A Travel beyond the Himalayas: Mustang #4!

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Ranipauwa, the only town of Muktinath, is about 45 minutes walk from the Jharkot. The trail, along with the land settings looks perfect: wide enough and neither plain nor steeply uphill. The landscape is rather mild but with very rough terrain.  No greenery around. That may be because of the season. People said it gets a bit greener during summer though there are no trees. Only few adaptive scrubs and herbaceous species grow and bloom when the area receives rain. Rainfall is very scanty. Mustang is one of those areas which receive extremely low rainfall. As I already mentioned on previous post, this is mainly due to the monsoon shaded by Annapurna-Dhaulagiri Massif. One of greatest naturalists, Adam Stainton classified this valley as Inner Himalayan Valley. In his book ‘The Forest of Nepal’, he mentioned that Mustang has similar vegetation to Tibet because of the physiographic and climatic similarity. The only few woody species found modifies their habit into compact and dwarf spiny form. Such life form is called Cushion, which is the best life form to cope the environmental (especially extreme radiation, aridity, temperature and wind) as well as biotic (browsing by Yaks, Naks, Chauries, Horses, Sheeps and Goats etc.) severity. These cushion species are an integral components of trans-Himalayan vegetation.

Landscape of Mustang with Mt. Dhaulagiri on distance

 As I approached Ranipauwa, I checked quite a few hotels but couldn’t see my research colleague. I didn’t have any alternative, so opted to go find him around Muktinath Temple Complex. 

Ranipauwa Town, Muktinath Mustang

 It takes about 15 minutes from Ranipauwa to Muktinath temple. The trail is somewhat uphill but not really hard. I was alone and climbing up towards main gate of the temple. Because of being in high altitude area it was hard to walk, and had to drink water quite frequently with sufficient rest. The souvenir shops on both side of trail were trying to persuade me to buy their stuffs. They were getting excited when I started looking at their shops. But their excitement didn’t last long because I only had bare promises. As of many visitors, who just see their souvenirs, I also didn’t buy. I looked at their shop because there were some really interesting items like ammonites, very thick and attractive woolen scarf, socks etc. They jack up price quite interestingly. I asked a lady who had the largest shop on right side of trail, about the way of fixing prices and percentage they save as profit. 

The souvenir shops and Close up view of the town.

Firstly she denied talking but later after a long conversation on other aspects of her life, she revealed that they fix price observing the costumer. She told that she sometimes hike up the price even up to 200%. It largely based on how much time costumer spent looking her stuffs. For those who looks souvenirs for longer, play with those and gets smaller items, she charges more money. But, that visitor who goes for quick selection gets quite a good discount. However, she argued that she has never charged inexplicably. It is interesting to note that all the souvenir shops were ran by women. Further, they are not so aware about the skin problems they might face because of the intense solar radiation and the dust wind blows, and strikes their skin every seconds. Even if they know they can’t quite the shop – one of the major sources of income for their family to sustain and to educate their kids. Though they are quite adaptive to physical surrounding, they may not be able to tolerate cancer causing solar radiation! Above all they are enjoying, which is great :)

See the people looking at one of the souvenir shops. (sorry for poor quality pic.!

But I was walking slowly and taking longer than I was supposed to. I was planning to wait Gabe outside the complex because I didn’t want to visit the temple that day! It is believed that before entering into Hindu religious complexes, one should be sacred. According to mythology, it is considered to be sacred/ pure if one takes shower and changes clean clothes. Although I showered last evening and was pretty clean, I was not culturally pure because I didn’t washed my body on same day. So, as an inborn Hindu [I’m a believer and do believe on existence of God but just SINGLE. I think, The God for all religion is same (and just ONE) but the way of perceiving him are different so there are many religions around the world], I was not willing to enter into temple complex when I was (so called) impure.

The Holy Muktinath Temple, Mustang

A Travel Beyond the Himalayas: Mustang # 3!

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A view of Himalayas as seen from the Pokhara Airport

I got to capture these stunning Himalayas from Plane

hf]d;f]d} ahf/df !@ ah] xfjf ;// .

P xh'/ 3/ xfd|f] kf]v/f, cEfm} ;Dd ef’5}g 3/af/ ..

Click here to download this song....

(Jomsome, air blows 12.00 noon;

Hey, we are from Pokhara and still unmarried!!) 

This is a rhyme of one famous Nepali song (by Nepathya) echoing on and striking me when I was about to step down from Sita Airlines’ Twin Otter (spell?) plane for the first time in Jomsome Bazzar. As in song, it was extremely windy. The wind blowing from south to north was such a strong that it was very difficult for everyone to handle their bags and move smoothlyL. But walking along the air current was super easy and effortless!

Landed Safely :)... Jomsome Airport and Mt. Nilgiri on the background

The journey was highly remarkable for me! I had to struggle to fly. Due to the fluctuating weather flights were cancelled for two days. Even in third day weather was not so good but the captain dared to fly, and thanks GOD for safe landingJ. That was the only flight taken that day. If I would not have gotten chance to fly on that plane I would have to wait for another day. So, I must thank a guy (I’m sorry, I forget his name) from SITA Air who was highly generous to provide me room on first flight even there was a long queue of foreign tourist who were paying way more in US$ for the ticket.

See the arid landscapes of Mustang and a suspension bridge above  Kaligandaki River

Although very dry and arid, landscapes were carved in such a way that everyone could easily lost within the beauty of Mustang. And, I was super excited to travel beyond the Himalayas. The only problem I had was being late by 2 days to conduct research. My research partner Mr. Gabe Stutman (from Washington DC, USA), who was already in Muktinath temple, was counting every minute for my arrival. And, It is totally understandable that how terrible time everyone finds to wait someone not even for a couple of hours but for three days! I am sorry my friend (d]/f] ;fyL u]j dnfO{ dfkm ug'{xf];\ .) ! 

Though it was super windy I decided to leave for Jharkot where everyone was waiting me. We had a team of 8 students (4 Nepali and 4 Americans) from CNSP (Cornell Nepal Study Program) looking at four different aspects in Mustang. As a part of regular courses of CNSP our American friends were there for their research and we (Nepali students) were assisting them.

The Jharkot Village

When I got into Hotel Plazza in Jharkot around 6:00 pm I was completely exhausted. I didn’t see anything on the store but just the Fanta! Wow J I didn’t have to wait for second round to finish half liter fanta. Now I could see who were there; almost all except Paul and Gabe! I came to know that Paul is staying with Amchi and Gabe is in Ranipauwa - Muktinath.

 

Winter season; Mustang region; evening time; very tired; how would you feel if you take shower using freezing water? Though shivering with almost frozen fingers, I was feeling refreshed! Cold but clean! Great time for coffee.

See few more snaps on the way to Jharkot:

Mustang valley: Kaligandaki River gorge

Plants coping with aridity

Salix were the only trees I saw with leaves