Magical and Majestic Nepal

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When I was in grade school, I found sitting on the shelf of an old red bookcase in the basement of our house a book with an alluring cover featuring a vintage airplane and high, snow-capped mountains. The book: Lost Horizon by James Hilton. The short novel chronicled the mysterious Himalayan enclave of Shangri-La, where peace and harmony reigned and people lived to be centuries old. Ever since discovering that book, I have been intrigued by the vast Himalaya, with its spellbinding jagged peaks that form the top of the world. In April 2024, I visited Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha and the realm of soaring mountains. The journey did not disappoint.



Kathmandu

My first stop in Nepal was its capital Kathmandu, a vast kinetic, chaotic city of narrow lanes and incessant traffic jams. The traffic was like a writhing serpent, ready to swallow itself. Among the city’s labyrinthine streets I found endless small shops and restaurants. Peppered among the commerce were physical reminders that both Buddhism and Hinduism are practiced in the country. I marveled at the Boudha Stupa (a monument) that dates back to 600 AD and was built by a Tibetan king. The stupa is a historical pilgrimage site for Buddhists all over the world.

Also located in Kathmandu and attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually is the Pashupatinath Temple, which is dedicated to Pashupati, a form of the god Shiva. At the temple, which is situated along a river, Hindu families come to cremate their deceased family members. I saw several corpses burning on piles of wood during my visit.

I would also recommend visitors make the trip to Bhaktapur, a UNESCO World Heritage site that overflows with beautiful Hindu temples and features evocative narrow alleys that transport you back to a time before the ear-shattering cacophony of cars and motor scooters.



Lumbini

Over 2600 years ago, Siddhartha Gautama was born. He eventually found enlightenment and began preaching his tenets for leading a wise and good life across the region. We now know his doctrine as Buddhism, which has millions of adherents across the world. The present-day reach of his philosophy is very evident in Lumbini, which, in addition to being the Buddha’s birthplace, contains a vast array of stunning Buddhist temples, monasteries, and guest houses that have been built over the past 30 years by Buddhists in over 40 countries. The construction continues. I was enthralled by the sheer size of the area and the beauty of the temples, which feature expert craftsmanship from their host countries. As I walked among the temples, I could hear the hypnotic chants of Buddhist monks: young and old, male and female. Their sonorous voices added to the serenity and sublimity of the place.



Himalayan Mountains

Of course, I couldn’t travel all the way to Nepal within experiencing the mountains. My base was at the Mala Lodge, with its spellbinding views of the Annapurna Range in he distance. The range features more than 14 peaks that exceed 21,000 feet in elevation. Each day for three days, my guide and I trekked to different mountain villages along a vast network of trails. New views of the jagged mountains revealed themselves as we walked along. Even the villagers who lived there told me they still marveled at their surroundings. The sheer size of the white mountains piercing the dark blue sky like daggers was intensely enthralling. Seeing photos of the mountains does not prepare you for their immensity. I felt insignificant among nature’s hulking granite giants.

When my journey came to an end, I reflected favorably on what I had experienced. I was not naïve enough to think I would find a mountain utopia like Shangri-La. But I was glad that I had travelled nearly 20 hours by plane to visit such a beautiful country that’s home to kind, welcoming people. My yearning to visit Nepal, planted in my mind as a boy, had been fulfilled. The vignette that I will remember most, however, was the sunrise in the Annapurna range, when the sun’s rays set the mountains peaks ablaze with orange light. That was nature’s holiest sacrament. It was my found horizon.

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Comments

[Robin Pendergrast]

Tranquility from YOUR eye!
I have traveled and traveled like you but other than a video or TV trip to Nepal I was hopeful and not surprized your post captured a Nepal like I have never seen. I enjoy the narratives with photos, but the images are where I always drift to . Lake Fewa, for example stunning but the framing and what appears to be a fisherman in a boat is superb and so tranquil. The Annapurna Range would have worn out my camera. The picture that was posted with the small cabin in the foreground and the deep presentation of snow covered mountains and clouds. A poster ready to be printed and framed.