electricity; we sweated in our T-shirts on the trail had no immediately change and don down jackets when we stopped; we marveled continuously at presence of living, literally, "at the top of the world" for a couple of weeks.

As it happened, we got to meet the King of Mustang as he was returning by horseback to his palace in Lo Manthang with entourage, when our paths crossed at the inn at Geling. He was quite an amiable man, and had a few words with Govinda and took some pictures with all of us. It was quite an experience visiting his country and seeing a society just on the brink of new era. The reason expeditions have to bring in everything they will need is that Mustang reportedly has no infrastructure for tourism. But the Tibetans and Nepalese seem to have an innate market sense, and, since trekking permits began to be issued ten years ago, they have seen the needs of tourists and nascent inns, restaurants and stores are forming. The Chinese (whose border is only five miles away from Lo Manthang) are building a road in this direction from Lasha, and one has the sense that things are changing substantially for the Kingdom of Lo. We were glad to visit when we did, and see these things first person.

फोतोस फ्रॉम Nepal

2008-02-08T12:18:00.000+05:30

rere Mixture of Himalaya, culture and wildlife">

Nepal--Stunning scenery, Wonderful people

2008-02-08T10:51:00.000+05:30

Nepal's cultural landscape is every bit as diverse as its topography. This small country covering a rough rectangular area of 800km by 300km, it has over two-dozen distinct ethnic groups and tribes with over forty languages and dialects. The numerous festivals celebrated in Nepal throughout the year mixed with Hindu, Buddhist, and other tribal traditions are a testament to this remarkable diversity.
Green paddy terraces, wind-swept deserts, dense forests and marshy grasslands are also features of the landscape. The country is well endowed with perpetual rivers, lakes and glacial lakes that originate in the Himalayas.
The variety in Nepal's topography provides home to wildlife like tigers, rhinos, monkeys, bears, yaks, leopards and different species of insects and birds. Nepal is a home to almost 10 percent of the world's bird species among which 500 species are found in the Kathmandu Valley.
Understanding the Geography Nepal is a landlocked country in Southern Asia, between China and India. It contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border with China.
Regions of Nepal
Kathmandu Valley
Annapurna
Everest - stunning scenery, friendly and honest people
Langtang
Mustang
Terai
Cities of Nepal
Kathmandu, काpital and cultural centre of Nepal
Bhaktapur, well-preserved historical city, centre of Nepali pottery making.
Patan, sister-city of Kathmandu and metal working centre
Pokhara, picturesque lakeshore town and base for many of Nepal's most accessible treks
Climate Conditions Nepal is subject to Monsoon climate with four main seasons. Nepal has traditionally six seasons: Basanta (spring), Grishma (early summer), Barkha (summer monsoon), Sharad (early autumn), Hemanta (late autumn) and Shishir (winter), but here only the international standards of four are described which is sufficient for planning you trip
The heavy rains from June to September Clear and cool weather (one of the two high-seasons for travel and trekking) from October to December
Winter in the mountains, creating weather too cold and snowy for some treks from December to March.
The temperature of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, can go down to 0 degrees Celsius at night, and cold waves cause several deaths in the city every season.
Spring-like and vibrant from April to June Note that every year can be different, with rains or freezes coming early or late, so check ahead before planning your travel.

Understanding the Culture Greet people with a warm "Namaste". Show marked respect to elders. Be friendly, be patient.
Feet are considered dirty. Don't point the bottoms of your feet (or your bum!) at people, or at religious icons. In this vein, be sure not to step over a person who may be seated or lying on the ground. Be sensitive to when it is proper to remove your hat or shoes.
Accept tea.
Circumambulate temples, chortens, stupas, mani walls, etc. clockwise.
When haggling over prices, smile, laugh, and be friendly. Be prepared to allow a reasonable profit. Don't insult fine craftsmanship, it's much better to lament that you are too poor to afford such princely quality.
Many Hindu temples do not allow non-Hindus inside certain parts of the temple complex. Be aware and respectful of this fact, as these are places of worship, not tourist attractions.
Things to See and Do Rafting - Overnight trips for all levels of experience leave from Kathmandu and Pokhara. The Kaligandaki is a popular river.
Jungle Safari - Chitwan National Forest offers elephant rides, jungle canoeing, nature walks, and birding, as well as more adventurous tiger and rhino-viewing.
Parties - "The Last Resort", near the Tibetan border, has frequent Full Moon Trance Parties, lasting 2-3 days. Watch for posters and check music shops. Pokhara has started featuring its own brand of Full Moon raves and interesting Western takes on Nepali festivals.
Massage - "The Healing Hands Centre", in Kathmandu, has monthly five-day, ten-day and one-month Ancient Massage courses.
Trekking
Most of the trekking Nepal is called "Tea-House Trekking" as the day's hike is between guesthouse-filled towns. While this doesn't make the treks that much easier, it means there is no need for tents, food and water. Remote trekking is also possible, but unless you are an experienced wilderness trekker, it is recommended to hire a guide and porters.
Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek: Stunning scenery, Wonderful people.

Mera Peak & Amphulapcha Pass Experience

2008-02-07T13:37:00.000+05:30

Dear Climbers look my report for Mera Peak and Amphu Lapcha pass Expedition The trip started with a flight to Lukla where the Yeti Airlines pilots did a good job of landing the 16-seater plane on the tiny steep runway. Lukla was shrouded in mist and we hoped for better weather the next day when we would start trekking. The day dawned still misty and wet. The clouds parted briefly to reveal a rocky spire high above, just with a light dusting of snow on its slopes before the clouds closed again. We spent a wet first night camped at the base of Chatrwa Og pass. The next day there was yet more rain and as we trudged up through the mud and mist all we could see was the immediate vegetation slowly thinning and the path getting steeper as we approached the pass. We stopped in a teahouse after a couple of hours; tired and drenched we were told it was another hour and a half to the top of the pass. After warming up and drinking some tea we stepped out into the rain again and continued up the steepening path. I started to feel the altitude after a while and a throbbing headache set in. I kept plodding behind a porter to try and get it over with and eventually we past the prayer flags at the crest and descended to a small teahouse on the other side of the pass. I sat in the smoky little hut waiting for the rest of the group to arrive, after quite a long wait, Dannie, one of the party came staggering in with a severe headache and barely able to walk straight. He lay down groaning while his sister administered Diamox and painkillers. We then descended further to Thuli- Kharka where we spent the night all sandwiched into a small room with stone walls plastered in yak dung to keep out the wind.
The following day was better weather and there was a nice view of clouds below and the wide boulder strewn valley. We then had a long descent to the Inkhu Khola, which is the river we would follow for next couple of days. We spent the night at a clean teahouse in the little Maoist village of Kothe We were approached that evening by the Maoist leader of the village for 3000 rupees per person, which we handed over so as to be allowed to continue the next day. In the morning I walked out of the teahouse to see the enormous west face of Mera peak towering out of the mist. It was an impressive sight with Dannie commenting, 'I don't think this is possible,' as his freshly awakened, slightly altitude sick brain tried to comprehend the fact that we were intending to climb that huge thing. As we started up the riverbed I stopped a couple of times to take pictures of the beautiful shape of Kusum Kanguru rising up before us. We continued to the town of Tagnag that day, where I started to feel the altitude again.
Khare was where we got to the next day after an interesting walk through ever changing landscapes. From Khare at 5100m you could see Mera peak dominating the skyline to the south and Kyashar and Kusum Kanguru to the west. I woke in the morning feeling nauseous and weak with a headache and no appetite. The weather was perfect, avalanches were thundering down Mera as the temperature rose. We rested for another two days at Khare in which time my condition deteriorated and I developed flu symptoms. I started taking antibiotics and lay around not eating and feeling like death. Dannie was also feeling the altitude and also had a headache but Mathilde was strong as always and was doing long trips up the surrounding ridges to acclimatise, as well as practise some ice climbing with Sange, the climbing guide. The porters sat around playing cards, looking bored and trying to get me to eat something.
After three days at Khare we did a short trek up to a camp about two hundred metres above the village. The weather was unstable and it snowed most of that night.
The next day was an uncomfortable plod through the snow up to high camp at 5800m. We walked up one slightly steep icy section before coming out on a huge snowscape which is Mera La. From here the views are incredible with Malanphulan's pyramid like shape as well as Makalu, Peak 41, Kang Tega, Kyashar and many others surrounding you. We were lucky to have perfect weather as we made the long slog up to high camp, which was situated behind some rocks on the edge of a huge drop on Mera's east face.
We were supposed to leave at 12.30am to climb Mera but it snowed all night and we ended up stepping out into the freezing cold at 1:30am. We roped up and headed up through the soft snow towards the summit. I was still feeling ill and had no strength in me making the going slow. Mathilde turned around due to cold feet, Sange and I continued. After some time I had no feeling in my toes and my hands weren't very warm, I had absolutely no energy. The sky started to light up so I took some pictures and turned to head down. We reached high camp at 5:30am and Mathilde said she would try for the summit again. I collapsed into my tent and had to rub my feet with the help of Shanta for about half an hour to regain any feeling in them before falling asleep. I awoke to find myself sweating in what was now a hot tent being warmed by the midday heat. Mathilde had just returned from the summit with Sange and Arjun. We packed up and headed down the mountain to a campsite below Mera La.
It felt very calm and relaxing to be at a lower altitude in a more hospitable environment as we set up camp next to a small lake below Mera's east face. It snowed all of that night and I remember lying in my sleeping bag listening to the soft, barely audible sound of the snow landing on the tent roof.
The next day was misty with a bit of snow falling. We wound our way down through interesting little valleys to the Hongu Khola where we sheltered under a boulder to make lunch. We headed up the Hongu valley for a few more hours before making camp in a nice flat area. It was another cold night but the morning was clear with impressive mountains revealing themselves on either side of the valley. We set off up the Hongu Khola valley with the awesome beauty of this high altitude wilderness revealing its self from the horizon as we ascended. Everest and Lhotse straight ahead, Baruntse to the right, glacial lakes and mountain formations I thought only possible in the imagination. We camped above one of the big lakes at a place called Panch Pokhari, meaning five lakes. It was an amazing place surrounded by impressive mountains on all sides with the ominous ice steps that form the south side of the Amphu Lapcha pass directly above. There was an air of anticipation and nervousness that night as we sat around the kerosene stove, we all knew that the next day would be the most dangerous of the trip.
Sange was going to help a New Zealander and his porters over the pass the next day because their climbing guide had turned around at the Mera La along with the rest of his group. This meant that about twenty people had to go up the fixed ropes. All their loads would then have to be lowered down the 60-metre drop on the steep North face of the Amphu Lapcha. We would first had to wait for a group of Climbing Sherpas from a Baruntse expedition to take some of their loads over the pass before we could go because they got to the base of the pass before us.
It was a freezing night and we were meant to set off early to have plenty of time to get over the pass safely. When I woke up it was nine o'clock and no one seemed to be making any movement towards the pass. The camp was still up and I could hear the roar of the Kerosene stove in the kitchen tent. I gazed up at the tent roof encased in ice from our breathing in the night. Trying to get motivated to get dressed and step out into the freezing cold to see what was happening. When I emerged from the tent I saw Sange standing next to the kitchen tent. He came over with some tea and said that we could only set off then because the Baruntse expedition started at eight. We were soon plodding up towards the menacing folds of ice draped in enormous icicles. After scrambling up some rock, we started up the ice. Sange had fixed ropes and we jumared up without too much trouble. At about twelve o'clock we came out at the top of the last ice step. Everyone was in good spirits, taking pictures and posing for the camera, but I knew that the descent was the hard part. After a long time I decided to traverse across to the true apex of the pass. I came out on an awesome knife-edge ridge which dropped away to Panch Pokari on one side and the Everest region on the other. The panorama was spectacular: we were on a small pedestal in amongst Himalayan giants. I sat on the summit taking in the view for a few hours before we could start the down climb. The Baruntse Sherpas only finished lowering their loads at three o'clock, which didn't leave us much time. We all virtually ran down the abseil and continued down the very steep north face of Amphu Lapcha. I reached the flat valley bottom as it was getting dark. Sange was still descending, as he had to take the fixed ropes down. He came in with Shanta after dark-we traced their descent by Sange's bobbing headlamp. Everyone was deadbeat, but very relieved at having got over safely. It was another cold night and in the morning I felt the adventure was over. We headed down until the snow slowly disappeared and some beautiful aquamarine lakes revealed themselves. There were little green clearings with boulders and it was hospitable in comparison to the nine days we had just spent above 5000 metres.
On reaching Chhukung we walked into a brightly painted teahouse, very different to others we had experienced so far. At Chhukung there were a lot of trekkers who generally seemed out of touch with the mountains. Many people spent most of the day in the teahouse trying to keep their 'fashionable trekwear' clean. This is the tourist scene. We were out of the mountain wilderness and back to the real world. We had a good party that night with the porters and guides. We were drinking whisky, roxi and beer and eating crazy amounts of yak steak. Civilisation can be fun!
The following day was a rest day and I decided to climb Chhukung Ri, 5500 metre scramble. From the top, I had amazing close up views of Lhotse and Ama Dablam on the other side of the valley. At Periche the next day, I parted company with Dannie, Mathilde, Shanta and Arjun, which was sad after becoming their friend. They were going to Everest base camp and I was going straight down to Lukla. We spent the next few days trekking down the famous Everest base camp trail, past places like the Tengboche monastery and Namche Bazaar. There were beautiful mountains emerging on either side and ahead. The large trail snaked its way down the valley over suspension bridges and through small Sherpa villages. It was interesting to see the opposite side of mountains like Kusum Kanguru from the Everest side. It is difficult to comprehend the scale of these mountains. Thirteen days before we had been on the other side of this huge dividing mass of rock and ice, created so perfectly and apparently so randomly by shifting tectonic plates over many thousands of years.
We reached Lukla with its army troops surrounding the town and relatively plush hotels. I spent the evening with Sange, Kumar and Zamka playing pool and eating momo's at Kumar's house. These men had become friends of mine, for whom I had gained much respect during the time we had spent together. Sange was always quiet, controlled and polite, a very professional guide, and Zamka an inventive cook in difficult situations. The same can be said for all our Nepali team on the trip.
We landed at Kathmandu the next day and the relative heat of this lower altitude struck me as we stepped out of the plane. Back on the streets of Kathmandu the noise, warmth and filth seems to be almost a new experience after the crisp, cold, and clarity of the mountains.