PLACES TO VISIT IN NEPAL

Welcome to Nepal, a Kingdom of high Himalayan mountains and deep valleys, lush jungles exotic wildlife, people of diverse origin and their own specific cultures. No wonder Nepal is known through so many names. The land of Everest, the highest mountain in the world, the birthplace of Lord Buddha,

the only Hindu Kingdom in the world and so on. But what attracts so many to Nepal is it's beauty and the simplicity of its people. Roughly rectangular in shape, the Kingdom of Nepal is a landlocked country that is situated between China in the north and India in the east, west and south. The land extends roughly 885 km east to west and 193 km north to south.

Altitude ranges from near sea level to 8,848 meters above it - the summit of Mt. Everest, the highest peak of the planet. This wild variation fosters an incredible variety of ecosystems: steamy jungles and terraced valleys, forested hills, frozen peaks and high altitude deserts. Tropical flowers frame views of not-so-distant snow peaks,

tigers and rhinos wander around lush jungles while snow leopards patrol barren mountain slopes.

Nepal's topography can be divided into three different geographic regions based on the rising elevation from the sea level. Each region has its own diverse environment, people and culture and their own special identity.

Muktinath Trek

This major Himalayan highway follows the gorge of the Kali Gandaki River, crossing from subtropical jungle to high-altitude desert in less than one week. Mixed in the stream of international trekkers are Hindu saddhus (ascetic) walking to Muktinath and jingling mule trains

heading down from Tibet loaded with bales of wool. Both are reminders of the trail's status as a major trade and pilgrimage route, an important cultural corridor across the Himalaya.

The end point is the ancient shrine of Muktinath (3,170 meters), one of Nepal's holiest pilgrimage sites. There's no real village, but lodges around the lower portion (Ranipauwa) put up pilgrims and trekkers. The ancient holy site is a typically confusing blend of natural, Buddhists and Hindu beliefs. The little Newari-style pagoda to Lord Vishnu is a relatively recent addition. Muktinath has been sacred for over 2000 years; the Hindu holy book Mahabharata mentions it as Shaligrama, "Place of the Shaligram,"the black fossil stones sacred to Vishnu and found in abundance in the Kali Gandaki valley. Its holiness stems from flickering blue flames of natural methane gas burning on water, stone and earth, and now enclosed in the shrine of Jwala Mai below the Vishnu temple. Near the pagoda, there is 108 spouts, shaped like bulls' heads, where devout pilgrims bathe in the freezing water to purify their sins and earn mukti or spiritual liberation.

The place has ancient association for Buddhists as well; Guru Rinpoche is said to have passed through here en route to Tibet, leaving his footprints in a rock. There are many old Buddhist temples around here.

The entire trek to Muktinath remains below 3000 meters. One should figure at least two weeks to walk in and out, allow a few extra days for exploration- the upper region in particular is lined with fascinating villages. Flying into Jomsom and walking back down is possible, but one should remember to acclimatize before climbing to Muktinath. One can fly from Jomsom to either Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Jomsom

Easily accessible via a 20-minute flight from Pokhara, Jomsom lies nestled beneath the splendor of Mount , Nilgiri. For those of you not inclined to make it to the mountains the hard way, i.e. slogging it on foot step by step in a gradual process, taking the US$ 50 flight to Jomsom from Pokhara is the ideal alternative. Jomsom, at an altitude of 2,700 meters lies tucked in between two giant mountain ranges, the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri- both reach out to the sky beyond 8,000 meters at their highest points, and although these ranges are around 35 kilometers apart, consider yourself to be technically positioned at the bottom of the world's deepest gorge, the Kali Gandaki Valley with a spectacular view of Mt. Nilgiri looming ahead like a huge snowy pyramid.

From Jomsom, one may venture on to leisurely treks for a day or two northwards to Kagbeni or southwards to Marpha, Tukuche, and Lete-Kalopani all of these places can be reached with effortless walking on an almost leveled surface. On the other hand, should the rarefied mountain air hinder your walking ability; you may choose to explore the area on a pony that can be made available by your hotel at a reasonable price. Food and board around Jomsom could probably be described as being the best among all the trekking regions of the country. All the better hotels provide cosy rooms that come with attached bath with running hot water. With three to four flights coming in from Pokhara every day, the larders of most restaurants are well stocked with fresh meat and vegetables.

Kathmandu Valley

The Kathmandu Valley, the capital, is the political, commercial and cultural hub of Nepal. Spread across an area of 360 square kilometers and at an altitude of 1336 meter above the sea level, Kathmandu is an exotic and fascinating showcase of a very rich culture, art and tradition. The valley, roughly oval bowl measuring 24 km east-west and 19 km north-south, is encircled by a range of green terraced hills and dotted by compact clusters of red tiled-roofed houses.

A remarkable legend speaks that the valley was once covered by a lake until the Bodhisattva Manjushri raised his sword of wisdom and sliced a passage through the mountain walls, draining the water and creating the first settlements.

The valley embraces most of Nepal's ethinc groups, but Newars are the indigenous inhabitants and the creators of the valley's splendid civilization.

Not very long ago, it was said that there were just as many houses as there were temples and shrines in Kathmandu valley. Now, of course, that fact does not hold true because of the rapid urbanization and population growth in the

last three decades. Nevertheless, the valley still exhibits a living, breathing entity,a vital culture that has miraculously survived till now.

Lalitpur or Patan

Just across the holy Bagmati river stands another ancient city called Lalitpur. A twenty-minute cab ride from Kathmandu city, Lalitpur is a charming city which has still retained its tranquil ambience. Walking down the quiet, narrow streets of the city, you would come across traditional building, exquisite temples and tiny shops of artists metalworkers, wood workers and stonecutters. The city is indeed renowned for its fine craftmanship. Krishna Mandir is Nepal's finest piece of stone architecture. Siddhi Narsingh, a passionate devotee of Krishna, built this temple in the 17thcentury when he dreamed Krishna and Radha being union at this spot. This magnificent temple is a delicate, airy creation which defies its heavy material. The first storey of the temple consists of scenes from the Hindu holy book Mahabharat; the second storey pavilions are banded by friezes from the Ramayana. Atop a stone pillar in front, a brilliantly executed large metal Garuda (the bird on which Lord Krishna rides) kneels in homage.