Attitude in altitude

by RISHI AMATYA, RASUWA

FROM ISSUE # 127 (July 2006) | IN THIS ISSUE
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KRISHNA AMAGAIN

DESTINATION: Tamang Heritage Trail, Rasuwa

It rained before we started our journey to Rasuwa, which is supposed to be a good omen. But good omens are the last thing to worry about when you are heading into mountainous terrain, especially since it could spell landslides.

Our quest was to conquer Rasuwa's altitude with Kathmandu attitude. The real journey began from Syaphrubesi. We were headed for Gatlang, five hours' drive from Syaphru, to explore the Tamang Heritage trail promoted by the Nepal Tourism Board through the Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme (TRPAP). The rocky road meant that by the time you got off, every bone in your body ached.

KRISHNA AMAGAIN

Our first stop was the Community Guest House in Gatlang, which is run by the local community and they've done a wonderful job. "The profit earned is invested toward the development of the community," says Raj Kumar Bhatta of TRPAP. They give you an authentic taste of Tamang hospitality.

We woke up the next morning in the lap of the Himalayas. The mountains looked close enough to touch and the air was crisp, clear, and cold. The locals welcomed us with a traditional ceremony. I had never seen one and was very excited. The head Lama of the local monastery garlanded us with khadas and the women put on a special cultural show. They danced in their traditional attire and sang a familiar tune: Bheda Ko Oon Jasto. Their version was very different from the one by Nepathya that I had head banged to in Kathmandu.

BHUWAN KC

Day Two was spent trekking through difficult terrain. That night we cooled our heels at Tatopani, which is named after the hot water springs that are said to have healing qualities. People throng in hopes of being cured of various diseases. The warm waters washed away our weariness.Rasuwa is slowly developing into a destination for domestic and foreign tourists, which translates into growing economy for the local people. "We used to eat rice only during festivals. Now, we eat rice through the year," says Merup Lama. Awareness about education is also increasing but the school here is nearly four hours' walk away. Despite the distance, we saw children hurrying through the trails, probably late for class.

On the way to Thuman, as we descended down Naagthali peak, we found ourselves in the middle of a jungle. To our dismay, we didn't know our way around and to make it worse, the place was infested with leeches. As we scampered desperately, I was confronted with the king of leeches itself. It was huge. Finally, I managed to throw it off and scurried gratefully out of the jungle.

Our next stop was Timure. A VSAT dish was the first thing we saw and it was amazing to see it winking in the sun, its metallic wings spread out in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, Kathmandu seemed accessible as we grabbed the phones to call home. Timure has long since established itself as the last settlement before the famous landmark of Rasuwagadi. China is less than an hour away. The Tamangs too seem to have a more Chinese way of life here.

At sunset, we reached Dhunche. Surprisingly, the place was littered with pool and snooker houses. It's a popular pastime. We walked around until we came to a corner shop. Bhagwati Basnet, the shopkeeper, told us she had come from Bhaktapur with her husband. He was a government employee while she ran the corner shop, selling local liquor and cheese. "Go to Gosaikunda, there's a festival there," she said. We nodded, smiling, safe in the knowledge that Kathmandu was where we were headed the next morning.

The sky was overcast and I had a minor headache. Luckily, it wasn't altitude sickness, just a head cold. We warmed our hands around tea cups as we gulped down the liquid. I realised that my Kathmandu attitude had been won over by Rasuwa's serenity and simplicity. The Tamang Heritage Trail comes highly recommended for your list of places to visit in your lifetime.