Deurali Bhanjyang Hike

 Another inspiring day, nothing in any world can be conceived. No description of an adventure that I did in the bountiful of wilderness. How majestic and wild is the mountainside and with what wild lavishness is beauty and thus multiplied!

At the end of the year 2077 BS, I felt stagnated at home. In order to rejuvenate myself, I went on a painful new year day hike to a place where my freedom usually calls. Yes, I am one of the mountain goers. 

With traveler at heart, I followed the same native trials which I usually follow to get the southern end of the Kathmandu valley. However, with no pain no gain feeling, I pushed my limit to get to the top of the mountain on this hike. A few years back, I planned to hike this mountainside, situated at 2000m elevation. I once tried to attempt it too. Due to wild surroundings, I had to return back from the middle of the mountain. And because of the covid-19 outbreak last year, I didn't want to travel alone. Whatsoever, on the first day of the year 2078 B.S, I successfully conquered the mountain solo. 

I took my pace after I crossed a Nakhhu river which has been totally destroyed by human activities. The road along the river is nowadays used for transporting concrete materials like gravel, rocks which is affecting the river's identity and it's ecosystem. Skipping stones, I took the other way which leads to the Charghare. Along the way, I enjoyed sight seeing wheat fields. I noticed that the yield would be less because of less rainfall. 

Then after walking almost an hour from home, I took a rest on the edge of the mountain which I usually take a rest at a same place when I am hiking southern mountains. I had some water and washed away my sweat so as to feel energetic for the rest of the trial. I further, walked  up the mountain to cross the suspension bridge. Then, I walked other side of the mountain full of lush trees which leads to the Tikabhairab. It was so quiet in the forest that I didn't see anyone along the way. I was quite surprised that the spring brought extra color in the forest. However, I didn't pick any wildflower along the way. I just said 'wow' to them and walked further up. 

When I reached Tikabhairab, I already had pain in my knees. I wondered whether I could make it or not. Then, I walked slowly to the Burunchuli, a village on the lap of the huge mountain. After few minutes of rest, I walked up the mountain through the forest to the Deurali Bhanjyang. It was so quiet along the winding road. The bird songs are like symphony of the trials. The view from the mountain was quite unclear that day because of fog and the smoke coming from the wildfires across the country. In the meantime, Kathmandu valley made worst record on pollution index for a week or two.

I saw deforestation in many places in the name road construction. I was talking to myself along the way that the destruction of nature is immeasurable here------not only here, it's across the country. As a wilderness lover, I think that some places should be the same as they were before. In that way, we at least could save the ecosystem of those places. 

Anyway, I kept walking along the boundless forest although pain in my knees was killing me. I was just few minutes away until I reached top of the mountain. I took a rest one more time on the edge of the mountain and felt so calm. The cool breeze on the mountainside was so pure. I took a long breathe. Then, I slowly walked to the Deurali Bhanjyang. 

Finally, I was there on my own two feet. Two years of contemplation was worthwhile. When I reached the Bhanjyang, the view changed. The panaromic superb view from the viewpoint was spectacular. I was simply happy to see the valley from different perspective. I spent few minutes at Deurali because I had to return back also. I was on a day hike. At the same time, my brother was waiting down the mountain, at Burunchuli. (I made phone call to my brother to take me home while I was going up). 

I ate my snack on the top of the mountain. To be quite honest with you, It was one of the best snacks. However, after having snacks, I got back fired with tooth ache. The last week of the year, 2077 was painful as I was going through with dental problem (The dental nerves around my teeth had become weak). Then, I got a pain back on a new year day too after having hard foods. I felt dead and gone wild. Ouch! Pain had touched the sky. I had a pain killer from a first aid kit. Then, I walked down slowly to get my brother. Brother picked me up from Burunchuli. I didn't tell my brother that I had pain in my face. But, he had noticed the pain in my knees because I had difficulty in walking. Then, we got home. It took around half an hour to reach home on his bike. I didn't open my eyes until I reached home. The day was remarkable in so many ways. It was like, if you have not been in the deepest valley, you would never know how it feels like to be on the top of the mountain!

This hike made me even more brave and bold. I learned that we have to challenge things which come along the way knowingly or unknowingly. At the same time, we must live in present moment. Every moment that we spend in the mountains provokes so much in our life. Just in case if you don't know, life is awe good in the mountains. It offers so many rewards. If you want to get rewards, go hiking!

Tapeshwor Mahadev Hike

A friend of mine made phone call to me for a hike. Undeniably,  I said yes to his request. After a week of preparation, we went on a hike together on November 10, 2020. Although, we both had things to do and live far apart nowadays, we didn't make excuses in order to postpone our hike. However, we decided to make our hike possible. And it did. He was doing 10 day challenge about walking 10 km a day. Happily, we walked for more than 10 km on that day and our footsteps were uncountable.

We started our hike at 7:00 am in the morning. We didn't want to call it as morning walk. It was more than that. As I said he lives far apart, he came on his motorbike to my house. Later, we kept on walking from my house to our destination. The destination wasn't mundane. It's one of the best quite places of Kathmandu valley from where you get a chance to see entire valley from the eastern side including highest Himalayan ranges of the world. It probably has best view you could ever imagine.

As we walked through the shortcuts from Chapagaun, Himalayan ranges were so clear as gin on that day and we were amused by them. It seemed like they were following our entire trials. At the same time, our eyes were distracted by the flowery vegetation which is in full bloom along the way. After walking for almost an hour through bucolic country sides and crossing small rivers, let's say rivulets, we reached to the Badikhel. It's the neighborhood of Chapagaun. Now, if you want to hike our destination, all you need to do is to reach Badikhel, (Buspark) wherever you live. 

Badikhel is a small village which lies within Godawari Municipality. It's popular for pure drinking water. When we were young, we used to come here more often to get open bath at Gulinda, where crystal clear icy cold water comes from underground. It is nowadays collected and used as drinking water. 

Moreover, it lies on the lap of mountain ranges from where little Amazon begins. As we walked winding roads up the eastern mountains, we were welcomed by the bird's morning songs. Happily, I recorded their songs in my phone. If you are lucky enough, you would see squirrels too. Swaying our footsteps to and fro, we reached our destination. As I said, destination wasn't ordinary, it's something very special for those who do meditation. It is Tapeshwor Mahadev and is named after Mahadev who did mediation on the steep rocky mountain. As far as I know, this place has got enormous popularity during lockdown. But I do not know much about it. I would take a help from locals next time. The hike wasn't mean to know everything about Tapeshwor Mahadev. But it was all about enjoying some time together with a friend on the mountains as we met after so long.

After our morning prayers at the temple, we sat on the top of the mountain and had our tea and biscuits which I brought in thermoflask from home. Because of covid-19 outbreak, we thought that we shouldn't have any tea or things from teashop. While having our tea, we enjoyed the superb view of the place. The view literally was amusing on that day. Everything: the Ktmvlly, Himalayas, and the other mountain ranges illuminated with the morning sun. In the mean time, we got distracted from the colorful birds singing on the branches of the pine trees looking at us listening our talk. To be quite honest with you, we were only humans in the middle of nowhere. We didn't find anyone at the temple or along the trials. That is why, I said that it's one of the quite places where you can spend all day enjoying everything around you. Friend and I had a good time like we used to have when we were young. We talked a lot about our good ol' days. It seemed like we had a good break after so many days, months, and years. He shared his personal experiences about being away from Nepal. And I shared mine being in Nepal. What Nepal should be and what it is now! We came to know that the stability of Nepal in all respects takes time now. 

After half an hour finishing our tea and talk, we spent some time on photography capturing our moment in a frame. Then, we slowly walked down the winding road to the Badikhel Buspark Chowk and we used the other road to the Chapagaun. 

To sum it up, the hike was memorable for sure. We made fond memories along the trials. I still remember that I had an intense headache when I reached home all day and night. And I had to take a day of rest next day. 

As I said to my friend along the trials that I would love to see my father visiting the Tapeshwor Mahadev, father and I went again after taking a day of rest. With my father too, we used the same routine. We started walking at 7:00 am and reached the temple at 8:30 am. But while walking up the mountain, my father had dizziness. I was so afraid that what if something would happen what would I do in the middle of the mountainside! There was no sign of humans. 

After taking rest at so many places, we finally reached Tapeshwor Mahadev temple. We did our morning prayers and lit up oil lamps too. Soon, we had our tea and biscuits. I knew my father was loosing glucose level in his body. Then I made phone call to my brother to take us home on his motorbike. We waited for almost 20 mins. And I left my dad to his quite time. Man needs more quite time. He was amazed by the charming and glorifying landscapes, mountains all round. Yet so simple and massive valley stands still in the middle. While my father having his time, I took the photographs which I missed before when I was with my friend. Then my brother came to take us home. Happy, I didn't have any headache but my father had little leg pain which was obvious. 

Now, coming to the point that we should live in "now". I lived the moment of now with my friend and my father and brother. On this unprecedented time, we gave our precious time with one another. After all, time is all we have. So make the moments last.

Learn To Live Again

 It's not far away, it's not far at all

The mountainsides we dreamt of--

A kind of invitation, so pure and divine.

For fate was on our side

Together we walk as one

On the beckoning mountains

Filled with lush full of green love.

We feel the warmth of the foothills

As we want to climb the lap of the beloved mother

We free our head, so calm and quiet

Under the sacred fig tree, shaded and dusky

With all honesty, we take a deep breath, in and out.

Far from home, we walk on the wild side

With careful heart to ease our mind.

Along the long and winding roads,

We hear the birds singing

On the mossy banks of a wandering stream, rippling even burbling.

And see wildflowers appealing butterflies, lively and vibrant.

As we dive into the forest, where colors came to life

We come to comprehend mindfully that

Time is all we have and the life is now.

With fire in our bones, we sit on the top of an ancient mountain,

From where the valley seems lost with the cloud of its own.

We feel at home in the land of great unknown, safe and sound.

The rhythm rhymes as we cast our eyes on the sea of mountains, colossal and enormous.

We are wide awake to know the endless sky beyond blue.

And we say, "This odyssey is a welcome respite".

So as to nurture as a whole and to fill the pages of life.

Pathivara Hike

Some people walk on their own because they feel within themselves. After hiking every month for a year 2076 B.S. (2019-20 A.D.), twice in a month, sometimes thrice in a month, I did enwind my solo hike with "Pathivara Hike". With traveler at heart, I lived the moments in the wild exploring my solitude with endless possibilities. Sometimes hiking is not just about to aid the physique, however, it supercharges our grey matter too. With an unvarnished act of exploring, we can easily boost our brainpowers. 

In all honesty, I recruit new skills on every hike, for instance, keeping a pace, building up a strength, map reading, managing time, building a range of motion and so on. After all as a photography enthusiast, I manage to have a great eye sight. 

Now moving on with "Pathivara Hike", that I named it after 'Pathivara Temple' which is situated on the foothills of Dolchoki. It was one of my full blooded hikes because I had not walked like that before. Although it was strenuous, I came home with fond memories that I made along the trails.

There are many ways to get Pathivara Temple. There are 3 motor ways and one of them is highly risky. I used the river way to reach there. I actually like to see the river along the trails. It was festival day, Falgu Purnima or Holi and I took that day for granted. I hit the trail around 10 am from the western side of the Chapagaun. Through river way, I went to Pari, neighborhood of Chapagaun in order to see the mustard fields. Well, it was early spring and the ambience gifted by yellow color was eye distracting. 

Moreover, after few mins of taking photos of Pari, I headed to Charghare through water canal way where suspension bridge is built over the Nakhhu river connecting two villages. I was exhausted after walking about an hour from home. I decided to take rest on suspension bridge for few mins. It was amazing to see bucolic scenery all around standing on the middle of the bridge. Then, I crossed the bridge and took the forest way which leads to Tika Bhairab. That narrow forest path is one of the dangerous ways and people walk this way more rarely. This 10-15 mins forest path determines whether or not you can walk further trails which are deep in the woods! 

I used the tactics which I usually do. Instead of wasting time on taking photos and videos in such wilderness, I walked as fast as possible holding a camera stand in my hand. I didn't run because that narrow path is made through the edge of the huge mountain to the other side. With one small mistake, you could slip away from more than 100 ft to the river down below.

After 10 mins of forest walk, I reached Tikabhairab. Now, Tikabhairab is situated on the bank of Nakhhu river and is surrounded by huge mountains from all sides. It is the mouth of all hiking trails. From here, we can go to the different places or mountains, for example, Devichaur, Deurali, Tinpane, Dolchoki, Manakamana Temple I, II, Pathivara Temple, Bhardev, Phulchoki, and so on. Fortunately, I hiked all these mountains this year one by one except Phulchoki, probably highest mountain of the valley. It is because, we should have strong guts to hike Phulchoki solo.

I headed to Nallu from Tika Bhairab through river way. The river water was so gin clear on that day. But I didn't see any fish in the river. While walking through that way, I felt extreme sorrow because the river is not the same as it was before and the mountains are being crucified for stone and other purposes (construction). Whatever, the trial is amazing for a day hikers as the trial is on the deepest gorge where river is flowing on its side. I was amazed after seeing huge rocks dating back to more than 1000 years. I chased the birds singing on the banks of the rivers. And I kept on walking for another 2 and half hrs further to reach Nallu Bazaar. Along the way, I passed few villages of Nallu. I saw old aged people gazing their herds on the steep mountains. Some were working on their fields and some young people were celebrating Holi. 

Now, after reaching Nallu, I saw Pathivara Temple on the mountain from a distant. Wonderful, I crossed the river and I walked up the mountain through winding path to the temple. I was saying to myself;"This is it! The moment that I have been waiting for so long is here with me now".  I spent few minutes around 15 mins at the temple (worshipping and taking rest). It was sunny day and the views from the temple was jaw dropping. I walked further up the mountain and I had snacks somewhere on the middle of the mountain. Then after supercharging with some homemade foods, I went to Dolchoki residing on top of the mountain. Unfortunately, I felt so much pain in my leg while going up.  And I was worried and thought that how could I reach home! Simultaneously, the trail started to engulf by the daytime mist.  I could hardly see the way. I felt the moment of walking on bleary trails. When I was on top of the mountain, I made a phone call to my brother to take me home. You know! The pain was unbearable. But he couldn't able to come as he was also traveling somewhere with his friends. Sadly, I was on my own, I walked down all the way from Dolchoki to the Tinpane through huge forest beaten road. And from Tinpane, I was walking all alone to Tikabhairab and a kind man offered me a lift to Tikabhairav. When I reached Tikabhairav, I made phone call to my cousin brother to take me home. I walked again to the Charghare where my cousin brother was waiting for me to take home. This is how I completed my last hike. It was a totalled challenge. 

When I reached home, I got so much stressed and pain. But I was happy to be home. Sometimes, unbearable pain brings great pleasure. It was one of the best hikes I ever did so far. I walked deep in the gorge and on top of the mountain. If only you have been in the deepest valley, can you ever know? How magnificent it is to be on the top of the mountain?

The rewards which I got from that hike were inexpressible. Maybe I got phytochemicals provided by trees to fight against bacteria and fungi. Maybe I boosted my mind and immune system. Or, maybe, I had a good day to remember. To sum it up, hiking can have the long lasting impact on the plasticity of our brain. Next time, I use new route to reap away extra rewards.