Nepal is the most beautiful country in the world, full of natural beauty. There are beautiful snow-capped mountain ranges in the northern region from east to west. It extends from Kanchenjunga in the east to Api in the west. Annapurna is one of the 14 mountains in the world that are over 8,000 meters high. Its height is 8,091 meters. Annapurna is the tenth highest mountain in the world and the ninth highest mountain in Nepal. Its western part is bounded by the Kaligandaki Gorge, its north and east by the Marsyangdi River, and its southern part by the Pokhara Valley. Annapurna I was the first of the eight-thousanders to be successfully climbed in human history, although Annapurna is considered one of the most dangerous mountains in the world to climb. The North Annapurna Trek is an excellent destination for mountain climbing and panoramic views. I have kept the memoirs written by a traveler as they are.
Travel loves the taste of feet, the soul loves meditation. Every 6 months, year, and day, the feet feel the pain. And the eyes long for the proximity of the mountains. Holidays come out of the calendar and run with us to the foothills of the mountains. This time, after the Labor Day holiday, we decided to go to Annapurna Base Camp, Myagdi. In 1950, the eyes and feet of French citizen Maurice Herzog also had a hunger for Annapurna. Herzog climbed Annapurna with Louis Lassenaal (Annapurna, Maurice Herzog, 1951). It is believed that the series of mountain climbing in Nepal began from that point. This year, preparations are being made to celebrate the diamond jubilee in the 75th year of the climb. Our journey began from a different point. But the destination was the same. On the first day, the advice was to meet and stay at Bhurung Tatopani in Myagdi. There were 8 people on the trip. Sarvindra had come from Beni to arrange the arrangements for Tatopani.
The next morning, a jeep from Tatopani to Humkhola arrived. Even then, it was not easy for 8 people to fit in a 5-person seat. The road did not look like winter. Raindrops were scattered all over the road. Suresh Dai would occasionally tell us about a landslide that occurred 6 months ago during the rainy season, and how they had to use a ladder to cut through the landslide. Sitting on the seat next to him and looking down, whether it was a cliff or a steep climb, a narrow winding road, or a steep path, it would make my heart go cold. In between, we passed through Narchyang and Beli villages, and after about two hours, the jeep reached Humkhola on a four-wheel drive, breathing heavily like an asthmatic. The Annapurna Base Camp trekking route is in Humkhola, and Myagdi expeditioner Tej Gurung's hotel is located there. There is no settlement higher than this. The trekking starts from here. The path goes uphill through the intake of the Nilgirikhola Hydropower. After climbing the Guransedanda hill, the Gurans shoots look like they are ready to fall from the trees. The last Gurans shoots of the season are faded. After all, who would find farewell sweet? After descending for 15-20 minutes, we reach the Phutphute waterfall. The waterfall, which emerges from the gorge and forms a blue lake, looks like a painting. A tea shop has opened in a tent nearby. You can eat here, but not sleep. After capturing the magnificent view of this trek, the Phutphute waterfall in our minds and cameras, we go uphill again.
A hotel with tent accommodation and food facilities has opened in Sadhikharka. You can easily climb Sadhikharka from Phutphute in half an hour. From Sadhikharka, you climb to Guphaphant by crossing a beautiful wooden suspension bridge. The pre-monsoon has started to sprinkle a little rain on the cold side. In about an hour, we reached the cave entrance. The water droplets are hitting the leaves of the low bushes, making a sweet music. Peaceful, fragrant. There are no travelers on the road except for a few. This trek is like walking in meditation for spiritual peace. On the other side, a Bhiramauri circle was seen on the mountain. Prashant asked, ‘Why are there no circles of Aringals visible in the Himalayas?’ Arjun Dai replied, ‘If the Aringals come here, it is because they are greedy for meditation. When they are not angry, they also become like bees, the Aringals probably do not come here for fear of extinction.’ The water has subsided. Our destination for the second day is the Bhusket Mela. The road from the cave entrance to Bhusket is not uphill. In the middle, you will find the Sky Cave, which looks like an ant circle, with holes in the mountain.
We are heading towards the source along the river. After walking for about an hour, we reached Bhusket. On the way, Jivan left Bhai and I behind. At that moment, Jivan kept telling me, the ‘unseen dream’ that had been left behind. Bhai added, ‘Bhai, life is sweeter without seeing it. Just as we had advised not to watch any videos before coming on this trek, but to see it with our own eyes at once. In life, too, there is joy in being happy with whatever comes and what is seen.’ There is no mobile network above Sadhikharka. Michael Dai does not receive any information about who is coming. Instead, travelers arrive, like a sour spill, around the time when the evening color blends with the light of the mountains. Sometimes people coming from below come with news, ‘Make arrangements for sleeping for so many people today.’ We reached Bhusket fair. The fog was whispering against the walls of the tent. This is an altitude of 35,500 meters. When the wind blows, the cold hits the heart. Michael Dai, aka Bir Bahadur Paija Magar, has a hotel with a tent house at the Bhusket Fair.
In an instant, the wind lifted the veil of the mountains. On one side, Tilicho Mountain was visible, on the other, many snow peaks of the Annapurna Range. Two groups arrived after us, ready to settle down. Our meal was prepared, including rice porridge, pickled chillies, potato bhujiya, mixed veg vegetables, bean dal and paneer tawa. Brother Michael served the food. The tent was warm. On the third day, in the morning, we walked for two and a half hours along the river. The source of the river was Panjkund Lake, where we had to reach. The Sunkhola joins the river that descends from Panjkund Lake. I heard that it is impossible to cross during the rainy season. The yellow stones in the Sunkhola had a golden color, but there was no water. After crossing the Sunkhola, we found the flowers of the Masina Lake. Deepak bhai hummed, ‘The queen has planted flowers, where is your love, where is it that others have trapped it.’
At 9:30 we reached Panchkunda Lake. In the dark blue lake, Annapurna and its neighboring mountains were seen looking at the mirror. It was as if there was nothing left to see, as if the soul was full but the eyes could not open. Wonderful, supernatural. At 11 o’clock, the weather deteriorated in the afternoon. The mountains were covered. Pradeep dai teased in the local dialect, ‘They are covered by the passing, they are opened by the passing.’ We ate and went into the tent. The wind outside had not yet settled. When we woke up from sleeping in the warmth of the tent, the day had already set. Around 4:30 in the evening, the weather cleared. A golden glow had been added to the silver mountains. The clear shadow of the mountains was visible in the lake. The mountains were shy, like a girlfriend shy of seeing her image in her lover’s eyes. As we walked around the lake, the shadow of the mountain was visible around each peak. Our eyes could not speak, we kept smiling. Like a curtain being drawn after a scene in a theater, a mist pulled the curtain of the mountain. The darkness swallowed the day.
It was 9 pm. Someone shouted from outside, ‘It has opened, it has opened.’ Yes, the mountain has come again, bringing the memory of winter. The snow is hanging on the top of the mountain. The stars are twinkling around like flags. We saw three incarnations of the mountain in one day. We calmed our souls. We captured them in our eyes. We took a few photos of our memories and entered the tent, whispering. There is a temple of Shiva-Parvati near the lake, and a stone Buddha nearby. The Annapurna Base Camp, started by Maurice Herzog, has moved a little higher. The new base camp is reached first within half an hour in the morning. It took us about an hour to reach the old base camp where the mountaineer was swallowed by the landslide. The mountains seemed as close as if they were hitting us on the forehead.
After breakfast, we decided to return to the lake and descend on the third day. After descending the Hum Khola in 4/5 hours, we will reach Tatopani by jeep today. While returning, we are sitting on the nearby peak and looking at the mountains, the glacial lake in our arms and the tented accommodation next to it. Everyone's eyes are heavy with happiness. The serene mountains are pouring into the lake and the Buddha is living. Those who watch are bowing down. There is no chaos of shouting. Serene. Calm. Gentle. Silent. The mountains are singing 'Om Mani Padme Hoon.'
