Manoj Rokka

Participants: Rudra Pandey, Hitesh Karki, Nishchal Shrestha, Manoj Rokka, Suyesh Nepal, Kapil Pandey, Upendra Pradhan, Lava Kafle, Dikesh Joshi , Anup Sharma, Keshab Basnet and Bimal Koirala Route: Budanilkantha to Shivapuri Date: Sunday, 6th May,2007 Report:ManojR Photo:NischalK Creative Support:BinayaN, DovanR Trip Doom: 24 Km Time Moving: 6:36:19 Time Stop: 2:29 Moving Speed: 3.2 km/hr Min Elevation: 5378 ft Max Elevation: 8896 ft Start point: Latitude: N 27º ... 47.482’ Longitude: E085º 22.273’ End point: Latitude: N 27º 48.549’ Longitude: E085º 22.341’ “Tring tring, tring tring” my alarm clock bell rings, I believe it’s trying to wake me up for another exciting day of adventure, another day to be close with nature and another day for hiking that’s what they call it in D2. I think it was 5.30 am I just woke up and started packing and moved to catch other fellow hikers gather at D2. When I entered the D2 premises I saw bunch of guys, some playing table tennis, some getting dose of fresh news and some busy chatting, I knew all of them were ready for the day. Copies and pencils, which were to be distributed to needy students, started filling backpacks of fellow hikers, I also had some. “Ok guys, lets move” Hitesh, commander for the day gave us the command and we all gathered at D2’s Van, we left the D2 premises around 7.15 am and went to hotel Yak and Yeti to pick up Rudra. Though proposed route was from Sundarijal to Chisapani we had to change the route under the request of Rudra and now final route was Budhanilkantha to Shivapuri and back to Jhor. Another day of hiking begins. Our van stopped at Budalinkantha around 8:15 am, there we had our regular breakfast “jeri swari and tea”. From there we rush towards the gate of Shivapuri National Park around 8:30 am. We had to get Ticket worth Rs.10 each to enter the National Park. Hitesh bought the ticket for us. Nischal was busy testing GPS, please don’t be surprised from now on there will be no APPROXIMATE distance which was often really an APPROXMIATE. Rudra had brought GPS device which would provide us with all the information about the distance we traveled, height we were on, how much time we walked and rest, also indicates where we were. It’s 5430 Feet from sea level, 8:30am and we entered the gate of Shivapuri National Park, long way to go, everybody was excited. We started to walk inside the jungle of Shivapuri National Park some strong legs were already taking the pace and some guys were joking and some listening music. I’m was enjoying the ride and the song “Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away” waving around my head. After walking 4km we reached “Tsun Gon Namg-Kyi Tongsal(Naga Gumba)” 6370 feet , Time was 10am. We stayed there for 15 Minutes, some had chat with Aani and some busy praying in front of Lord Buddha, I think they were praying for the peace and prosperity of this country “ha ha ha nobody does that in this country”. Again we all started to move towards our destiny, on the way we met with two girls playing “Bagha-Chall”. Rudra likes to play with them, who knows they might be able to defeat him because according to him nobody is able to defeat him on “Bagha-Chall” (checkers game) till today, but we didn’t have time. So we had to move on, leaving those players behind. Now our next target was Baghdwar, the “Source of Bagmati”. After walking 4 hour we reached there, 8190 feet above sea level, Time 11.45 am . Now I know why people say Bagmati a sacred river it was because of its source the water was so pure that we have to replace our mineral water with it. After seeing the Bagmati River nobody believes that source of it was Baghdwar because nowadays Bagmati has became drainage and its hard to find any water there. At Baghdwar we found Shiva Baba staying there for last 15 years. He gave us some lesson and motto of the lesson was difference between our body and soul, if you people also like to take a lesson from him then go and visit Shiva Baba. Baba also serveed us with a cup of tea. We stayed there for 45 Minutes and started to move forward. Its 12:30 am we started to walk towards the Shivapuri peak which is 8901 feet from sea level. I remembered the slogan “Choose the target, Focus on it and move, you will definitely reach your target” when we reached the top of Shivapuri peak. I really thought that there is truth in this catchphrase but at same time I had seen another peak and wanted to reach there, I think that’s why we are so developed than other creature and that’s what differentiates Shiva Baba and us. We reached Shivapuri peak at 1:20 pm, there we had have some snacks and group photos. Time to reach our last target which was Jhor and we all were ready to climb-down. We all felt so difficult to climb-down than climb-up. While climbing-down we just lost our way. Finally with the help of kind locals we were able to find the right path. When we reached the middle of Shivapuri there we had encountered two ways, one leading us to Budanilkantha, its 15 minutes walk and another to Jhor which is 1 and half hour walk. Guys were planning to take first route but nobody was able to deny Rudra’s suggestion and had to take second and difficult route. All were so tired and exhausted that they just wanted to spot D2’s van. It was 5:30 pm and the time has come, there was a reflection of accomplishment on everybody’s face we just had reached our target. My previous fellow hikers told me that hiking with Rudra was tough today I got an opportunity to hike with Rudra , they were right, hiking with Rudra was really tough. At last Thanks D2 for conducting weekly hiking program for people like us who likes to spend some time on the lap of nature, escaping from busy, crowded, hustle and bustle city life. “KEEP ON ROCKING AND HIKING IN THE FREE WORLD”