Seeking Enlightenment in Kathmandu

by Kraig Becker on

Kathmandu is a vibrant, noisy, colorful city, whose name alone elicits thoughts of adventures in far flung places. It is the Gateway to the Himalaya, and the home of more than 700,000 people. For nearly 2000 years it has been a cradle of civilization in Nepal, and the spiritual center for many practitioners of Hinduism and Buddhism as well.

Although steeped in tradition, in many ways this ancient city has become a large, thriving metropolis with round the clock activity. It can be challenging to find some peace and quiet at times, but savvy travelers know that you can head to the eastern portion of Kathmandu to a place called Boudhanath, a Buddhist enclave that is a bit of the cam at the eye of a storm. That’s exactly what writer Seth Sherwood did in this story from the New York Times travel section.

Sherwood traveled to Boudhanath to wander amongst the bazaars and stupas to soak in the Buddhist culture there. The area is inhabited with many refugees from Tibet, who have fled the country over the course of the past 60 years looking to escape the Chinese rule there. The result is a slice of Tibetan culture on the outskirts of Kathmandu.

The author grabs a traditional meal in a local restaurant that offers better food than atmosphere and service, and then wanders the street interatcting with the people there, who are as colorful and unique as the city they inhabit. For visitors to Kathmandu, Boudhanath adds another experience in a city that is already legendary. With travel to Tibet still challenging, visiting this area may be as close as some can get in the near future.

A Travel Guide to Shangri-La

by Kraig Becker on

The mystical, mythical Shangri-La has held a special allure to travelers since the release of the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton. In the book, the main character survives a plane crash in the Himalaya only to discover a hidden valley that is a paradise on Earth where the people live for hundreds of years without a care in the world. Since that time, many have searched for the possible location of Shangri-La, hoping to discover the place for themselves.

Now, author Michael Buckley has written a travel guide to the legendary place. The book, entitled Shangri-La: A Travel Guide To The Himalayan Dream, is an interesting mix of myth and reality, as it serves as a guidebook for such places as China, Tibet, Bhutan, and Nepal, while still focusing on Shangri-La, a place that doesn’t really exisit at all. The book weaves in local legends, with tales of the yeti and sacred Himalayan peaks, while still providing practical information on Himalayan culture, the best treks in the region, places to visit, and more. There is even a field guide to the wildlife you’ll encounter there.

World Hum has recently conducted an interview with Buckley in which he talks about the challenges of writing a travel guide for a mythical place and why that myth has become such an indelible part of western culuture. He also touches on his own experiences in the Himalaya, where he has spent more than 20 years immersed in the culture and landscapes there.

Shangri-La is one of those unique legendary places that often inspires travel. The mere mention of the place conjures up visions of far off, snowy mountain kingdoms. And while it may not exisit as a real place on a map, the mere thought of it is enough to send us off looking for it none the less.

The Changing Face of Trekking in Nepal

by Kraig Becker on

Australian newspaper The Age has taken a good look at how adventure tourism is changing in Nepal as the country undergoes political change and modernization. In this story, published over the weekend, they discuss how one of the worlds most famous treks, the Annapurna Circuit, has been altered forever by the opening of road in the region early last year.

Tourism has always been an essential part of the economy in Nepal. The colorful and vibrant city of Kathmandu held an allure to visitors from abroad, and they often spent time there exploring its temples and market places. But with recent upheaval in the capital, more and more tourists are simply passing through Kathmandu for other destinations, and when they arrive at those places, they’re finding that they have changed as well.

The article notes that a number of guide services have either shortened their Annapurna treks or eliminated them altogether. The newly constructed road that cuts a path through the region has changed the iconic trek forever, and it’s forcing adventure travelers to look elsewhere. For instance, many now trek through the Khumbu Valley, which has seen a surge in traffic in recent years with backpackers traveling up to Everest Base Camp and staying in traditional tea houses along the way.

It’s a shame that one of the world’s great treks, like the Annapurna Circuit, is being changed so dramatically, but in this day an age, a lot of countries are struggling with maintaining their natural resources but still making changes that can improve their quality of life. It’s hard to fault a country for improving it’s infrastructure, but it’s sad when it comes at the expense of such an amazing trek like this one.

[via The Adventurist]

Deadly Everest Airplane Crash

by Josh Lew on

A Yeti Airlines Twin-Otter plane carrying sixteen passengers and three crew members crashed at a remote airstrip in Nepal yesterday morning, local time. The plane’s wheel became entangled in a security fence as it was landing at the trekking base of Lukla, about 30 miles from Mount Everest. 18 people, including a group of 12 German trekkers, were killed. Only the pilot survived, though he remains in critical condition at an area hospital. Passengers waiting for other planes were first on the scene, but they were ill-equipped to fight the fire that had broken out on impact. By the time it was finally extinguished, everyone in the passenger cabin was beyond help.

The crash was initially blamed on poor visibility. It was quite foggy at the time of the crash, though two similar planes had already landed at the airstrip that morning. The government has promised a full investigation. The team looking into the disaster will be headed by the country’s attorney general. The airport is located at 2500 meters above sea level and many people say it is ill-equipped to handle the heavy traffic it sees during trekking and climbing season.

Source

Letter from Nepal: Watching HBO with a living goddess (part 2)

by Jerry Guo on

Patan, Nepal–On this blistering May day, the royal kumari, Preeti, doesn’t bother to show up at the third-story window. And why should she? Last year, the independent girl refused to give tika – a blessing in the form of a red mark on the forehead – to the prime minister, who was attempting to take over from the unpopular king the annual ceremonial duty of receiving a blessing for the nation.

While any Hindu or Buddhist believer may enter to receive a blessing from the kumari each morning, Westerners of uncertain faith are strictly prohibited from even entering the inner palace. My mere request for an interview greatly offends the palace caretaker, who angrily shoos my translator away.

So I head to nearby Bhaktapur, the seat of a once powerful kingdom in the valley and home to a kumari reported to be the most progressive – and accessible – in Nepal. The city has escaped Kathmandu’s building boom and is relatively unchanged, with cobblestone streets and charming squares packed with temples. I eventually find the kumari’s home tucked away in one of the myriad back alleyways.
Unlike Preeti or Chanira, 11-year-old Sajai Shakya is known to lead an almost normal life – a living goddess who goes to school, plays outside, and even visits the US (her unprecedented trip last June almost led to the removal of her title). Her parents, a marketing agent and a housewife, defend the middle path between protecting a girl’s adolescence and fulfilling a religious obligation.

“The kumaris should be allowed to go out,” says her mother, Rukmini Shakya. “If they are confined to their homes for as long as eight years, how can they interact with the world after this part of their lives?”

And I discover, to my dismay, that the Shakya family walks its talk. I’ve come all this way to meet a kumari, only to discover that Sajai had resigned earlier this year to enroll in a prestigious boarding school in Kathmandu.

It’s at Patan, the third major city in the valley, that I come face to face with Chanira Bajracharya the HBO-loving living goddess. Chanira is already in her throne room, decked in full kumari regalia: elegant red garb (she cannot wear any other color), flowery headdress, thick silver necklaces, and a painted third eye that Hindus believe can see for miles – and into the future.

She’s forbidden to smile, though to show any negative emotions would be a deadly omen to the guest. But the 13-year-old seems amused, invoking all her godly powers not to smile at the sight of a Westerner attempting to navigate the protocol for greeting a goddess.

Alas, her mother, Champa Bajracharya, steps in and informs me that outsiders must not corrupt Chanira’s purity by attempting conversation. That’s why she has no friends, explains Mrs. Bajracharya, “she’s not allowed outside.”

Her mother says she always knew her daughter was different. Standing in Chanira’s presence, I sense a sort of dignity and sensitivity you don’t normally see in a ninth grader.

Right before leaving Nepal, I meet 25-year-old Rashmila Shakya, a former goddess who who seems like the girl next door. She is the first kumari to graduate from college, earning a degree in computer science last year. When Rashmila left the Kathmandu palace in 1991 as a 12-year-old, she knew only enough to be placed in second grade.

The two royal kumaris since Rashmila have received better private tutors, though they’re still not allowed to attend school or live with their families.

She regrets not receiving a proper education, but staunchly defends the institution: “If the kumaris started to go to school, then what would be the difference between a kumari and any other girl? The tradition must be modernized with time, but that doesn’t mean the whole system should be changed.”

In a wistful tone, she recalls her former position as a source of spiritual healing. She fondly talks about the 6-year-old mute boy, who was able to speak shortly after drinking water that had been poured over her feet.

But for Rashmila, now dressed in stylish jeans and sporting pink nail polish, that is a past life.

In a noticeably relieved tone, she declares, “My life now is completely normal.”

All images from a BBC slideshow of the kumaris.