Visiting Nepal

Ghorepani

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A month before my departure from Nepal, I was sitting in my room sorting through my belongings when I stumbled across a Nepal Tourism Board brochure. I had not read it since the day I took it from the Tourist Information counter at the airport almost six months before. I flipped it open and browsed the recommended activities list. A sinking feeling of regret came over me. Right on the top of that list, in a bright big font, the word ‘Trekking’ shouted out at me. I was going to leave the country without having experienced “a big part of the ultimate Himalayan adventure”, as the tagline proclaimed.

The Kathmandu Valley is a good place to start experiencing Nepal. Yet, it is not fair to base impressions of Nepal solely on the memories of its capital. In order to fully realize Nepal’s wondrous allure, one should ideally become immersed in its untainted natural splendor and rich socio-cultural heritage. There is no better way for an up-close experience than to trek through the land and meet the people first-hand. More importantly, the essence of trekking is to meet Nepalese in the villages and small towns going about their daily lives.

A week later, I was given a priceless chance to visit the hillside village of Deupur, located in Parbat District in the Dhaulagiri Administrative Zone of Western Nepal. Traveling two hours along the Pokhara-Baglung Highway, we went through Naya Pul which is a starting point for the popular Jomsom trek. Moments later, our vehicle turned right and crossed the Modi Khola, headed for the southern face of Phalate Hill. My companions were a photographer colleague, and Rajendra Gurung, our host and friend who comes from the village of Deupur.

Steering cautiously over the bumpy side road, the driver expertly guided our four-wheel drive vehicle along the narrow winding path that snaked its way upwards through a densely forested hillside. As we ascended, the foliage thinned considerably and I could occasionally view through the gaps in the greenery the grey wispy streak that was the Pokhara-Baglung Highway, winding its way through the spurs and ridges of the southern hills towards Kusma, the district’s headquarters town. After 30 minutes, our driver made a quick turn and accelerated hard up a steep slope. The scenery changed as we entered a large settlement of sharply contrasting off-white buildings nestled on neatly cut terraces.

Our first stop in Deupur was the Jana Netra School where we were warmly received by the principal, Durga Prasad Poudel and some of his students who presented to us bright scented floral garlands. Decked out in their navy blue uniforms, the children greeted us enthusiastically as we toured the compound. Peering in through the school windows, we observed the students at class. The classroom settings added new meaning to the term ‘shared learning experience’. Due to the lack of teaching resources and space, classrooms are tightly packed to full capacity. Students in Class 1 to 3 squeeze inside one room for lessons, separated only by thin wooden planks haphazardly nailed together to form temporary partitions. Despite the trying environment, it was heartening to see students showing their eagerness to learn.

After waving goodbye countless times to the boys and girls of Jana Netra, we left for Rajendra Gurung’s family home where we stayed for the night. Old friends and neighbors who heard that he was visiting from Kathmandu had gathered by Rajendra’s home to give him a warm welcome. We joined the group as they went for a nostalgic stroll around the village. It was late afternoon when we got to the village outskirts where we stopped at a well-manicured patch that villagers use as a vantage point to view the surrounding panorama.

From that viewpoint we had an unobstructed view of other settlements that dotted the valley of the Modi Khola, and of Panchase Hill at the southeast, the highest landform in the vicinity. Some of my best memories of the trip are of our trek up that mountain the following day.

The tranquil night made for a good rest, and my photographer friend and I awoke with renewed vigor as we prepared for our challenging climb to the summit of Panchase Hill. Accompanying us for the next two days was Bishnu Subedi, a teacher and trusted neighbor of Rajendra, along with a former student who helped us with our gear. Before the ascent, we were shown a temple dedicated to the goddess Durga. Lying neatly on the altar were numerous archaic curved metal blades, speckled reddish-brown with rust. “These are the hunting knives and weapons of the army of an ancient king”, Bishnu explained as he unsheathed a huge kukri with a blade as long as one’s forearm. According to him, stories tell of an ancient Malla King who constructed a winter palace at Deupur, part of whose legacy still remains atop the summit. Folklore or fact, the tales got me really pumped up for the climb.

Tightening my boot laces and with a last swig of refreshing spring water, we set off. Along the way, we met villagers who were wearing flimsy slippers, carrying remarkably massive loads of stone in wicker baskets from tump lines strapped across their foreheads. Instead of sullenly going about their chores, they still found a moment to pause and give a greeting smile. Inspired by their resilience, I pushed on and after an hour’s hike up the steep trail we reached the summit.

The level ground on top resembled more of a continuous ridgeline than the usual conical hill shape. Given the relatively flat mountain top, Bishnu told us, the king used to ride his horse along the summit. As if to prove his point, Bishnu led us to the remains of a caved-in grotto, overgrown with creeper plants and weeds. This, he said, was supposedly the old stable for the king’s mounts. And, right there was the ancient king’s other legacy, his summer palace. My hopes of setting sights on wonders of a forgotten time fizzled out. Very little of the ‘palace’ remained to be seen. To dampen matters, storm clouds that had been gathering ominously in the distance were now amassed overhead.

“There is a temple built during the time of the old king where we can seek shelter from the rain”, Bishnu calmly assured us, and we made a beeline for what was to be our accommodation for the night. Pushing through the bushes we emerged in a clearing in which there was a small and long-abandoned stone enclosure. The mandir’s (temple’s) small stature belied its huge reputation. Devotees from as far as Pokhara make a trip there to pray for good health, a child, a job or even for rain—which was now upon us. We packed inside the storage shack beside the temple to get out of the pouring rain.

Despite the cacophonous din of the rain upon the thin zinc roof, I succumbed to the exertions of the ascent and dozed off on my haunches. The pattering of raindrops gave way to a crackling sound as a burning smell wafted through the shack. A fire was started and huddling around it were our two Nepali guides, soaking wet. It turned out that while I was resting, Bishnu and his young friend had spent almost two hours in the frigid downpour collecting water that was trickling from the spring’s source. Now they were shuddering from the damp and the cold; yet, when we offered our apologies for all the trouble they had gone to on our behalf, they both humbly dismissed our concerns. “Please, it is no problem at all,” said Bishnu through chattering teeth.

The next morning we retraced our steps back to the eastern end of the hilltop to catch the sunrise. We waited patiently until the golden glow of the sun finally peeked through the dense cloud layer and cast its rays on the snow-capped Annapurna-II in the north. Nothing beats having a ‘sunny side up’ to start the day.

Gathering our belongings, we headed towards the western edge of the ridge to begin the descent. After going steeply down along narrow, tricky paths, we hiked up a short distance to a huge expanse of terraced land. Those former farmlands are now pastures for grazing livestock of the people of Deurali VDC. This was on the western slope of Phalate Hill where the unobstructed level ground makes a choice location for paragliders who occasionally practice their sports from here. We then crossed the boundaries of the two VDCs and returned to Bishnu’s home. There, again, we got a taste of his outstanding hospitality: Nepali tea with fresh goat’s milk and a generous helping of rich honey fresh from his own bee hives.

Rajendra and Bishnu are examples of those who have benefitted from receiving an education and eventually returning home to help improve the lives of the next generation. The efforts of the few, however, are insufficient to sustain the growth of the community, yet they do not want to depend solely on handouts from tourists. “Hopefully, tourists who drop by are moved by the sincere hospitality and friendship of our community and wish to do something for this place,” Rajendra said.

The people of Deupur are rich in their hearts, but most are poor. Despite being set amongst picturesque surroundings, the community lacks the support to maximize the area’s inherent potential. The potential for tourism in the area is immense. There is steady supply of water and power. Currently, some families run home stays for trekkers, bringing the adventurers back to a time before the Annapurna trails were overtaken by apple pie lodges.

Not only that, the view atop the hill is astounding, with a clear and unobstructed view of the mighty Himalayas, as well as gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. With construction of the dirt access road, adventure-seekers may be able to enjoy adventure sports such as paragliding, rock climbing, hiking and camping, all of which are currently being carried out, though still only on a small scale.

Like the fabled city of Shangri-La, a heaven on Earth that no man was meant to find, Deupur lies somewhat off the main trekking route towards popular Ghorepani Pass (on the Jomsom trail). During the trekking season in the spring and autumn months, tourists swarm into this region. Deupur, however, has the potential to develop as an alternative to the congested Poon Hill/Ghorepani route, leading to a more authentic Nepali trekking experience.

Both the Deupur and Deurali VDCs are hoping for entrepreneurs to further develop their locality into a community-driven resort area. They are keen to participate in developments that can channel much-needed income to their community, especially for the local schools. The villagers realize the importance of education and the constructive role it plays in helping the younger generation better themselves. Besides improving their overall quality of life, such initiatives will help boost Nepal’s reputation as a world-class hospitable trekking destination.

Nepal brings to mind a gorgeous Himalayan hinterland enchantingly shrouded in a veil of spiritual mysticism, a land within a surreal environment set upon undulating terrain and bounded by insurmountable snow-capped mountains. Besides the religious and natural appeal, what strikes me most is the humble, resilient and endearing nature of its people. Our little adventure may not be the typical trek on a popular route visited by hordes of tourists, but the uncontrived hospitality and deeply meaningful interaction with the heart-landers of Nepal made it very rewarding.

On the eve of my departure from Nepal, I found myself back in the room where I had picked up the Nepal Tourism Board brochure. The room was still a mess, but I found that brochure and turned again to the same page. With some satisfaction, I marked out the words in the bright big font, for I had, in my own privileged way, now experienced “a big part of the ultimate Himalayan adventure.”