Namche
BY SOLANGE HANDO No one had warned me about the dogs. They came down that night and raced around the tent, skidding, growling inches from my face. Lama called out:” Do not worry, Madame. They attack only if you run.” I dived into my sleeping bag. This morning we woke to a fiery sunrise on the snows of Kongde. Yaks wander through the streets and outside my tent a man carves. a Buddhist prayer on a rock. The dogs have gone. Lama peeps out of his tent. “ You like the view, Madame?” Kongde glistens across the sky. All around me pastel roofs tumble down the terraces, prayer flags waver like giant plumes. There are white frills on the windows and brightly-painted frames spilling out into the light. The village looks like candyfloss.  You have. to earn your first view of Namche. The walk from the Lukla airstrip takes a day and a half, across swaying bridges and up a long steep spur which makes you pant in the thin air. You almost give up hope till at last yaks appear on the trail and the first houses shimmer through the pines. Perched above the gorge of the Bhote Kosi, Namche is the main Sherpa settlement and trekking centre in the Everest National Park. Beyond the gate the village runs around the slopes, trapped in a ring of cliffs. Boulders hang above the rooftops, covered with prayers and religious paintings, blue, white, red, yellow. The stupa sits on the edge of the precipice with the Buddha’s eyes gazing in all directions. We walked clockwise around the shrine to show respect. said Lama, so the gods would protect us. I remembered his words later when lightning bounced off the cliffs and ripped holes into the sky. I got my feet wet in the stream. It runs down the main street and you share it with the yaks and women washing their clothes in the icy water. It is not easy to balance on the stones. Over the past twenty years Namche has grown into a busy place where at 3500 metres walkers and climbers acclimatize for a day or two. Shrewd Sherpanis have turned their homes into lodges where potato cakes sizzle in the pans and flasks of tea glow on the shelves. New lodges squeeze between the houses but look no different, whitewashed walls and painted roofs. Trekkers’ tents splash orange and blue on patches of bare earth. We have set up camp in the middle of a building site for there is little flat land in Namche. Carpenters hammer from dawn to dusk and look up- as we wade through piles of shavings to reach the toilet hut. Above the village barren slopes bear the scars of the building boom but behind the stone walls of the nursery new trees are growing. Today timber must be carried up the hill from outside the national park. The park’s headquarters stand on the ridge above the village. The visitors’ centre has brilliant displays on the fauna, flora and people of the Khumbu but it cannot compete with the views. Up there on the crest, the mountains hit you like a ten force gale, peaks bristling, glaciers and snowfields bursting in the sun. “ Look,” whispers Lama, there are gods everywhere.” 1 gaze at the holy summit of Khumbila, the fluted peaks of Thamserku, the spine of Kongde sprawling across the sky and I know what he means. At the head of the valley the dark cone of Everest looms above the Nuptse wall. “ This one on the right, we call the mother’s locket.” My friend points to Ama Dablam and I see a woman veiled in white holding a child by the hand. The twin peaks float in trailing clouds and the changing face of the mountain melts into a ghost. On a distant saddle we make out the roofs of Thyangboche where the village monks have retired, all but one. That afternoon he shows us around the old gompa. He barely mentions the statue of Guru Rimpoche sitting on the altar and the rows of holy books covered in dust. But he beckons us into the darkest corner of the room and out of his sleeve comes his most treasured possession, an old photograph of the Dalai Lama. Outside, prayer wheels glow along the ochre walls. I count 74 and we spin them all. Yak bells tinkle on the slopes, children weave down the hill from the Hillary school in Khumjung. April marks the end of the trekking season and in the alleyways stall-holders knead prayer beads as they wait for custom. Some say Namche has been spoilt by the trekking trade but I love the Tibetan rugs hanging on the walls, the temple bells that ring like crystal, the prayer beads, the warm shades of coral and amber, the silver clasps polished by gnarled fingers. There is a chance to chat, laugh with the women, admire a baby swathed in blankets, listen to an old man chanting a prayer. Namehe was a trading post long before the trekkers arrived. Saturday is market day. From all over the valleys, from Tibet, from Kathmandu even, hundreds come to sell their wares, buy and barter. Some have walked nine days with their loads on their backs and will do the trip again two weeks later. Boxes and baskets are neatly laid on the terraces till every piece of ground near the black rock is packed. There are peanuts and bananas, sacks of flour, rice, chillies that look like shrivelled up cherries, chunks of yak meat, buffalo skins, eggs, goats, bottles of Coke, pots, pans, loo paper for the trekkers ... Haggling is quiet and moving impossible, especially with a rucksack on your back. I lose sight of Lama, panic then spot him leaping from one terrace to the next like a mountain goat. “Here, Madame, this is for you.” Hands cupped, he offers me a bag of peanuts then opens the way through the crowds. A Tibetan with plaited hair tries to sell me the black-spotted turquoise he wears around his neck. By lunch time trade is over. The valley people saunter downhill, young men singing, monks hitching their robes to their knees, women with striped aprons shimmering through the trees. The Tibetans head for the border, loaded with buffalo skins to make boots. In the village the Sherpas celebrate around glasses of chang. It may not be long before an old man claps his hands and dancing begins. I watch the crows circling overhead. Near the welcome gate, someone has laid a small dough figure to appease the gods. “You see,” says Lama, “we are safe in Namche.” I look at the flags, the gompa, the prayers on the rocks ... Soon it will be dark and the dogs will be back but I don’t mind any more. I dream of peaks drifting in the mist, houses that look like candyfloss and a dark Tibetan with plaited hair ... |
humla
 THE HIDDEN HIMALAYASDeep in the heart of the Himalayas, nestled between the sweltering Indian subcontinent and the frozen plains of the Tibetan plateau, Humla lies hidden in the far northwest corner of Nepal. Shadows of the towering Saipal range and sacred Takh and Changla Himals loom over this barren forgotten basin of the mighty Karnali River. It is an area of extreme geographical conditions with the elevation fluctuating between 1524 mt. – 7337 mt, and an approximate population of 45,000. The natives still speak an archaic dialect of Tibetan and Nepali languages. Summer in Humla is pleasant while the winter is harsh and cold, leaving the region isolated and mostly snowbound. Humla’s snow-capped mountains; lush valleys, unique Trans-Himalayan plateau, rocky cliffs, quiet lakes, long streaming rivers and abundance of wild life are major attractions for visitors. The soul of Humla, however, is the people and their culture. During the medieval period of the Khasa Malla dynasty, Humla, a part of the Karnali region, was a powerful empire led by the potent Buddhist Dharmarajas. Today, Humlis are a peaceful people, leading a simple, rural life in harmony with their environment.
Though remote, its prolific vegetation has given birth to a rich niche for natural products. Its wealth of flora and fauna make Humla the home of many natural products of high value, while typical Humli handicrafts are slowly making their way into the local market.
| Bandipur |
 Midway on the day-long drive between Kathmandu and Pokhara lies the hilltop settlement of Bandipur - a Newar town with its age-old flabour intact. Catching the historical trail at Dumre Bazaar, one climbs through pristine forests to arrive at a township that has hardly changed. While the other trading posts of the Nepali hills have modernised, Bandipur retains its age-old cultural attributes. It still has its temples, shrines, holy caves, innumerable festivals, and a Newari architecture that harks back to the Kathmandu Valley of old. On a wide saddle at a height of 1005 m (3500 ft) overlooking the Marsyangdi river valley, Bandipur provides an unrivalled view of the Himalayan panorama (including the range of Gorkha Himal, above). The surrounding hills are ideal for hiking, along trails that take you through tribal villages, verdant forests, ‘power places’, and hilltop shrines which once doubled as fortresses. Well-preserved Bandipur today invites traveller to come and experience its unique offerings: mountain cultures, mountain views, and mountain walking. Bandipur is tantalising - and as yet undiscovered. HOW TO GET THERE  Where to stay The best way to Bandipur is to arrive by mid-day at Dumre Bazaar from Pokhara or Kathmandu, and to hike it up. You can also take a bus or jeep up on the recently completed link road. The walking trail, however, allows you to retrace the ancient trade route used by the great and the small alike to reach Bandipur - kings and warriors, tracers and porters. This is also the route commemorated by the late King Mahendra in a popular poem, “The Long Climb of Bandipur.” The climb is actually not very long - it is all of three hours of easy hiking. Passing through ice paddies, the trail soon enters a forest that is full of bird song. The route is marked by spring and water spouts, and old resthouse (pati) and rest platforms (Chautara), all put up by philantrophists of yore to assist the sweating traveler. The trail skirts the great cliff below Bandipur, passes through a Magar village, and emerges on top at Tundikhel. From here, it is ten minutes’ of level walking to the town itself. Bandipur has a mountain resort hotel at one end of Tudikhel, and another is coming up above the town. For a flavor of the old settlement and its life rhythms, the visitors can stay at one of the bed-and-breakfast places which have recently opened their doors in the old Newar houses. Guide services are available to help visitors explore the town and surrounding hills. We suggest a two-day stopover at Bandipur, which will allow you to appreciate the place in its full variety. When you finally leave, you can do so either by walking down the trail down to Dumre Bazaar, or taking a ride down on the link road. From Dumre Bazaar you can connect to the fast coaches which will have you in Pokhara or Kathmandu by evening.
THE TOWN In the end, the road’s alignment may have been a boon rather than a bane. While many Newar hill towns lost their distinctiveness after joining the highway grid, Bandipur retained its originality. Because Bandipur’s merchant classes had built sturdily, their buildings stood firm and are today ready once more to house shops, cafes and lodgings. Stretching east-west on its mountain saddle, the town reflects Kathmandu Valley architecture in its pagoda roofs, lattice-work windows, and stone-paved streets. The dwellings are in the form of compact town-houses, built of brick with often-ornate windows and doorways (see cover picture). The roofs are of tin or slate, which is mined nearby. A distinctive aspect of the bazaar is a covered veranda which extends through its entire length, from shopfront to shopfront. The surrounding hills and forests are criss-crossed by easy trails that take the visitors to hilltop shrines, caves, springs and waterfalls. In contrast to the Newar town, the hillsides are inhabited by a mix of Hindu castes and the Magar and Gurung ethnic groups. On terrace fields, these communities grow millet, corn and mustard. Rice grows on the irrigated fields. Fruit-growing is gaining in popularity, particularly citrus. Women, when not working in the fields, can be found weaving cloth and baskets. The Magar and Gurung menfolk have traditionally joined the Gurkha forces in the Indian and British armies. SIGHTS OF BANDIPUR MOUNTAIN VIEWS The hillocks that surround Bandipur provides an unequalled panoramic view of the Himalayan ramparts to the north. In contrast to close-ups available to the hardy trekker, the perspective offered by Bandipur’s step-back view has its own advantages. The observer is able to take in a 300 km march of the Himalayan chain, and it is actually possible to see the curvature of the earth on the snowline of this parabola. Far to the east, the range known as Jugal actually stands directly to the north of Bhaktapur in Kathmandu Valley, the place of origin of Bandipur’s Newars. Westwards, the main ranges that are on view include Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Gorkha Himal (which is the closest, and include Manasulu, Himalchuli and Baudha peaks), the Annapurnas, Dhaulagiri and Kanjiroba.
TUDIKHEL The most convenient place for a mountain view is Tudikhel, the field at the northern end of town. This unique flat-top, right by a precipitous cliff which fails away towards the Marsyangdi valley far below, must have been originally developed as a military parade ground. It is now used for political rallies and by Bandipur’s youth for football and volleyball. The field is also used as a promenade, populated as it is by stately trees.
CAVES
Bandipur’s hillsides are also well known for their caves, which carry religious significance for the locals. A two-hour hike through forest leads to the Pataali Dwar, or the Gateway to Hell, with a Shiva shrine at its deepest recess. The limestone formations are also revered. Alternatively, the cave is also known as Swargadwari, or Entrance to Heaven! Another cave, discovered only a few years ago, is known as the Siddha Gufa and is said to be the largest discovered cavern in the country. Full of stalactites and stalagmites, it has not been fully explored. THE GADHI Northeast of Bandipur, on a hilltop, stands a fort said to have been established by Mukunda Sen. The fort’s trenches are still visible. The view of the Himalaya from this high point is fully worth the hour’s hike getting here. Also visible is the eastward bend of the Marsyangdi river far below. One can also follow the river’s course northward as it disappears into the Manang region between the Annapurna and Manasulu massifs. Beyond, of course, lies Tibet.
MUKUNDESWARI
An important tribal ‘power place’ is that of Mukundeswari, atop a high summit at the end of a two-hour walk from Bandipur. The shrine here is festooned with numerous bells and tridents (trisuls), and it is especially revered by Gurungs. You will
see some knives and swords, apparently placed here by victorious warriors of long ago. |
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| Welcoming Gesture |
 A TRADITIONAL AFFAIRWelcoming ceremony is an important gesture of guest relation.Every country has its own way of doing it with a touch of uniqueness and originality. Tourist welcoming has over the years become the best lobbying factor in the tourism industry around the globe. Indeed a travel experience begins and ends with it. The ritual of doing so differs widely among the hospitality industries as it is done to make the guests feel comfortable. It makes them feel homely and accepted. Rooted in its culture and religious traits, Nepalese believe that guests are torsos of gods so the famous saying goes, “Athiti dewa bhawa”. Nepalese believe in gods and they pray to gods every day. Praying is a part of their daily routine. In Nepal, guests who come to one’s home are considered to be the forms of god. So the guests are welcomed whole-heartedly and attended to with care and respect.  Carrying on the culture, hotels also welcome guests with typical Nepali gestures. Welcoming in a traditional style and with traditional object makes a great deal of difference in what we are offering thereby giving us a separate identity from the other nations. Different forms of gestures are carried out to welcome the guests. Namaste is the simplest and the most popular way of welcoming guests in Nepali culture. The other simple way of doing so is by putting tika (a mixture of rice, curd and red powder) on the forehead with a welcome drink. Putting on garlands and Khadas (white scarf used mostly by Buddhist) and giving bouquets are also an integral part of Nepalese welcoming gesture. As to more better and sophisticated welcoming, national musical instruments like dhime baja, sarangi, madal, flute, ek tare are used. Different ethnic groups have different styles of welcoming. A typical welcoming ceremony is most often practiced among the Newari community of the Kathmandu Valley. Beautifully adorned ladies clad in traditional attire called Haku Patasi (black cotton saree with red border) stand in a row and present a small wreath of flowers greeting ‘Namaste’. Tamang also has a very distinctive style of conducting welcoming ceremony whereby people dressed in Tibetan-monk clothes pour traditionally made spirit in the cupped hands of the guests accompanied by traditional Tibetan musical instruments. Panchakanyas are the highest symbol of welcoming guests in Nepal. They are the five embodiments of goddess Mahabidya, Astha Sidhi, Nawa Durga, Sidhidhatri and Maha Gauri. Only girls between 8-10 years of age can actually become a Panchakanya. In Hindu religion, everyone relies on divine power to successfully accomplish a work without much hindrance, for which blessings of gods and goddesses are required. Panchakanyas are seen on special festivals and state occasions to garland prominent personalities, visiting dignitaries or state guests as a blessing so that their aspirations come true. Prettily adorned in chaubandi cholo, sari and sirful (gold plated headband) panchakanyas stand side by side with Naumati bajas (constituting nine traditional music instruments) playing alongside. To each passing guest panchakanyas offer a garland with a smile. Emily, a tourist from America, says, “I really enjoyed the putting on of the traditional tika as we don’t have any such kind of rituals in our country. Just to see the red tika on my forehead was a mere excitement for me and my friends.” For tourists like Emily what more can we offer that will make a memorable experience of their trips in their minds than such a traditional welcome. The traditional rites and rituals we take on to welcome our guests are not offered anywhere else and cannot be provided even if they are ready to offer any amount of money. Getting tourists in the country is not the only objective in our list, as we also have to focus on such basic activities like welcoming which will have a long-term impact on tourists. This will further nurture guest relations and preserve our tradition.By Sunjuli Singh |
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