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Participants: SharadP, NishchalS, BhanuC, Vishnu and SangharshaB Route: Nepalthok to Dumja to Nepalthok Date: Sunday, August 12, 2007 Duration: 4 hours Trip Doom: 12-Kilometers Report: SangharshaB Photo: NishchalS, Vishnu Creative Support: NishchalS Rain came as a guest that morning, and in the midst of rain, cold weather and the weekend, for a second I thought whether I should join the hike or not, but for my first hike in D2, without having any further dilemma, I started packing up and I moved ahead. When all of us met in the office premises, it was already 7 am, and soon we set out for the trip. Our destination for the hike: Bhakundebesi; well, I'd never heard of this place before, at least for the details. When the route continued, we went through Koteshwor, Suryabinayak, Banepa, Dhulikhel and ahead. I've been up to Dhulikhel on this route so far.The real marvel began once we took a right turn from Dhulikhel. Unforgettable scenery, mist covered curved road with greenery all around. We could see some villages at distant when the mist accidentally cleared up - ideal looking small villages beside a small river. Sounds like a description of a painting.  Bhakundebesi, a new place for us all, was a really beautiful place. As an attraction point, we'd heard about a temple in Bhakundebesi where the worshipping continued for 24 hours a day, non stop. However, we suddenly changed our mind about the hike destination, once we reached there, as the temple seemed to be very short distance to make a good hike. We asked the school kids walking by the road to school, they said “chheu chheu Roshi, tala pugera Koshi, ani tespachi last ma Nepalthok” (just go side by side with Roshi river you will reach the Koshi river, and finally you’ll reach Nepalthok). Thus, we rather thought of moving ahead towards Nepalthok, almost 31kms ahead. The road was still enchanting and in good condition. We reached Nepalthok at around 11am. Surprisingly, the road appeared as a dead end. FYI, it’s an alternate highway which links Kathmandu valley with the Terai. Two ways construction work has been carried out, one from Bardibas and the other from Dhulikhel, and still 33 KMs of road had to be built to complete the high-way between Nepalthok and Sindhuli, with 14 bridges to be built. Surprisingly Nepalthok itself appeared to be a small village, but with lots of nearby villagers' moving through, it appeared as future Mungling for that area. We got our lunch arranged in a nearby hotel and started the real hike from that point (514 mtr) with a steep hill looking at us from the top. We planned to reach the top and circle it around, through the village called Dumja (1154mtr). Starting from a rough track, and then through a foot trail, we reached Dumja at 1.30pm. Dumja is a beautiful village situated in Sindhuli at the border of two districts: Kavrepalanchok, and Ramechhap; we could see the three districts in the horizon in three directions. There was an old man standing nearby the trail. - "Hajur baa, kati barsha ko hunu bho?" [Hello grandfather, how old are you?] - "Chauraasi!" [Eighty-four] Oh my god, eighty-four years! guys see the man's face at once. We were all surprised. He looked so healthy and energetic that his age was unbelievable. For one more surprise, Mr. Rudra P. Koirala turned out to be a friend of Matrika P. Koirala, brother of B P Koirala & Girija P. Koirala. In fact, he was a relative of the Koirala family and he now owned the property of the PM's family. It was the birthplace of B.P. Koirala's father Krishna P. Koirala, and in this sense, thus it became a historical place as well. He showed some of the hibiscus flowers tree originally planted by K.P. Koirala, which he has preserved as a token of memory, and could be a proposed place to erect a statue of Krishna P. Koirala if his son Girija bring Nepal in right stream for Nepalese also. Our descent started at around 1.45 towards Nepalthok through a different route, circling the peak. In the rain, it was a comfortable descent, even though we lost the main track for few minutes, and finally we dared to take a path of a landslide, unknowingly assuming it as the main trail. Our lunch with champagne was amazing, with a story of a cloth businessman who went bankrupt and started hotel business in Nepalthok. After the late lunch, we returned with a tired body but refreshed mind. Off the hook: "Why do they put up the dried maize shoots in a cone structure preserved for future use" - For firewood (no way), for cattle feeding (do they eat the dried twig?), or may be it was for the cattle-sheds. We were curious all the time. Never saw those structures before. And while we returned, we stopped by and asked a lady beside the road about the maize-dried twig structures. She said it was for feeding. - "Didi, yo makai ko sukeko dhod lai kina yesari rakheko hola?" - "Hiud ma gai-bhaisi lai khuwauna" - "Yesto saaro pani gai-bhaisi le khanchhan ra?" - "Khaanchhan" - "Pakayera khuwaune ho?" (Vishnu Dai) - "Ha ha, haina yettikai khuwaune!" ------------------------------------------------------ Here’s something about the meaning of Kosh (equals 3.33 kms), traditional measurement of distance, as told by R. P. Koirala. And there were 3 types of kosh: - Rumale Kosh- Wet a handkerchief and start walking, when it dries up, the distance covered till then would count as one rumale kosh. - Syaule Kosh- leafy branch Pick up a fresh branch of a green and start walking, at the point where it dries up, you’ve travelled one syaule kosh - Hatti kosh -300 step As easy as the name suggests, it’s the distance covered by the elephant in 300 steps.  ------------------------------------------------------ So, that’s how my first hike in D2 went. Undoubtedly, it was a great experience. Please click here to see  Satellite View of the Hike Location Distinguished from others in Excellence, Exposure of sufficiently qualified hands A suitable moment That was Fantabulous The power greater than average Pleasant drive thru This is called Bhakunde Beshi We all liked this pine forest-healthyyet calm The visual percept of a region May be for next exploration Wishing for fulfillment Contractor providing road with canal-good for him Emotional admiration Puffed up with vanity Unknown challenge of Nature Susceptible to the feelings A fixed look eyes open wide Please cook this for our midday meal The dead end of the road at NEPALTHOK It was wonderful walking there They are in evidence Target area for next time Nepalthok is located at the confluence of ROSHI & KOSHI rivers Taken away by the controlling influence of the place OFF U GO SharadP All made in Nature Getting there! Dhulikhel is behind far hill-Kavre District Sharad looking at high-and-mighty Koshi Nishchal wish to build a summer palace on this hill Left Ramechhap Distric and Right Sindhuli Distric Shangharsh and Bhanu This was the village where father, Krishna P. Koirala of Girija P. Koirala came from In the name of KPK daddy of GPK Saving for cattle to feed them in winter Local Sarifa Play of Old Time walking towards Dumja RUDRA P. Koirala a friend of Matrika,bro of Girija Rudra K. 84, telling us about his time spent with Koiral Family According to Rudra this Hibiscus was planted by Krishna P. Koirala This house is located at next to KP Koirala house Leaving Dumja and her story behind Washing away the sins with clothes on The mighty Koshi separates Ramechhap and Sindhuli Vishnu, Shangharsh, Bhanu and Sharadp Niks in some mood of play a role Running down here was fun The earth, bull and house comprise same color Nepalthok junction from distance On the right along with Koshi other 33 Kms of road still left to be built Jigsaw puzzle Sharadp in action-step one Action No. two Three FOUR Looking back at Dumja and FIVE Looks like laughing Buddha without head-stone Nearly completing the mission Crossing small Roshi Sometime not wearing shoes help us out Pushing for celebration Every job is a self-portrait of the person what he did.