AMAN BHANDARI

Roughing it in the high country (Jomson-Muktinath)6:23 PM Saturday January 17, 2015 |  

Jomsom, at 2713 metres, is the capital and administrative headquarters of the Mustang district stretching south from the Tibetan border to Ghasa, along the Kaligandaki River, which flows between the Mt.Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges, thereby forming the deepest gorge in the world.

Jomsom is an en-route destination for trekkers to the Annapurna region, to Upper Mustang and a religious pilgrimage to Muktinath via the small village of Kagbeni. It is also the perfect base for a short trek to Marpha (1 ½ hrs.) a “green” village famous for its delicious apples.

Pokhra to Jomsom is a 17mins adventurous flight and offers excellent panoramic views of the all imposing mountain ranges of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiris. The captain has to bisect the two mountains, and with steadfast precision, all a matter of six seconds, negotiate the bend with his navigational equipment to guide the aircraft to the left to land on the airstrip, a rather bumpy experience. A time differential would result in a head-on collision - A challenging feat, indeed!

Bird’s Eye View & Landing at Jomsom Airport

Life in Jomsom is a mixture of hardwork, social frivolity, tempered by a culture founded on deep religious traditions. Such close proximity to some of the world’s highest peaks is destined to ingrain a sense of awe about the natural and supernatural. The people are very warm and friendly and more than enthusiastic to help the tourist with any information. One such person is Mr Bishnu Hirachan, the proprietor of the hotel “Om’s Home”, the most famous and sought after address in Jomsom. One sees a continuous flow of people, who always return and enjoy the hospitality of this family run unit. Then, there is also the Jomsom Mountain Resort for the high end market situated on the picturesque Tibetan plateau, 155m above the Kaligandaki river.It is a 20 mins trek from the airstrip.

People of Jomsom: The Thakalis

An exquisite piece of architecture based on a Thakali village concept, the resort blends naturally with the local surroundings reflective of the local flavour in its “build up” be it the stones, marble chips, selection of teak wood, interior décor, attire of the doorman, the smiling faces of the staff, the centrally heated pool, and the cosy rooms; there could not have been a better blend of comfort and nature. I had my entire trekking gear- sleeping bags, hot water bottles, Diamox tablets for high altitude sickness, thick socks & gloves, inner thermal wear, woollen monkey caps, sun screen lotion, chap guard, moisturizer, sun glasses, trekking shoes, down feathered jacket, mineral water, plenty of chocolates for energy, a torch, and duffel back pack.

Jomsom Mountain Resort

After landing at the airport, one has to trek for 20mins to reach Jomsom Mountain Resort or encounter the hotel owned tractor ride, which may not be comfortable, but gets you there, faster. Having settled in the deluxe rooms offering excellent views of the rugged mountain peaks, I began my day long trek of the surrounding areas. I saw an eco-museum; an old mountain village called Thimmi, and then proceeded for another upward climb towards Dhumba lake-offering its crystal clear turquoise blue waters.

I had taken the help of three children to escort me from Thimmi to the waters of the Dhumba Lake. The kids used their expertise of the local habitat, directing me ahead, truly appreciating my gesture of giving them a few chocolates. What surprised me most was the sign of contentment and inner happiness writ large on their faces.

The pristine turquoise blue waters of Dhumba Lake

Having rested and refreshed overnight, I left early in the morning for another village called Kagbeni, which was a 3 hour trek en-route to Muktinath. It takes nearly half-hour to move out of the Jomsom belt into the Kali Gandaki river valley. The river is in spate in the monsoons. It is advisable to trek on the river bed, as it is relatively easier to walk on the flat terrain. You can climb up to the pathways cutting into cliffs, should you reach deep water.

Mountains line up on either side of the river bed. All you do is walk, watching the path, ahead; carrying less stress, demonstrating better brain development, better mental and physical health; after all, adventure trek isn’t just about outdoor fun, it’s all about YOU! You get to discover your best self, and great outdoors is just the way of doing it! Nobody is distracted by a digital screen, ring tone, modern environments of urban and suburban settings. A few days spent in nature can improve both executive function and creativity skill.

Leaving Jomsom and heading into the Kali Gandaki river valley

Walking along the Kaligandaki gorge, surrounded by majestic cliffs and being watched over by Nilgiris, I felt dwarfed by nature. I could see barren, dry stretches of land ahead of me; then all of a sudden, I came upon a bend and spots of colours and greenery hit me eye as I could see signs of a settlement, ahead. There are several small settlements in the way like Eklaibhatti, Kagbeni, Khingra, Jharkot.

The trail to Kagbeni Approaching Kagbeni at the far end

Kagbeni village where grain, lettuce & apples The Nilgiris peak in the evening abound in plenty

Kagbeni is a small sleepy little village, which offered modest accommodation. You would be lucky to find a room with attached bath and running hot water. I stayed in Kagbeni, more to acclimatize.The next day I started my trek to Muktinath at 0800hrs. I had to trek upwards gaining an altitude of nearly 3500 feet in just around 4 hours.

On the way, I could see a lot of Sherpas transporting goods from Kagbeni to Muktinath with the help of ponies. The sun shine was more than welcome. As I continued to trek, I could see the breath taking views of the snow covered ranges of the Nilgiris. I stopped by a quaint village called Jharkot and had some Kagbeni bread and sipped some milk tea.

The village of Jharkot at an elevation of 3500 metres with the Nilgiris in the background

I arrived at Ranipauwa, the entrance to Muktinath. This place had its own allure. From here, I could see a vast desert like hill, which was the way to Upper Mustang. There is a thin trail on this golden hill which beckons you. If you give in to its charm and take this trail, it will take days to reach Upper Mustang.

Approaching Ranipauwa

Coming from Ranipauwa, it takes half an hour to climb the steps reaching the temple. I was in Muktinath by 1pm and after settling down in one of the lodges, immediately started my ascent towards the shrine.

Muktinath (provider of salvation) has a religious overtone and a sort of emotional ring to it for the devout Hindus- the Sanskrit name itself is a synthesis of two words-Mukti and Nath. Mukti means salvation or nirvana and Nath means god or master; it holds great significance for all spiritual people in the South Asian sub continent. It is the holy site, where thousands of devotees flock for attaining the much sought after moksha (freedom) from the cycle of birth, death, rebirth.

Muktinath is an important pilgrimage place for both Hindus & Buddhists. The holy shrine at Muktinath, located in the western slope of the Damodar Himal at an elevation of 3749 metres is in a grove of trees and includes a Buddhist Gompa and the pagoda style temple containing an Image of Vishnu.

The freezing glacier above Muktinath The grove of trees around the shrine

Besides the main temple and gompa, there is a natural gas cove a little uphill. You can build a ‘house’, here, since Muktinath is

thought of as the entrance to heaven; it is believed that one should make houses for the soul by piling up a few stones.

Muktinath village (above) & the shrine (below)

It's a challenge for anyone to bathe in all the 108 gomukhs (taps) and take a holy dip in two ponds of the temple. The water is freezing cold, even in summer because according to locals, its source is a two days travel, up in the mountains. After taking a freezing shower and queuing up, I entered the main temple, feeling at peace with the Hindu and Buddhist deities present, majestically bestowing their blessings.

Water from the freezing glacier above flows down through the Gomukhs; there are 108 of these behind the temple

There is an entire aura of peace and serenity. The sacred area of Muktinath has become a melting pot of two religions and unique amalgamation of two cultures. After praying and collecting some holy spring water, I started my descent to the Muktinath village, located in the Ranipauwa district. Before, I left, the next day; I had enough time in hand to relish a typical Nepali dal bhat with local alu ko tarkari and achar. The taste was heavenly! I also tried faparko roti (buckwheat pancakes) and syau ko sukuti (dried apple).

At the end of it all, I was satisfied by my trip and considered myself fortunate to have been so close to nature, having thoroughly enjoyed the breath taking views of the Mustang district- Nepal is truly a fascinating gateway to the Himalayas, one that beckons you to return again and again.