Top 5 Treks in Nepal

Statistics show that roughly 4 out of 10 foreign visitors to Nepal go on one trek or the other during their stay here. It’s a high percentage by any standards, and goes to show the global popularity of trekking in Nepal. What makes the country such a favorite for trekking? It’s a combination of many things—abundant natural scenery, fantastic ecological diversity, ancient culture, friendly people—all these and more go to make Nepal an extremely popular destination. What’s more, there are any number of trekking routes to choose from, depending on your age, the time at hand, your physical shape, and the challenges you are willing to undertake. As they say, there’s something for everyone. However, listed below are some of Nepal’s top five treks, in reverse order.

5. Ghalegaun Village Trek: If you want to see the villages of the honey hunters of Nepal made famous by the documentary by photo journalists Diane Summers and Eric Valli, you got to go on this trek. It’s a 10-day trek during which you’ll be hiking through some spectacular landscape that includes inspiring views of the Annapurna range. You get to interact with local Gurung families and experience their simple but hospitable lifestyle. First you drive down to a small town called Besisahar from where the trekking begins, the trail going along the lovely Marsyangdi River to Khudi, nd then its uphill for some 4-5 hours to Ghalegaun (2,016 m). Here, you get to stay with locals, and are treated to a beautiful sunset view of Annapurna and Manaslu. Sunrise, in the early morning, is as absorbing, but you got keep moving, and so, now you hike down to Ghanpokhara and Bhujung (1,500 m), where the waterfalls are simply wonderful, and the rhododendron forests, lovely. Then you got some climbing to do again (3 hours or so) before arriving at a hilltop called Khumre Danda (2,000 m). Then onwards, it’s all downhill to Pasgaun, then the Mandi River, and on to Pakhrikot and Thumsikot, and finally, Pokhara.  

4. Imjatse (Island Peak) Trek: This is one trek where you can fulfill your desire to climb an authentic Himalayan peak. Not only that, it’s a trek that will provide you with a fantastic view of Everest. The adventure begins with a 45-minute flight to Lukla (2,800 m), the flight and the landing itself being an adventure by itself, what with the Lukla airport, as well as the descent path, being somewhat of an adrenaline rush. Once you have landed, and sent a thank you to the gods for having done so safely, you start your trek. A trek that will take you across high valleys and glaciers of the exciting Himalayan region; your trek takes you along the Dudh Kosi River, meeting long yak caravans on  the way, which will generally be carrying equipments and supplies for some climbing expedition or the other, before reaching Phakding (2600 m).  

The next destination is the famous Namche Bazaar (3,450 m), heartland of the Sherpas. You’ll be resting here for a day to allow for acclimatization, and then carry on to Tangboche (3,860 m), then to Dingboche (4,400 m), where you get another rest day to further acclimatize. You’re in the higher stratosphere now, so it’s better not to take any risks. Your next port of call is Lobuche (4,900 m), and then Kala Patthar (5,545 m), from where the view of Everest is legendary. Trekking back again to Lobuche and then Dingboche, you carry on to Chhuking (4,750 m), and finally to Imjatse Base Camp (4,970 m). From her, first you reach High Camp (5,600 m) and then Imjatse Summit (6, 189 m). There, you’ve done it; climbed a Himalayan Peak. Returning the same way you came, you catch a flight back to Kathmandu from Pokhara, and once again are treated to another adrenaline rush.

3. Mustang Trek: Mustang is an arid region in western Nepal that still appears to have retained some degree of mysticism. It was a kingdom in its own right for quite some time. Bordering the great Tibetan plateau, the region is heavily influenced by Tibetan culture and religion. First you drive down to Pokhara (915 m) from Kathmandu (1300 m), and then take a 20-minute flight to Jomsom (2,720 m) from where the trek begins. Your first destination is Kagbeni (2,900 m), known as the gateway to Mustang, which should take around three-and-a-half hours or so. Then it’s onwards to first Tangbe, then Chele (2,900 m), Ghiling (3,510 m), and Charang (3,650 m). Each of these villages is reached in 5-6 hours, and that’s the time you’ll be trekking each day.

You’ll have observed all those Tibetan-styled flat roofed houses on the way, many with sheep’s horns over their doorways, and numerous monasteries, as well as large Tibetan mastiffs tied near doorways. You’ll also see apple orchards, for which the area is famous. Apple pie and apple brandy are specialties you’ll get to taste on the way. Next, you’ll arrive at Charang (3,650 m) before reaching Lo Manthang (3,730 m), the seat of an ancient kingdom. It’s an interesting place to explore, what with its houses made of sun-baked pale colored mud bricks, its narrow alleys, and the palace of the kings of yore. Marang La (4,353 m) comes next on your rout, and from her, its downhill all the way to Ghimi, Samar (3,700 m), and Kagbeni, and then to Muktinath (3,750 m), where you’re likely to meet plenty of pilgrims visiting this holy site. Ay your prayers, pay your respects to the gods at Muktinath, and then continue downwards to Jomsom from where you fly back to Pokhara.    

2. Annapurna Circuit Trek: This is regarded as one of the most popular treks by many trekkers to Nepal, and it begins with you taking a 7-hour drive down to Besisahar (via Dumre), the starting point of the trek. You hike along the Marsyangdi River and pass through many Gurung and Tamang villages on the route. Your trek takes you to Bahun Danda (1,310 m), Chamje (1,430 m), Dharapani (1,860 m); the hiking is not that difficult and very, very enjoyable. On day six or seven of your trek, you reach Chame (2,670 m), from the sight of Annapurna is spectacular. You start off for Pisang (3,200 m) the next day, walking through barley fields and apple orchards, and eventually come to a narrow gorge, through which you make your way into upper Mustang. Come morning, and you’re off to Manang (3,540 m). You’ll come across chortens and mani walls everywhere, and in Braga village, you’ll see an impressive looking gompa on the hillside above a number of Tibetan style houses below. Your spirits uplifted by the imposing view of Annapurna II (7,937 m), III (7,555 m), and IV (7,525 m). A day’s rest at Manang is called for now to allow for acclimatization. Having done so, you hike to Leder (4,260 m), then to Throng Phedi (4,450 m), and finally reach Throng La (5,416 m).

After Thorung La, the trek is much easier, taking you down to Muktinath (3,800 m), Jomsom, Tukche (2,590 m), Ghasa (1,970 m), and Tatopani (1.189 m). You’ll go through the Kali Gandaki gorge, and that’s something, since it’s said to be the world’s deepest ravine. The next day, you climb up to Ghorepani (2,750 m), nearby which is Poon Hill, from where the sunrise and sunset views are fantastic. From here, you stroll down to Pokhara.

1. Everest Base Camp Trek: This trek is the one most in demand for trekking in Nepal, more so since it has been touted as “one of the things you must do before dying” by some popular magazine. Lukla is your starting point, which you reach after a 45-minute flight from the capital. It’s  trek that will take you through astounding mountain scenery that consists of  pretty Sherpa villages, verdant fir and colorful rhododendron forests, and walk over high and swinging suspension bridges, while  on the way you’ll come across picturesque caravans of yaks and zobkyos (yak-cow crossbreeds), their backs loaded with equipment and supplies of climbing expeditions.  

Your first destination is Phakding (2,600 m), which is a 5-hour hike, and after that, Namche Bazaar (3,450 m), which also takes 5 hours to reach from Phakding. One day’s rest is mandatory here, so as to acclimatize to higher altitudes, and you can use this day to explore Thame Valley. Then it’s on to Tengboche (3,860 m) and then Dingboche (4,400 m), where again you get a rest day that you can use to visit the lovely Chhukung Valley. Near Tengboche, look out for a line of rock formations, some rocks having metal plaques on which are inscribed the names of mountaineers and trekkers (some as commemoration of their visits, and some in memory of those who had died here).. Then you trek to Lobuche (4,900 m) and Gorakshep (5,150 m), before reaching Everest Base Camp at 5,337 meters. On the way to Lobuche from Thukla, at Dughla, you’ll see similar memorials, which are also present around Gorakshep and at upper Pangboche on a ridge. They serve as poignant reminders of the risks involved as well as the joys of trekking and climbing the high Himalayas.    

That, then, constitutes some of the most popular trekking routes in Nepal. All promise adventure and a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is unparalleled by any other sporting activity in the world. Trekking in Nepal demands the best from you physically and mentally, and it promises you excitement and discovery.

Fascinating Wildlife of Nepal

It is common knowledge that Nepal is home to a significant number of the endangered one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis), the preservation of which is a continuous effort of the government. Most of them are to be found in Chitwan National Park, with some in Bardiya National Park, and smaller numbers in Suklphanta Wildlife Reserve. Rhinos can weigh up to 2700 kg each. It is also common knowledge that the country has quite a number of the splendid Royal Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris bengalensis) which call the abovementioned parks their home. Males can weigh around 235 kg while females weigh about 140 kilograms. Both are magnificent animals, and visitors at the parks consider themselves fortunate to see them in the wild.

What is less known is that Nepal is also home to some 650 species of butterflies, which is a hefty 4.2% of the global population. Similarly, there are about 870 species of birds in the country. Thirty-five species, including the barn owl, the Eurasian large owl, the Lesser Adjutant Storhoi, and the white-rumped vulture are in the globally endangered list. The Indian Sarus crane, a migratory species which comes to Nepal annually from Dar Es Salam in Africa, is also on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

There are nine wetlands (Ramsars) in different parts of the country, all excellent sites for bird watching. Among these, Koshi Tappu (17,500 h) in eastern Nepal is the largest, as well as the first Ramsar to be developed, in 1987, with Gokyo and associated lakes in Solukhumbu being the second largest. Beeshazar and associated lakes (Chitwan), Ghodaghodi Lake (Kailali), Rara Lake (Mugu district), Gosainkunda and associated lakes (Rasuwa district), Jagadishpur reservoir (Kapilvastu), Mai Pokhari (Ilam), and Phoksundo Lake (Dolpa) are the others wetland sites. Clearly, bird watchers have the choice of a diverse range of sites that offer a large variety of bird species.

Particularly interesting are species like the Himalayan Griffon vulture, the black kite, and the Lammergeuer (called the protector of the Himalayas). Also found in the high Himalayan region is Nepal’s national bird, the Monal pheasant (Lopophorus impejanus), known as danfe locally, one of the most colorful among a large number of other pheasants that are as colorful. Adult males are multihued with metallic green crests; females, in contrast, are a dull brownish in color. A danfe in dance is a lovely sight, with its spread-out wings and tail feathers showing off a fantastic range of beautiful colors.

Coming back to mammals, the Suklaphanta Reserve has the country’s largest herd of swamp deer (locally known as Bara Singhe), while the last surviving population of the country’s water buffalo (Arna) are to be found in Koshi Tappu. Some of the world’s largest cattle, the Gaur bison, have been seen in the Churiya hills in central Nepal. The beautiful snow leopard can be found at heights between 3,000 to 5,500 m in places like Mustang, Dolpa, and Humla, while the Himalayan blue sheep (Bharal), which has characteristics of both the wild sheep and the goat, but is not blue, can be seen at altitudes over 4,000 meters. They are extremely sure-footed and have curved horns.

When talking about Nepal’s exotic mammals, how can one forget to mention the sturdy yaks (Bos grunniens), even if they may not be considered as wildlife? These thick-coated animals, blessed with extraordinarily strong lungs, can weigh up to 550 kg each. Found at altitudes up to 6,000 m, yaks are man’s best friends in the high Himalayan region, carrying heavy loads, plowing fields, and providing rich milk and meat, besides wool (for clothing), dung (for fuel), and hide (for making leather goods). Even their bones are put to good use to make artifacts, while their hair and wool goes towards the making of ropes, tents, blankets, and sacks. Doorways of homes are decorated with their horns (to ward off evil spirits), the tails make good dusters, and their blood is regarded as a cure-all for many ailments. Males are called yaks while females are known as naks (or driks) in the Sherpa language, and when they are crossbred with cows, the offspring are called dzo (if male), and dzomo (if female).

Another of Nepal’s interesting wildlife is the gharial (Gavialis gngeticus), a rare crocodile with a bulbuous growth on the nose of males. It is an endangered animal that can be seen in Chitwan National Park, where they have a breeding program for the species. This rich diversity of exotic wildlife makes Nepal a highly desirable destination for animal lovers, and the country has made good efforts with the help of international organizations, towards its conservation. Accordingly, the country has nine national parks and protected areas. The former includes Chitwan, Bardiya, Sagarmatha, Annapurna, Langtang, Shey Phoksundo, Khaptad Dhorpatan, and Rara National Parks, while the latter includes Koshi Tappu, Parsa, and Shukla Phanta Reserves.  

Traveling in Nepal, Some Unusual Tips

One thing that must be said for traveling/trekking in Nepal is that no matter what kind of upheavals and struggles are going on (the bane of developing countries), there have been practically no known cases of travelers/trekkers being harassed, and in fact, even at the height of the 10-year Maoist insurgency (1996-2006), trekking went on as usual. Those adventurous souls out on the trails during that period surely must have had an extra spring in their steps, not knowing what awaited them over the next hill!

you’ve surely heard a lot about certain times of the year being the best times to trek/travel in Nepal, but let me hasten to say that anytime is a good time for trekking/traveling in Nepal.

Anyway, all this is not to say that you should leave everything to chance; there’s actually very little chance of that happening if you are being looked after by a competent agency, of which there are plenty in Kathmandu. Now, before proceeding further, here’s some food for thought: you’ve surely heard a lot about certain times of the year being the best times to trek/travel in Nepal, but let me hasten to say that anytime is a good time for trekking/traveling in Nepal. This is because the country has a wide range of climatic diversity, from the sweltering heat of the Terai (plains) in the south to the arctic conditions in the high Himalayas to the north, with pleasant temperate weather in the hills and valleys in between. So, depending upon when you arrive, you can choose where to go according to the season.

Just to recapitulate on the seasons here, there are four: spring (March-May: warm and dusty with rain showers), summer (June-August: dominated by the monsoon), autumn (late September-November: cool with clear skies), and winter (December-February: cold at night and foggy in the early mornings, but afternoons are mostly clear; occasional snow in the mountains). As for the monsoon, it begins in June and continues up to September. Autumn is the peak tourist season, and during this time, the trekking trails, particularly the more popular ones, become quite crowded. So, it’s worth a thought to plan a trip during the off-season months so that you get to enjoy the much-talked about solitude of the Himalayan trails, and revel in the natural beauty for miles and miles with not many souls around to disturb your reverie.

Give a thought, too, to a sojourn of the country during the monsoon. For a fact, Pokhara, the most beautiful of all Nepali cities, gets the most rainfall during this time. But it’s a curious fact you won’t find any place in the city that’s waterlogged even during the heaviest downpour! That’s because the city is located on a mass of gravel, a result of flash floods due to an earthquake in the Annapurna region long ago, and water immediately gets soaked into the ground. There’s a river, the Seti, which flows deep beneath the city, and probably all that rainwater flows into it. Fascinating stuff, all this, so why don’t you plan a trip to this lovely city during the rainy season? Doubtless, all that cleansing rain is surely going to make the surroundings all the more verdant and the environment more invigorating. There’s plenty of trekking routes starting from here, including one to Dhampus, some 23 km from away, which was once the only gateway for treks to Annapurna Base Camp, Machhapuchchhre Base Camp, Annapurna Sanctuary, Jomsom, Mustang, Ghandruk, Ghorepani, and Poon Hill. Famous names, all.

You might also know that the pride and joy of Pokhara, beside its awesome Machhapuchchhre Himal (Fishtail Mountain), is Fewa Tal, a huge lake that reflects the deep green color of the surrounding lush greenery. Boating is what you do here, and it’s real fun, but what would the experience be like doing it when it’s raining? Could be pretty interesting, is what we say; you’ll need a large-sized umbrella and a raincoat, of course.  All this talk about Pokhara and its many charms is to emphasize that it’s a city that could be worth visiting even during the rainy season. A couple of excellent hotels in Pokhara have special monsoon packages every year, so you could go for that. You’ll get a good deal, undoubtedly, since it’s officially the off-season. Well, make it your season, and aside from saving precious bucks, you’ll be gathering a bagful of tall tales to take back home.

The jungles of Chitwan, home of the renowned one-horned rhino, now, that’s another place that will have added charm during the monsoons. That’s of course if you are not the kind to be fazed by minor stuff like leeches and so forth. Anyway, wear knee length boots, and you should be all right for the most part, and it will be, as they say, a walk in the park, the Chitwan National Park. Only, in this case, you’ll be walking through a park that’s been designated a UNESCO world heritage site because of the fantastic biodiversity of its flora and fauna. Aside from the endangered one-horned rhino, this famous wildlife reserve also has quite a few royal Bengal tigers, and the snout-nosed gharial, along with many other animals. Elephant rides are the order of the day here, and around the park are some resorts that are simply out of this world, including some world-famous names.

Well, so much for tips for trekking/traveling to Nepal for the moment. There really aren’t many tips as such, because like said before, aside from the usual precautions and preparations, which your trek/travel agency will anyway arrange for you, it’s actually how far off the beaten track you wish to go that really matters, and in such a case, all we can say is, expect the unexpected!

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Himalayan Ecology at Risk

While Nepal may have its fair share of shortfalls, there is no denying that it is a magnet for all mountaineers the world over, simply because the country has Mount Everest, the ascent of which is the ultimate test for any climber worth his/her salt. Not only that, Nepal also has a significant number of the world’s tallest peaks. The exploits on the high Himalayas feature prominently and regularly on the world stage; and they could be not only for good reasons, but also for the bad. In recent times, the headlines haven’t been of the good kind.

Here’s one dated May 20, 2014 (http://goo.gl/NIj9CT):“Global Warming Threatens More Deadly Everest-Like Avalanches”. The report goes on to say that “mountaineering tourism in Nepal faces a threat from global warming as melting glaciers feed the risk of more deadly disasters such as the avalanche on Mount Everest that killed 16 people last month.”

This is not something new; there have been umpteen discussions on the subject of global warming vis-à-vis the Himalayas. This latest tragedy will perhaps give added impetus to the issue of global warming and its effects on the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas. Stretching for about 3,500 km between Afghanistan and South China, the surface area covered by the Himalayas is a vast 1,000,000 square kilometers. Eight-hundred kilometers of this vast chain of immense mountains, the central part, lie in Nepali territory. It consists of over 1,300 peaks of 6,000 m and above, which includes eight of among the world’s 14 highest mountains. Implication: anything that happens to this part of the Himalayas is certain to have substantial significance to the rest of the world.  

These ice-clad mountains are an integral part of Nepal’s geography and ecosystem, which, by any standard, is diverse to the extreme, going from 70 m in the Terai (the plains) to 8,848 m (that is, Mount Everest, the highest point on earth) across a short distance of about 75 km only. You can travel from the sweltering lowlands bordering India to the frigid slopes of the Himalayas bordering China in a jiffy, and numerous ethnicities (about 100), cultures, and lifestyles are other factors that add to the diversity. The plains folk are fortunate in that they live on land that is pretty suitable for agriculture, but mountains folk have to really break their backs eking out a living from the rocky mountain terrain.

Coming back to ecology and the Himalayas, it has been in the limelight for quite some time now, particularly when the talk veers around to global warming. Global warming’s effects are beginning to be seen in a quite visible manner; mountaineers and experts state that one is liable to see more of rocks nowadays, in contrast to the comforting cover of virgin snow in days gone by. Conclusion: the melt down of snow is occurring at a faster pace now. Authorities say that, since ages ago, over 3,000 glaciers have been counted in the region, but over the last century, an equal number of glacial lakes have been formed. Conclusion: the melt down of glaciers, along with snow-capped peaks, are occurring pretty rapidly.

Risks of glacial lake outbursts have increased manifold, which could lead to massive floods causing a lot of destruction to the local inhabitants. The risks of avalanches and rock-falls have also increased greatly because of the rapid melting of the mountain snow. This obviously does not bode well for climbers; additionally, they are coming across significantly larger numbers of exposed rocks on climbing routes, which besides consuming more energy to traverse through, are also more difficult to walk on. All this means that climbers now need to further gear up the technical aspects of their mountaineering skills.

Global warming and its effects on the high Himalayas is, no doubt, the central issue when talking about dangers to the fragile mountain ecology. However, there are other issues that threaten life in the mountains as significantly, and these are the issues to do with manmade environment degradation. The Himalayas is a magnet for visitors from around the world. Besides ever-increasing numbers trying to climb different peaks every season, trekkers, too, are increasing by the day, with newer trails being discovered (opened) to provide extra novelty and challenge.

Trekkers and climbers, both, are invariably accompanied by many guides and porters, and the routes take many days to be navigated through. Many nights are passed camping on the way, which means that a lot of firewood will be used; this in turn means that the forests are threatened. Deforestation is an ever present danger. Mountain tourism is an important part of Nepal tourism, and it is also a significant consumer of forest wood. As it is, flora and fauna of the Himalayan region, many of which are rare and endangered species, are in danger due to human transgressions; deforestation further decreases their chances of surviving into the future.

Overcrowding in camp sites is common, and this results in problems of waste and garbage disposal. There have been many complaints about plastic materials, empty bottles, and aluminum cans littering the trails. In fact, this issue has come into the spotlight on many occasions, and garbage accumulation on Everest, particularly, has often been featured prominently in global media as the most telling example of manmade degradation of the mountain environment. From time to time, this has prompted ambitious clean-up campaigns. The "Save the Everest Mission" organized by Everest Summiteers' Association (ESA) in 2011 succeeded in collecting 8.1 tons of garbage from Everest and its trails. That’s a lot of garbage! Well, the signs are there. Cleaning up after the act is not always a probability, and if you add global warming to the picture, what you get is a situation that’s very, very dangerous to the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayan region.

The Gorkha Story

Once upon a time, the Gorkha kingdom extended from Trisul Ganga in the east to the Marsyangdi River in the west, with its capital being the hill state of Gorkha, which gave them the name ‘Gorkhali’. The late 1700s were a period of great expansion of the Gorkha kingdom. In 1789 they annexed Sikkim, and then invaded Tibet, but were driven back by a huge Chinese and Tibetan army. In 1794, they occupied Kumaon and Garhwal in India. These aggressive excursions eventually resulted in war in 1814 with the colonial power of the time, the imperial British forces of India. The major highlight of this war was the British army’s siege of the Khalanga-Nalapani fort in Dehradun—the famous ‘battle of Nalapani’.

The British, led by General Gillespie, had impressive resources: 20 battalions of infantry and cavalry, 20 pieces of artillery, and two troops of horsed artillery. At the time, the entire Gorkhali army numbered just 12,000 soldiers, and the Nalapani fort was manned by a meager 600 Gorkhas. The battle dragged on for over a month, at the end of which, 750 soldiers and 31 officers of the British army had been killed or wounded. The Gorkha leader, General Balbhadra Singh Thapa (Kunwar), managed to escape with just 90 soldiers. In a place called Jyathak, 300 fresh Gorkhas joined their depleted ranks, which, soon after, came under attack by three British detachments, and a ferocious battle ensued. At the end of it, 12 British officers and 1,500 of their soldiers were either dead or wounded. On February 17, 1815, 2,000 Indian soldiers under Lieutenant Fredrick Young panicked and ran for their lives on coming face to face with 200 Gorkhas under Ranjore Singh Thapa. Young was taken prisoner.

Finally, in 1816, the war came to an end with the signing of the Sugauli Treaty on March 4, 1816, the British finally having managed to defeat Amar Singh Thapa’s army in Makanpur. A major term of the treaty was that Gorkhas should be allowed to be recruited into the British army. There could not have been a greater recognition of an adversary’s valor. Now, true to their fondness for order and discipline, the British set about identifying the true Gorkhas; to them, all the martial races of Nepal were ‘Gorkhas’. They discovered that the Gorkhas in the Nalapani fort had been mostly Magars. Besides this fearsome clan, Gurungs, Tamangs, Thakuris, and Puns (most of them living in the western hills) also had an excellent aptitude for soldiering. The British also realized that there were some pretty tough clans in eastern Nepal, as well: the Rais, Limbus, and Sunwars, as well as Tamangs. People of another martial community, the Chettris, were spread throughout the country. It was from Amar Singh Thapa’s defeated forces that the first three battalions of British Gorkha soldiers were raised on April 24, 1816, in Dehradun. Eleven Gorkha regiments were serving in the British Indian Army by the time World War I started.

During the course of World War I, heavy recruitments led to the formation of 33 battalions consisting of 200,000 Gorkhas. How vital was their contribution to the allied efforts is evident from the fact that 2,000 gallantry awards were awarded to the Gorkhas. Similarly, the Gorkhas played an equally vital role in World War II, when 250,000 of them in 42 infantry battalions further added to the already legendary status of the Gorkhas as the best fighting soldiers in the world by winning 2,734 different awards for courage under fire. Till date, the Gorkhas have won a total of 26 Victoria Crosses, the highest possible recognition for valor.

The Gorkhas have exhibited their tremendous courage and bravery in many arenas of war at different times around the world, and undoubtedly, the two World Wars have been the biggest arenas by far. Many legends have arisen out of their exploits, and some are close to mythical, so fantastic are the tales. Here’s one—during World War 1, an officer ordered some Gorkhas to bring back as many severed heads of the enemy as they could, and in quick enough time, one Gorkha, returning from the dense jungle, came up to the officer and threw some two dozen human ears to the ground. Before the gawping officer could utter a single word, the Gorkha explained in a matter of fact manner, “The heads were too heavy.” Here’s another: a Japanese officer with a samurai sword comes face to face with a Gorkha carrying a khukuri, the dreaded weapon of the Gorkhas. What ensues is a slash and hack duel, during which, the Japanese slices off one arm of the Gorkha. His exultation is evident on his face. It is, however, short lived, because the Gorkha tells him, “Okay, so you cut my arm, but why don’t you just nod your head?”

Indeed, it’s difficult to say where fact ends and fiction begins when talking about the exploits of Gorkhas in the fields of battle. Whatever the case may be, an awesome reputation precedes them wherever they go, and this was well vindicated during the Falkland War in 1985.  At the end of it, this is what Brigadier David Morgan said, “It was the Gorkhas’ reputation that helped win the war in the Falklands.” The surrender of the Argentinean forces was hastened by the sight of hundreds of deadly blades glinting in the sunlight, as the Gorkhas landed on the beach with their khukuris in their hands. One Argentinean soldier reportedly said later that they didn’t want their heads to be chopped off!

Window to History, National Museum’s Hall of Sculpture

‘Samvat 107 sri paramadeva pka maharajesu jayavarmma’—this inscription on the base of a life-sized statue unearthed in Maligaon of Kathmandu in May 1992 created quite a stir. Experts finally deciphered the statement as: ‘The year 107. Among the Kings, the Fourth, Late Sri Jayavarmma.’ They also dated the statue as from the 2nd century A.D., which made it the earliest statue with Licchavi period inscriptions found in the country. Quite a find, no doubt—today, it stands tall in the Hall of Sculpture of the National Museum in Chauni, Kathmandu.

The National Museum was established in A.D. 1928 but opened to the public only in 1938. It is a treasure trove of priceless antiques that provide a window into the fascinating history of Nepal. The Hall of Sculpture is but one part of the whole, but it is such as to keep a visitor spellbound for hours on end, so varied are the collections, and so ancient the sculptures. For those with interest in pursuing knowledge, this Hall is a source that will be highly appreciated. For example, this is what you’ll learn immediately on entering its doors:  “The earliest stone images are recognized with their distinct stylized features. These features are displayed in the form of the plain halo, very fleshy body, cupped varadamudra (hand posture), zigzag and finely plated decorative folds of the garments, lack of sacred thread, minimal use of garments and ornamentation, and heavy earrings and anklets.”

Among the many stone and terracotta statues in the Hall of Sculpture, there are quite a few that stand out for sheer antiquity, while other stand out for the high quality of their craftsmanship. A major antique is the headless figure of Yaksha, which was found in Handigaon and has been dated 1st century A.D. According to some experts it is a figure of Bodhisattva, while others say it may be an incomplete figure of King Jayavarma. Whatever the case may be, it is the earliest stone image found in the country. Other really ancient pieces are the figures of Matrika (a.k.a. Harati) from the 1st century A.D., Kumbha (goddess of prosperity) dated 2nd century A.D., and Yaksha Yakshini, dated 1st/2nd century A.D. Keep an eye out for the figures of Simhevahini Durga (13th century), Sri Krishna (13th/15th century), Surya (13th century), Garuda (16th century), and Uma Maheswara (20th century), which are beautifully sculpted.

In an adjoining room, you’ll come across various terracotta figures: make a note of the various mother goddesses of Kathmandu Valley: Brahmayogini, Shailaputri, Chandraghanta, Vaishanvi, Kusmanda, Bhavani, Maha Gauri, Chamunda, Kali, and Varahi. These are indeed masterpieces. Next, you carry on to the metalwork section which consists of mostly bronze figures. The first objects you’ll come across are sleek figures of Kumari, Tara, Aparamita, Shaileswari, and Lokeswara, all dated 19th-20th century.  Then there are the 20th century statues of Jogini, Uma Maheswara, and Mahisasur Mardini; the last one, especially, a work of high caliber.

In the middle of the room are bronze figures that could well excite excitable minds; these are the statues of different Samvaras, each with a shiny erect phallus that thrusts out provocatively. Mahesh Samvara, Nara Simha Samvara, and Vrish Samvara are from the 17th-18th centuries, while Simhamukha Kamabhairava   is from the 14th century. Another 14th century figure, that of Sukhavara Samvara, is pretty graphic, portraying a lovely beauty with her legs clasped around the waist of the beastly Samvara. Here, it would be pertinent to point out that Samvara is a fierce protective Buddhist deity whose consort is Vajravarahi.

You’ll probably spend some time gazing at these fantastic figures, but after a while you got to move on, since other visitors might start looking at you somewhat quizzically. Anyway, the next thing your eyes will alight upon is a large and beautiful 18th century figure of Bhairava with a torana above him. (Toranas are semi circular, carved wooden (sometimes metal-plated) structures found over temple doorways.) The next figure you’ll encounter is that of Nagakanya (20th century) seated on makara (alligator) under a nine-headed serpent canopy. Besides this are two 17th century figures of a Malla king and queen. It must be said here that the Malla dynasty (12th century-18th century) was a golden period for art, craft, and culture in the valley.

A small but beautiful figure of Surya and a 17th century Nagapasa (11 coiled serpents), along with another 17th century figure of Nagapheni (seven-headed serpent) are also captivating, as is the statue of Vishnu with a lotus arising from his abdomen (16th century). Further along the room are displayed a Buddha head and a replica of the famous Krishna Mandir of Patan, and a finely detailed 20th century figure of Viswarupa, which can be said to be one of the most outstanding bronze works in the gallery. Now, your eyes will probably be assailed by a huge 19th century Hayagrib Lokeshwara Swagata Mandala that’s enmeshed with many semi-precious stones. Next, you come across a large and lovely figure of Mahisasur Mardini (12th century) and alongside, a beautifully sleek figure of Queen Lalit Tripura Sundari (early 20th century), a powerful historical figure who was the acting regent of Nepal from 1806 to 1832. Similarly, there’s another regal statue, that of King Bhuatindra Malla (1696 to 1722) that’s also pretty good.

All in all, a tour through the Hall of Sculpture is a delight to the senses, and a testimony of the skills of the valley’s artisans. So, make it a point to pay a visit to the National Museum during your tour to Nepal.

Panauti, Town of Temples, Festivals, and Yomari

“There are nearly as many temples as houses, and as many idols as inhabitants.” These were the words used by British emissary Colonel William Kirkpatrick in 1811 to describe Kathmandu Valley in his 'An Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul'. In those days, some other travelers/academics had even stated that, in Kathmandu, there were more shrines per square kilometer than anywhere else around the globe. Does this statement stand true today? How many shrines are there in Kathmandu Valley, exactly? Interesting questions, one would think, and pretty difficult to answer. One source has conjectured the valley as having 2500 shrines and temples. Well, it’s one number: how near the mark it is, or how ridiculously far from reality, is something for the more curious to dig out. For now, let’s talk about one place in the valley, Panauti, where we have a fairly accurate idea about the number of temples located in it.

Situated about 32 km southeast from Kathmandu, Panauti is the fourth most important heritage town in the country after Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. It is one of three municipalities in Kavrepalanchok district, the other two being Banepa and Dhulikhel. Panauti is believed to stand on one massive rock, which is the reason that no earthquake till date has been able to inflict any damage on the town. How solid is this fact is another mystery to be discovered by the more curious. Anyway, coming to the number of temples in this earthquake-proof town, the number is a little more than forty. Now, you have to look at it in the correct perspective: the town is only one kilometer long, so it’s a large number, you’ll agree.

A 15-minute walk on an uphill track to the north east of the town takes you to Gorakhnath Hill (2000 ft), from where you’ll notice the peculiar fish-like shape of this small town, which is not even a kilometer in length from east to west. You’ll also observe the profusion of pagoda-style temples. Two rivers, the Roshi and Punyamati, flow from west to east and converge at the town’s eastern end, that is, at Triveni Ghat, which has a score and more temples dedicated to various gods and goddesses, including Badrinath, Kedarnath, Bishwanath, Tulsinath, Mukteshwor, Shiva Narayan, Madhav Narayan, Brahmayani, Saraswoti, Krishna, and Ram, Sita, and Laxman.

One of the more eye catching temples (a classic example of Newari craftsmanship) is the three-tiered Indreshowr Mahadev Temple, which stands in the center of a large brick-paved courtyard. Its elaborately carved wooden windows, doors, struts, and beams are testimony to the skills of the valley’s Newari artisans, and these are also very much evident in the other temples located in the same courtyard, that is, Unmata Bhairav, Krishna, and Ahilya Temples. Across the Punyamati River are still more temples, two of which, Brahmayani and Krishna Narayan, are especially noteworthy.

Indeed, Colonel William Kirkpatrick could well have been describing Panauti when he wrote, “There are nearly as many temples as houses, and as many idols as inhabitants.” Made of terracotta, the pagoda-style temples have gilded roofs and lots of beautiful wood carvings. The courtyards around the temples are generally spacious. Aside from the Hindu temples, there are half a dozen Buddhist stupas, three dyo-chens (communal houses with a deity on the top floor), and a bahal (Buddhist shrine). Also scattered around the town are a number of patis (public resting places), dabalis (where dramas and dances are held), dhunge dharas (stone water spouts), and chowks (public squares)—all very much in character with a traditional Newari town.

Panauti has a lot going for it as a touristy heritage site, one that has the added charm of being surrounded by lots and lots of green paddy fields. It also has its fair share of historical glory. One such glory is yo-mari, a delectable ethnic Newari delicacy made once a year during a festival called Yomari Punhi. Made from a mixture of treacle and sesame seed wrapped in stupa-shaped rice dough, yo-mari was the result of an experiment with a fresh yield of rice by a local married couple many, many, years ago. Everyone in the village loved it and they named it yo-mari (tasty bread), which went on to become a valuable addition to Newari cuisine and culture.

Panauti is also the birth place of King Ansuverma, the greatest of the Licchavi rulers, as also of Prince Mahasatwo, who became a saint due to his great deed of supreme sacrifice in feeding a starving tigress and her cubs with his own flesh in the nearby jungle of Namobuddha. It is now one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the country, and there’s a stone slab in which is etched the story of the prince and the tigress. While we are on legends, it must be mentioned here that, besides the Roshi and Punyamati Rivers, it is said that there is another, the Lilawati, which flows into the above rivers. However, it is not visible to ordinary folk, rather, you got to be among the awakened to be able to see it!  

Well, reading all this, your curiosity must surely have piqued somewhat, and you’ll certainly want to visit this fascinating town. A town that has a lot of beautiful temples, and naturally, it must follow that there has to be a lot of festivals, too!  Twenty-eight, to be exact; that’s right, there are 28 major festivals celebrated every year, of which many are the same as those celebrated throughout the country. Some are, however, unique to Panauti, and these include:

Jya Punhi (Panauti Jatra): Held in May-June, this boisterous festival is a three-day post-harvest festival, during which chariots bearing various deity figures are taken around the town, starting from the durbar square, and on the third day, the chariots are banged against each other. Lots of action, lots of spectators, lots of revelry, and perhaps, lots of inebriated chariot bearers!

Makar Mela: Held once every 12 years at Triveni Ghat, this month-long festival is well attended by tens of thousands of pilgrims from near and far who come to attain atonement for sins committed by talking a dip in the holy rivers.  

Yomari Punhi: Held in December every year (this year, Dec 6) to celebrate Panauti’s great creation, the yo-mari, as also to thank Goddess Annapurna, the goddess of grains, for a fine harvest.

Namobuddha festival: Held to commemorate the great sacrifice of the noble Prince Mahasatwo.

Devi Nach (masked dance): Held on the same day as the great festival of Indra Jatra in Kathmandu, this famous masked dance is said to have its origins in Panauti. During this vigorous dance, deities, demons, animals, etc. are depicted through colorful masks.

That’s it then, you now know a lot about one town in the Kathmandu valley; you know how many temples there are in this town, which was our starting premise, if you remember, for this article. You’ll appreciate this knowledge all the more when you realize that it is next to impossible to keep count of temples and shrines in other comparable towns in the ‘Valley of the Gods’!

Maghe Sankranti, a Celebration of Life

On January 15 this year, the sun will move northwards and enter the cusp of Capricorn (Makar). It will be the coldest day of winter, as it has been for ages, and will be forevermore. It will also be the first day of the 10th month (Magh) of the Nepali calendar, and people all over the country will be celebrating this day with a lot of joy; the bitter cold of winter will now be on a waning path, and the days henceforth will become warmer and longer. In addition, it is the end of Poush (Dec/Jan), the most inauspicious month of the year. A local saying goes like this: ‘Poush ma je gare pani huncha phooss’ (whatever you do in Poush is going to end in failure). Now, the ending of such a month does call for a celebration, doesn’t it? A festival is certainly in order!

The festival to celebrate this joyous occasion is called Maghe Sankranti (or Makar Sankranti), and as with most other festivals, special food items are what makes it really special. The most important food of Maghe Sankranti is tarool (yam), which is a tuber that’s starchier and drier than sweet potatoes, with which it is often confused. The outer covering is pretty rough and difficult to peel, unlike the softer skin of sweet potatoes, so you got to boil it well to soften it. The edible part, the ‘meat’, of mature tarools can be white, yellow, purple, or pink in color. It is rich in vitamins B6 and C, antioxidants, proteins, complex carbohydrates with low glycemic index (raises blood sugar more slowly than regular sugar), and fiber. Tarool is also credited with having antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties, aside from other health benefits.

The most common way of preparing tarool is as follows: first, select chunks of blemish-free tarool, and after washing them well, boil for about 10 minutes in a pressure cooker. Let it cool down, and then start peeling. After that’s done, cut into small pieces, and that’s it. You can serve them cold.  Another popular way is to make thin slices of the boiled and peeled tarool, which you marinate with oil, ginger/garlic paste, salt, and pepper. Then, you stir-fry these slices in a non-stick pan. This is pretty tasty stuff. Of course, as with most things culinary, there are other innovations too. And so you have tarool and green peas curry, tarool pakodas, and tarool kheer, to name a few.

Another essential food of Maghe Sankranti is til ko laddoo. These are made of sesame seeds and molasses, with the sesame seeds being white, brown, or black. Generally, black sesame seeds are the most commonly used during Maghe Sankranti. Here’s how you can make your own til ko laddoo: you’ll need 100 g each of sesame seeds and molasses (chaku), one-fourth cup of finely chopped coconut, and a teaspoon of cinnamon and cardamom powder. Now, dry-roast the sesame seeds in a pre-heated pan (stir constantly). In another pan, melt the molasses, adding some water to it, and then mix coconut, cinnamon, and cardamom to it. Then, make round shaped balls of sesame seeds mixed with the molasses mixture (grease your palms with some butter so molasses don’t stick to your hands), and voila, you have your til ko laddoos. Allow them to cool down and then store them in an air tight container.

What other food is essential during Maghe Sankranti? Chaku (hardened molasses) is the third food that is absolutely a part of Maghe Sankranti, as is ghyao (or ghee: clarified butter). Now, here’s something interesting about ghyao and chaku, particularly concerning Kathmandu. There are half a dozen tiny shops behind the Annapurna Temple in Asan Bazaar, that historical, cultural, and commercial center of Kathmandu, where six lanes/streets converge on a square with numerous shops selling a mind-boggling variety of goods. Now, the half dozen or so tiny shops mentioned above are a bit different from the pack, having a history spanning over a hundred years, and throughout, the only things they have been selling are ghyao, tel (oil), chaku, and candles. Most locals of Kathmandu Valley know them as the ghyao-tel pasals (ghee, oil shops). Candles were, in fact, later additions. Anyway, these shops are famed for the purity of their products, a necessary stipulation, since things like cow’s milk ghee and sesame seed oil are used to light wicks in temples during religious functions. Their buffalo milk ghee is for human consumption, as is the tori ko tel (mustard oil).

However, it is their chaku that is most in demand, not only during Maghe Sankranti, but at other times, too, since ghyao-chaku is a highly nutritious combination that is traditionally fed to newborns by the valley’s Newars. The shopkeepers claim the highest standards of hygiene and purity when preparing the chaku, which they make in their own homes. Come January, and business soars. Come Maghe Sankranti, and these half a dozen or so tiny shops become the center of attention of tens of thousands of valley folks. “They become crowded,” is too simple a statement. If you are in Kathmandu that day, do make it a point to go to Asan Bazaar and see for yourself what reputation can do, because all said and done, the reason for these tiny shops to have survived for so long and to be still in so high a demand is primarily because they have earned the valley-dwellers’ trust.

So, you now know what Maghe Sankranti is all about, and where to go to get pure ghyao-chaku on the day. There aren’t many religious functions as such, though many people do take a dip in the confluence of some holy rivers. It’s actually more about looking forward to better times ahead after the bitter cold of winter, and celebrated by eating body-warming foods like tarool, til ko ladoo, ghyao, and chaku. And, yes, khichdi, too, which is a wholesome and filling combination of black lentil, rice, ghyao, ginger, and salt. Health-giving, life sustaining foods, which points towards Maghe Sankranti being more a celebration of life than just another festival!

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Gadhimai Mela, Slaughter Fest

Sometimes, I like to while away time looking at old photographs, the older the better, which means invariably, black and white photographs. I was doing just that the other day, when I came across one which showed me as a small (perhaps 10-year-old) kid, standing next to a bullock cart on a dusty looking road in the countryside. A similarly-aged cousin was with me. A nondescript photograph at best, nothing special about it, but at the moment, it has acquired a completely new meaning, and has become one of the most meaningful photographs in my motley collection.

You see, it was taken during our trip to Bariyarpur from my hometown, Birgunj, to attend the then famous (now very infamous) Gadhimai Mela, a huge festival that is held once every five years in a small village called Bariyarpur some seven kilometers from Kalaiya, the district headquarters of Bara District in the Terai. I remember that our family (which was a relatively wealthy one) had traveled on half a dozen bullock carts; those days there were no metal-topped roads and very few motor vehicles, and I think we all had to do with hurricane lamps for light, since there was no electricity. Anyway, that photograph, today, brings back hazy recollections of large crowds, swirling dust, and the crescendo of noise of thousands of buffaloes, goats, and other animals. Somehow or the other, I have absolutely no recollections of the mass slaughter that must have taken place then, or perhaps we had gone a few days before the grounds became killing fields.

Now, today, there’s a lot of noise about the Gadhimai Mela, which has gained the notoriety of being the single largest sacrificial slaughter of animals in the world. This gruesome festival, which many declare to be inhumane and unnecessary carnage of hundreds of thousands of innocent farm animals, is justified by those who conduct it with a single phrase: to appease Goddess Gadhimai. Who is Gadhimai? Well, she is said to be a sister of Goddess Kali— yes, the very same Kali in whose temples hundreds of thousands of animals are sacrificed on Maha Asthami, the eighth day of Dashain, the biggest Hindu festival in Nepal that takes place every year around October.  

However, Gadhimai Mela is in a class apart as far as sheer number is concerned in a single site, with about 250,000 different kinds of animals slaughtered in 2009, including 20,000 water buffaloes on the first of the two-day orgy of mindless violence. Although it is a month-long affair, with a carnival atmosphere all around the Gadhimai Temple, that began on November 15 this year, November 28 and 29 are the two days when around 250 ‘licensed’ killers will be entering the enclosure holding tens of thousands of male buffaloes (both big and small) and putting on a gory spectacle for the swarming crowds of eager spectators gathered around the ‘killing field’.

Expectedly, animal rights and other activists are up in arms, righteous in their anger and disgust, and the many photographs posted all over the internet are indeed gruesome to the extreme, with innumerable buffaloes lying in their own pool of blood, their heads decapitated from their bodies. And, among these bloody carcasses, fervent men with red bandanas around their heads brandishing long wicked looking knives, looking around for more ‘kills’. Reportedly, most of these ‘licensed’ killers are already quite high on alcohol before embarking on their unholy task. Of course, it is certainly not an unholy task for them, since they believe that they are fulfilling a religious duty, and in doing so, attaining the favor of Gadhimai.  

The day of the slaughter is initiated with the sacrificing of five different animals (‘panch bali’: panch meaning five, bali meaning sacrifice)) to the goddess Gadhimai. These animals are: pig, buffalo, goat, rooster, and rat. Their throats are slit and their blood is sprayed all over the goddesses’ statue. More sacrifices follow in quick succession, with pigeons and ducks joining the ranks of the sacrificial animals. However, on the first day, it is the brutal slaughter of tens of thousands of buffaloes that is the center of attraction. Reportedly, some of the larger buffaloes are quite hard to be decapitated, and it requires the butchers to hack away many times before the head is severed from the body. The butchers take pride in achieving as many ‘clean’ kills as they can, that is, severing off the head with a single slash of the knife.

The second day, too, is a day when the ground turns a deeper red with the blood of hundreds of thousands of goats, chicken, pigeons, ducks, rats, and more buffaloes. Watching all this horrendous drama, and carrying along their own animals to be sacrificed, are crowds of people numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Reportedly, the last time around (that is, in 2009), the festival was attended by more than five million pilgrims. Now, imagine if you will: swarming throngs of excited people, innumerable milling animals (the large black buffaloes being the most conspicuous), roadside shops and eateries all over the place, fairgrounds with swings, different types of rides, and balloon sellers with large bunches of colorful balloons. Oh yes, for the uninitiated it will all seem like a great big fun-filled mela (carnival), but come November 28, and everything changes. The whole atmosphere becomes a frenzied one, and bloodletting becomes the name of the game.

An ironic fact about the Gadhimai Mela is that it is primarily a festival of the Tharu community, because traditionally, only someone from this community can be the priest of the Gadhimai Temple, and the Tharu community is known to be one of the most peace-loving of all communities in Nepal. Yet, every five years, they preside over a ‘mela’ that is now regarded with horror as the largest sacrificial slaughter of animals in the world. It’s not something that anybody would want to be associated with, and certainly, goes so very against the gentle character of the Tharu people. Something like the Gadhimai Mela is also not something that does any good to the image of a gentle, peace-loving country like Nepal.

Lesser Known Facts about Nepal’s Most Famous Stupas

It is common knowledge that Boudhanath Stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world, measuring almost 100 m in diameter and 40 m in height. If you get to visit the Patan Museum in Patan Durbar Square, you’ll be able to see comparative models of various stupas (a.k.a. chaityas), that form part of a comprehensive exhibit on the stupa,mand you’ll be surely struck by how Boudhanath stands out from the crowd. Indeed, whether it is the model or the real thing, this world heritage monument is a magnificent sight. Not only that, the area in which it is located, that is Boudha, was once almost like a kingdom in itself. Here’s the story.

    In 1853, when the Sino-Gorkhali war was coming to its conclusion, peace discussions were proposed and agreed to by both the warring parties. On the Gorkhali side, Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana wasn’t too comfortable at the prospect of going into peace talks without an able interpreter who could speak both Nepali and Chinese. On asking around, he realized that there was a Chinese man called Taipo Shing living in the Boudha area. He was a Szehuanese Nyingampa Buddhist, who had, during the course of a pilgrimage, ended up at Boudha, a place he decided to henceforth call home. Taipo Shing proved to be a capable interpreter and his work was appreciated all around. What’s more, he continued to do a lot of good work in and around the Boudha area, and in 1859 he was rewarded with the abbotship of Boudhanath Stupa, the pride and joy of Boudha, and the holiest of all Buddhist shrines in Nepal. It was a high honor, indeed!

    Taipo Shing thus became the very first Chini (Chinese) Lama of Nepal, and he further consolidated his power by marrying the daughter of Jung Bahadur’s favorite concubine. In addition, his power was made all the greater by the Dalai Lama appointing him as his consul to the Kingdom of Nepal. Subsequent head abbots of Boudhanath Stupa, even if they were not Chinese, came to be known as Chini Lamas, a term that is reserved only for the head abbots of Boudhanath Stupa. Because of their high standing, the earlier Chini Lamas (from the mid-19th century to the time of Punya Vajra (1886-1982), the third Chini Lama, Boudhanath’s stature as a major Buddhist pilgrimage site grew to significant heights.

    After Punya Vajra’s death, the running of the famous stupa became the responsibility of a committee (guthi), the members of which were mainly families and descendants of Tamang disciples living close to the stupa. One of the better known descendants (reportedly, the fourth son of a Chini Lama) is the renowned photographer Mani Lama who has carved out a name for himself both nationally and internationally as an accomplished photographer of art, landscape, travel, wild life, portrait, etc., as well as for his many documentaries. If you are in Boudhanath early in the morning, look out for him, because obviously, Boudhanath is his favorite haunt, and he has said that he never gets tired of capturing the different moods of this world famous site. So, you might well get to meet him there, a genuine descendant of a Chini Lama!

    Not many people know all this about Boudhanath, and it provides fascinating insight into the history of Nepal’s holiest Buddhist stupa, and one of the world’s largest. Now, what’s there about the other world famous stupa, an icon in its own right, that is, Swayambhunath Stupa, that’s quit off the beaten track, something not many have any inkling of? Here’s what few know—this iconic stupa, situated on the top of a conical hill, was once in very real danger of slipping down the hill. Towards the end of 1978, architect John Sanday received a distress call from UNESCO while he was in England. Sanday was a consultant to this august organization, and had shown his mettle in and round 1972, when he was in charge of restoring Hanuman Dhoka in time for Nepal’s event of the century, that is, King Birendra’s coronation.

    The missive Sanday received from UNESCO was that Swoyambhunath Stupa could slide down the hill from where it towered over the valley, because the top of the hill was apparently shifting this way and that! UNESCO was deadly worried, the magnificent stupa was something dear to their heart, and since they had designated it as a world heritage monument, it was their responsibility, too, to ensure its safety. Sanday, their able consultant, had already earned quite a reputation as a restorer par excellence, and he immediately set about doing his bit, which, as it turned out, was fraught with danger. He and his team began the sensitive work of excavating below the two conspicuous towers to see what the situation was with the foundations. It was a ‘frightening excavation’ for Sanday. However, they kept on digging, and went down to almost 25 ft before reaching the bedrock.

    What they discovered was that the foundations were based on a ledge, which meant that if something wasn’t done soon, the risk would always be there of ‘slippage’; a simple enough term, but full of risks when applied to the foundations of a huge monument like Swoyambhunath Stupa. In fact, what Sanday realized was that the huge monument had always been in danger ever since the time it was built because of the faulty foundations. Corrective measures followed the ‘frightening excavation’, which resulted in giving this most ancient of all holy shrines in Nepal the stability and poise to once again preside over the whole of Kathmandu Valley from its lofty abode. Hail Sanday! Hail UNESCO!

Whither Nepali Handicraft?

Today, as I write this, the streets of Kathmandu are witnessing traffic slowdown in many places because of the hasty last-minute panic-filled attempts to beautify the Capital, which will be playing host to heads of state of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka from Nov 26-27 for the 18th SAARC Summit. Those in responsible positions are no doubt cursing themselves—why, oh why, didn’t we start earlier? Well, now all one can hope is that at least the paint on the roadside railings is dry by the time the limousines start to roll down the new-looking streets!

There’s another set of folks who’re also having a merry runaround this week; they are the officials of the Federation of Handicrafts Associations of Nepal, which is holding the 12th Handicraft Trade Fair 2014 from Nov 27-Dec 01 in the Capital. Let’s hope they are having an easier time organizing their event than those desperate folks putting giant flower pots with newly planted saplings all along the sidewalks, and hoping to the high heavens that the saplings at least stand up straight till the big-do is over!

Anyway, having got that out of the way, what’s the situation with Nepali handicrafts? Once upon a time, in the late 1990s, the country witnessed such a demand for pashmina (cashmere) that businessmen of all hues and colors began leaving what they had been doing and started getting into pashmina. By 1998, orders were coming thick and fast from all corners of the globe for pashmina products, especially shawls. As a result of this tremendous demand, the pashmina industry made up more than 80% of all handicraft exports, with sales figures going through the roof from Rs.3 million in 1997 to Rs.5.6 billion in 2000! But, as usually happens, this boom, too, didn’t last. By 2010, exports had plummeted to just Rs.473.60 million.

Actually, the story of Nepali pashmina reflects the overall scenario of the handicraft sector of the country. There has been nothing much to shout about after those heydays when Nepali handicrafts were taking the world by storm. That is not to say that everything’s bad; it’s just that the graph refuses to show peaks anymore, and it’s, more or less, a straight line through the years. Now, here’s what constitutes Nepal’s handicrafts: pashmina, hand knotted carpet, handloom and dhaka products, woolen goods, silver jewelry, metal craft, wood craft, stone craft, handmade paper products (lokta), hemp/allo goods, leather products, paubha (thangka), bone and horn items, ceramics, incense, beads, bamboo products, etc.

The softest natural fiber in the world, pashmina is derived from inner coats of mountain goats (chyangras), which live at altitudes of 3,000 meters and higher in the high Himalayas. After its drastic fall in fortune, blamed primarily on unethical manufacturers (here and in neighboring countries) tarnishing its reputation by passing off non-pashmina as genuine pashmina, the Nepali authorities decided to establish a collective trademark logo for all pashmina made in Nepal as “Chyangra Pashmina”, and this trade mark has now been registered in many countries around the globe. It guarantees the purity of Nepali pashmina products, and the hope is that it will give a boost to the industry.

Among the top handicraft exports of the country are also hand knotted carpets, once the biggest foreign currency earner for the country. But this industry, too, suffered a similar fate as pashmina, and for similar reasons. Its introduction in Nepal was only in the 1960s, when Tibetan refugees fleeing the upheaval in their country, arrived in Kathmandu, bringing with them the fine art of carpet weaving. Their carpets were made of Tibetan wool, which supposedly made them better with age, and the designs, too, were eye catching to the extreme, with strong colors like red, yellow, blue, and gold being predominant. In short time, the valley saw a profusion of Nepali Tibetan carpet manufacturers, with hundreds of thousands involved in weaving as many carpets as possible in the shortest time possible to cater to the ever-growing demand from Europe. Sadly, like in the case of pashmina, quality took a hit, and hard-earned reputations went on the line due to the unethical behavior of some. Currently, the carpet business is a far cry from what it once was.  From a high export figure of 25, 09,452 sq m in 1999/2000, it has come down to just 461,065 sq m in 2013/1014.

Well, so much for two of the prima donnas of Nepali handicrafts—their fall from grace has been dramatic, to say the least! The going has been more or less a more stable one for other handicrafts, which is not a happy state of affairs, as without growth, the whole sector is getting stunted. Talking about handlooms, dhaka is a popular fabric that’s used to make a host of apparels and furnishings. In fact, you’ll notice it everywhere in places like Kathmandu, where people wear the typical Nepali caps made of dhaka (dhaka topi). At weddings, too, it’s a pretty strong fashion statement for the groom to be attired in a daura suruwal (the national dress) made of dhaka. Dhaka is also used to make a large variety of furnishings for the home. While dhaka’s origins lie in Tansen of western Nepal, one will find Rai and Limbu women of the eastern hills weaving out fine traditional patterns, as well, on wood and bamboo treadle looms. Another fabric gaining quite a name for itself is allo, a natural fabric extracted from the bark of the giant nettle (Girardinia diversifolia). A pretty intricate process is involved in its making, consisting of first boiling the bark in wood-ash-mixed water; and then after it is dried, the fibers are beaten and coated with white micaceous clay soil. An open back strap loom is traditionally used for the weaving.

Away from pashmina, carpets, and handlooms, Kathmandu Valley has always been more famous for its high standard of craftsmanship in metal, wood, and stone, examples of which are so very evident in numerous temples, monasteries, houses, hotels, etc. all over the valley. Lalitpur, the “City of the Arts”, particularly, abounds in highly skilled craftspeople, and there are different localities that specialize in certain types of craft. For instance, Okubahal, inhabited mostly by Shakyas and Bajracharyas, is considered to be the mecca of metal craftsmanship. For the most part, deity statues are the norm (made using the lost wax method), along with ritual objects used for worship. There is also a particular Newar community of Tamrakars (tama: bronze) whose trade since time immemorial has been to manufacture various items in bronze and copper for household and decorative use, as also for ritual purposes. Outside the valley, there’s a place called Bhojpur in eastern Nepal that is renowned for making khukuris, the deadly weapon of the valiant Gurkhas.      

Wood carving is another of the fabled skills of the Newari artisans of Kathmandu Valley, and perhaps this is the most in show everywhere you go, including in most good hotels. You cannot fail to notice the elaborately carved wooden windows adorning many houses, hotels, temples, and so on. These huge windows have earned fame throughout the world, and among these, the ‘Peacock Window’ is a favored souvenir, as also a gift highly appreciated by everybody, be it statesman, head of state, or royalty. The high level of skills displayed by Newari woodcarvers has been acknowledged by all throughout the centuries, and, in fact, they were much in demand in China even during the time of the great Emperor Kublai Khan for doing the woodcraft work in shrines. Today, many woodcarving establishments in the valley are busy making huge carved wooden windows meant for installment in high-end hotels in Tibet and China. So, the legacy continues!

If the Newari artisans are so adept in metal and woodcraft, can they be any less in stone craft? Of course not, and a walk around the durbar squares of the valley will give you the opportunity to appreciate the talent of the valley’s stone carvers. In fact, in Patan Durbar Square, you’ll see two temples done in the shikara style, and dedicated to Lord Krishna, that are made entirely of stone. They are both wonderfully constructed, as you’ll see for yourself.

Other noticeable works of art in stone are the beautiful dhunge dharas (stone spouts) at the hitis (public watering places) that you’ll come across in many places around the valley, two of the more exemplary ones being Sundhara in Kathmandu and Tusha Hiti in Patan. Recent years has seen a trend towards the commissioning of really massive statues of various gods, and such projects can keep teams of stone carvers busy for years and years. A case in point is the ongoing project to sculpt a 32-ft tall statue of Sakyamuni Buddha out of solid stone at Arnico Stone Carving in Patan.

Well, all said and done, even if today the growth is not as hoped for, and not at all as promising as it was one-and-a-half decades ago, the talented craftspeople of Kathmandu Valley continue to chip, chisel, carve, and weave with dedication and commitment, knowing that it is but a question of time before the world’s craving for Nepal’s fantastic handicrafts reaches new heights once again.