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About the Area
About the Area
Before deseribing the
sight-seeing and trekking possibilities that are in store for you,it is
essential to give you a brief introduction to the region and a rudimentary
description of the tarrain. Needless to say, this will not be comprehensive and
the best way to get know this region is to come along and see itf or yourselves.
The region is
bordered by the Sun Kosi River on the west and the Khimti Khola River on
the eastem edge. It is divided unequally by the River Tama Kosi,
proportionately two thirds to the west of the river and one third to the east.
To
the north east lies the impressive Rolwaling Himal to the western edge of which
are such peaks as Gauri Shanker and Melungtse. Gauri Shanker is
synonymous with the god Shiva and his consort Parvati.
It is thus named
because the Nepalese believe that the closeness of its two mounds are like the
closeness of husband and wife. Since Shiva is the god who inhabits the Himalayas
the mountain people have a special affiliation for him.
To the north-west the
mountains slope gently downwards towards the ancient pass of Kuti that
starts above the Tibetan town of Khasa and follows the waters of the Bhote
Kosi from Tibet. The river flows past Kodari and Tatopani
(Hot Springs) on the Nepalese side and gradually rushes down into an ever-
widening stream of water that becomes the Sun Kosi. The Khimti Khola
drains down from a region of five lakes called Panch Pokhari.They have a
specifc placein legend and go by the names of Mohi (buttermilk), Jata (hair),
Dudh (milk), Bahula (insane) and Bhut (ghost). People believe that if one bathes
in Bahula Pokhari one will become insane, whereas the Ghost Lake cannot bear the
smell of human perspiration and will pull one inside its murky waters to a
certain death if you as much as venture near it. The Khimti Khola joins the Tama
Kosi, as do the Khare Khola and Rolwaling Khola to the north-east and the
Sangawati, Dolti and Charnewati Kholas to the west.
It is a beautiful
region in which the riverine valleys open out into massive volcanic folds.
Sub-tropical settlements on the banks of rivers boast banana trees, guava and an
abundance of fish. Above the banks hover the terraced fields of paddy, make,
wheat and millet.
Between Charikot
and Jiri the road descends to 845 metres and to our surprise is bordered
by plantations of sugar-cane. Above these slopes are forests of dark oak, fir
and pine, interspersed with tangles of bracken and fem all in the embrace of
clinging orchids and coloured in the springtime by the rhododendrons, the
national flower of our mountain land.
Mosses cling to the
shaded rocks and in the forests are wild strawberries, loganberries, red berries
and thyrne. The shy Nepal Babbler chitters away 'Wich, Wich, Wich' in the damp,
dark woods below the hir of the mountain eagle whilst in the early autumn
foaming white waterfalls rush over the river moulded rocks.
Some of these lichen
and moss-covered banks hide crevices in which lurk black krates, orange and
black patterned rock snakes and the dull green grass snake. Higher up and even
higher are the slate-grey cliffs where the yellow flowered gorse clings to the
hst breath of life between the hostile rocks. Higher still lies the Himalaya an
abode of snow against a sky sometimes of azure, sometimes turquoise or even
clouded, brooding and forbidding all intervention from below.
Against the winds of
this world the prayer flags dance in a plea for communion with the divine which
only can offer solace in the immensity that is time on the face of the highest
mountains on earth.
copyright © DolakhaNepal 2004
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