THE MUSICAL LIFE OF HIMALAYAN PEOPLE - (TIBET, BHUTAN, NEPAL, AND SIKKIM)

This region, including Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sikkim (which was annexed to India in 1975), occupies an important middle ground between India and China, and its central position is reflected in the local music cultures. Of utmost importance for musical life was the introduction of Buddhism from India via Turkistan, beginning in the 7th century AD. Music became an integral part of the official creed of Tibetan Buddhism, and the considerable cultural influence of Tibet spread Tibetan religious music to the nearby areas of Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan and, much later, to Mongolia.

Tibetan music

Tibetan religious music is the only Central Asian repertoire that has a long history of written notation. This notation, for liturgical chant, consists of neumes — i.e., symbols representing melodic contour rather than precise pitch, similar to the earliest music writing of medieval Europe. Also distinctive is the metaphysical aspect of Tibetan Buddhist music, related to Indian philosophy. Each instrument of the monastery orchestra, as well as the drawn-out tones of chant, is believed to represent an externalized form of the mantras, or sounds inherent in the human body, accessible otherwise only through steadfast meditation. For the monks, such music is a basic aid to devotion and prayer. Musical styles vary somewhat among the sects of Tibetan Buddhism, but the basic approach and instruments are the same.

The monastery instruments typify the crossroads position of Tibet. Some, such as the large cymbals, stem from China, while others (the majority), such as the conch-shell trumpet and hand bells, can be traced to Indian influence and are found as instruments of Buddhist worship as far away as Japan. Still other instruments, such as the large oboe and the 10-foot metal trumpet, are perhaps Middle Eastern in origin. One wind instrument, the short trumpet made from a human leg bone, seems to be of purely local invention. Similarly, the structure of the music seems basically Tibetan. It is founded on a principle of greatly prolonged dense, deep sounds, such as unison long and short trumpets with oboe, or the seemingly endless bass chant of groups of monks, whose long, drawn-out notes are punctuated by sharp, extended bursts of percussion. Each monk is said to be able to sing two or even three notes simultaneously.

Much of this music emerges from monasteries only at festival time, when the great 'cham (dance) dramas, which may last several days, are performed for the public's entertainment and edification. These plays, which generally show the triumph of Buddhism over Bon, the earlier shamanistic religion of Tibet, may involve hundreds of musicians in the guise of masked dancers with drums, backed by a large temple orchestra. Other types of public music also abound, such as secular, perhaps Chinese-related historical plays with an alternation of dialogue and songs with orchestral accompaniment. There is also a strong tradition of folk dance, which may include songs sung by mixed antiphonal choirs (i.e., two alternating groups of singers). Minstrels ply their trade along the caravan routes and play instruments perhaps more related to general Central Asian traditions than to the Indian and Chinese background of religious music.

The music of Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim

LitMinstrels play a major role in the musical life of Nepal, where, under the influence of Indian practice, musicians are classified according to caste and each group is distinguished by specific instruments and repertoire. There appears to be a great deal of both Indian-related and indigenous folk music in the three Himalayan kingdoms. Varieties of lute, such as the long-necked damyan of Nepal and its Sikkimese relative, may be linked to a similar instrument of the Pamir Mountains, while a Sikkimese flute having an outside air duct (in contrast to the inside duct of a Western recorder) seems to be a unique instrument. The Sherpas of Nepal and other Tibetan-related populations of the Himalayas, along with the thousands of Tibetan refugees now living in the area, maintain the traditions of Tibetan Buddhist religious music. The mani-rimdu dance-drama of the Sherpas, a variant of 'cham, is a good case in point.

Mount Everest(NEPAL): The highest mountain in the world

Sanskrit and Nepali Sagarmatha, Tibetan Chomolungma, Chinese (Pinyin) Zhumulangma Feng or (Wade-Giles) Chu-mu-lang-ma Feng, also spelled Qomolangma Feng

mountain on the crest of the Great Himalayas of southern Asia that lies on the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, at 27°59′ N, 86°56′ E. Reaching an elevation of 29,035 feet (8,850 metres), Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world, the highest

point on Earth.

Like other high peaks in the region, Mount Everest has long been revered by local peoples; its most common Tibetan name, Chomolungma, means “Goddess Mother of the World” or “Goddess of the Valley.” The Sanskrit name Sagarmatha means literally “Ocean Mother.” Its identity as the highest point on the Earth's surface was not recognized, however, until 1852, when the governmental Survey of India established that fact. In 1865 the mountain—previously referred to as Peak XV—was renamed for Sir George Everest, British surveyor general of India from 1830 to 1843.
Physical features
Geology and relief

The Himalayan ranges were thrust upward by tectonic action as the Indian-Australian Plate moved northward from the south and was sub-ducted (forced downward) under the Eurasian Plate following the collision of the two plates about 50 million years ago. The Himalayas themselves started rising about 25 to 30 million years ago, and the Great Himalayas began to take their present form during the Pleistocene Epoch (about 1,800,000 to 10,000 years ago). Everest and its surrounding peaks are part of a large mountain massif that forms a focal point, or knot, of this tectonic action in the Great Himalayas. Information from global positioning instruments in place on Everest since the late 1990s indicates that the mountain continues to move a few inches to the northeast and rise a fraction of an inch each year.

Everest is composed of multiple layers of rock folded back on themselves. Rock on the lower elevations of the mountain consists of metamorphic schists and gneisses, topped by igneous granites. Higher up are found sedimentary rocks of marine origin (remnants of the ancient floor of the Tethys Sea that closed after the collision of the two plates). Notable is the Yellow Band, a limestone formation that is prominently visible just below the summit pyramid.
The barren Southeast, Northeast, and West ridges culminate in the Everest summit; a short distance away is the South Summit, a minor bump on the Southeast Ridge with an elevation of 28,700 feet (8,748 metres). The mountain can be seen directly from its northeastern side, where it rises about 12,000 feet (3,600 metres) above the Plateau of Tibet. The peak of Changtse (24,803 feet [7,560 metres]) rises to the north. Khumbutse (21,867 feet [6,665 metres]), Nuptse (25,791 feet [7,861 metres]), and Lhotse (27,923 feet [8,511 metres]) surround Everest's base to the west and south.

Everest is shaped like a three-sided pyramid. The three generally flat planes constituting the sides are called faces, and the line by which two faces join is known as a ridge. The North Face rises above Tibet and is bounded by the North Ridge (which meets the Northeast Ridge) and the West Ridge; key features of this side of the mountain include the Great and Hornbein couloirs (steep gullies) and the North Col at the start of the North Ridge. The Southwest Face rises above Nepal and is bounded by the West Ridge and the Southeast Ridge; notable features on this side include the South Col (at the start of the Southeast Ridge) and the Khumbu Icefall, the latter a jumble of large blocks of ice that has long been a daunting challenge for climbers. The East Face—or Kangshung (Kangxung) Face—also rises above Tibet and is bounded by the Southeast Ridge and the Northeast Ridge.

The summit of Everest itself is covered by rock-hard snow surmounted by a layer of softer snow that fluctuates annually by some 5–20 feet (1.5–6 metres); the snow level is highest in September, after the monsoon, and lowest in May after having been depleted by the strong northwesterly winter winds. The summit and upper slopes sit so high in the Earth's atmosphere that the amount of breathable oxygen there is one-third what it is at sea level. Lack of oxygen, powerful winds, and extremely cold temperatures preclude the development of any plant or animal life there.

Drainage and climate

Glaciers cover the slopes of Everest to its base. Individual glaciers flanking the mountain are the Kangshung Glacier to the east; the East, Central, and West Rongbuk (Rongpu) glaciers to the north and northwest; the Pumori Glacier to the northwest; and the Khumbu Glacier to the west and south, which is fed by the glacier bed of the Western Cwm, an enclosed valley of ice between Everest and the Lhotse-Nuptse Ridge to the south. Glacial action has been the primary force behind the heavy and continuous erosion of Everest and the other high Himalayan peaks.

The mountain's drainage pattern radiates to the southwest, north, and east. The Khumbu Glacier melts into the Lobujya (Lobuche) River of Nepal, which flows southward as the Imja River to its confluence with the Dudh Kosi River. In Tibet the Rong River originates from the Pumori and Rongbuk glaciers and the Kama River from the Kangshung Glacier: both flow into the Arun River, which cuts through the Himalayas into Nepal. The Rong, Dudh Kosi, and Kama river valleys form, respectively, the northern, southern, and eastern access routes to the summit.

The climate of Everest is always hostile to living things. The warmest average daytime temperature (in July) is only about −2 °F (−19 °C) on the summit; in January, the coldest month, summit temperatures average −33 °F (−36 °C) and can drop as low as −76 °F (−60 °C). Storms can come up suddenly, and temperatures can plummet unexpectedly. The peak of Everest is so high that it reaches the lower limit of the jet stream, and it can be buffeted by sustained winds of more than 100 miles (160 km) per hour. Precipitation falls as snow during the summer monsoon (late May to mid-September). The risk of frostbite to climbers on Everest is extremely high.

The height of Everest

Controversy over the exact elevation of the summit developed because of variations in snow level, gravity deviation, and light refraction. The figure 29,028 feet (8,848 metres), plus or minus a fraction, was established by the Survey of India between 1952 and 1954 and became widely accepted. This value was used by most researchers, mapping agencies, and publishers until 1999.

Attempts were subsequently made to remeasure the mountain's height. A Chinese survey in 1975 obtained the figure of 29,029.24 feet (8,848.11 metres), and an Italian survey, using satellite surveying techniques, obtained a value of 29,108 feet (8,872 metres) in 1987, but questions arose about the methods used. In 1992 another Italian survey, using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and laser measurement technology, yielded the figure 29,023 feet (8,846 metres) by subtracting from the measured height 6.5 feet (2 metres) of ice and snow on the summit, but the methodology used was again called into question.
In 1999 an American survey, sponsored by the (U.S.) National Geographic Society and others, took precise measurements using GPS equipment. Their finding of 29,035 feet (8,850 metres), plus or minus 6.5 feet (2 metres), was accepted by the society and by various specialists in the fields of geodesy and cartography.
Human factors
Habitation

Everest is so tall and its climate so severe that it is incapable of supporting sustained human occupation, but the valleys below the mountain are inhabited by Tibetan-speaking peoples. Notable among these are the Sherpas, who live in villages at elevations up to about 14,000 feet (4,270 metres) in the Khumbu valley of Nepal and other locations. Traditionally an agricultural people with little cultivable land at their disposal, the Sherpas for years were traders and led a semi nomadic lifestyle in their search for pastureland. In summer, livestock was grazed as high as 16,000 feet (4,880 metres), while winter refuge was taken at lower elevations on sheltered ledges and along riverbanks.

Living in close proximity to the world's highest mountains, the Sherpas traditionally treated the Himalayas as sacred—building Buddhist monasteries at their base, placing prayer flags on the slopes, and establishing sanctuaries for the wildlife of the valleys that included musk deer, monal pheasant, and Himalayan partridge. Gods and demons were believed to live in the high peaks, and the Yeti (the so-called Abominable Snowman) was said to roam the lower slopes. For these reasons, the Sherpas traditionally did not climb the mountains.

However, beginning with the British expeditions of the early 20th century, surveying and portering work became available. Eventually, the respect and pay earned in mountaineering made it attractive to the Sherpas, who, being so well adapted to the high altitudes, were capable of carrying large loads of cargo over long distances. Though Sherpas and other hill people (the name Sherpa came to be applied—erroneously—to all porters) tend to outperform their foreign clients, they typically have played a subordinate role in expeditions; rarely, for example, has one of their names been associated with a pioneering route on Everest. The influx of foreign climbers—and, in far greater numbers, trekkers—has dramatically changed Sherpa life, as their livelihood increasingly has come to depend on these climbing expeditions.
Environmental issues

On the Nepalese side of the international boundary, the mountain and its surrounding valleys lie within Sagarmatha National Park, a 480-square-mile (1,243-square-km) zone established in 1976. In 1979 the park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The valleys contain stands of rhododendron and forests of birch and pine, while above the tree line alpine vegetation extends to the feet of the glaciers. Over the years, carelessness and excessive consumption of resources by mountaineers, as well as overgrazing by livestock, have damaged the habitats of snow leopards, lesser pandas, Tibetan bears, and scores of bird species. To counteract past abuses, various reforestation programs have been carried out by local communities and the Nepalese government.

Expeditions have removed supplies and equipment left by climbers on Everest's slopes, including hundreds of oxygen containers. Most of the litter of past climbers—tons of items such as tents, cans, crampons, and human waste—has been hauled down from the mountain and recycled or discarded. However, the bodies of most of the more than 100 climbers who died on the upper slopes of Everest have not been removed, as their weight makes carrying them down extremely difficult.

TSUNAMI ANGER IN MALDIVES – GROWTH AFTER TSUNAMI

Maldives is an independent island nation consisting of a chain of about 1,300 small coral islands and sandbanks (202 of which are inhabited), grouped in clusters, or atolls, in the Indian Ocean. The islands extend more than 510 miles (820 km) from north to south and 80 miles (130 km) from east to west. The northernmost atoll is about 370 miles (600 km) south-southwest of the Indian mainland, and the central area, including the capital island of Male, is about 400 miles (645 km) southwest of Sri Lanka. Area 115 square miles (298 sq Pop. (2000) 270,101; (2004 estimated) 289,000.

Year in Review 2004The Deadliest TsunamiOn Dec. 26, 2004, at 7:59 AM local time, an undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Over the next seven hours, a tsunami—a series of immense ocean waves— triggered by the quake reached out across the Indian Ocean, devastating coastal areas as far away as East Africa. Some locations reported that the waves had even reached a height of 9 m (30 ft) or more when they hit the shoreline. At least 225,000 people were killed across a dozen countries, with Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, and Thailand sustaining massive damage. Indonesian officials estimated that the death toll there could exceed 200,000, particularly in northern Sumatra's Aceh province. Tens of thousands were reported dead or missing in Sri Lanka and India, a large number of them from the Indian Andaman and Nicobar islands. The low-lying island nation of Maldives reported more than a hundred casualties and economic damage that could exceed the country's gross domestic product. Several thousand non-Asian tourists vacationing in the region also were reported dead or missing. The lack of food, clean water, and medical treatment—combined with the Herculean task faced by relief workers trying to get supplies into some remote areas where roads had been destroyed or civil war raged—increased the likelihood that the casualty list would continue to grow. Long-term environmental damage was almost as unimaginable as the loss of life, with tourist resorts, villages, farmland, and fishing grounds demolished or inundated with debris, bodies, and plant-killing salt water.

Now, in 2006, the country has crossed the hurdle posed by tsunami and it vibrant and colorful as it was a bad dream and country is once again filled with tourist and their laughter.

Missing 'Little Buddha' of Nepal

Missing ‘Buddha boy’ found

‘Missing’ for nine months, which led to a variety of speculation, Ram Bomjan popularly known as ‘Buddha boy’, was found in a mediating posture at a jungle in Bara district Monday.
When local villagers saw the boy at the Bagkhora jungle at around 7:00 in the morning he looked slender than before, was in grimy cloths and had long hair flowing down his shoulder, reports said. Briefly talking to media persons, the ‘Buddha boy’ said he lived on herbs throughout these months while wandered around the jungles in Bara, Parsa and Rautahat districts.

A huge crowd formed in the area soon after the news of the Buddha boy’s re-emergence spread in the nearby villages. His pervious handlers, the members of the Tapaswi Sewa Samiti, are settling up a place for his meditation nearby the Halkhori Lake in Ratanpuri, according to reports.

Meditating for ten months under a pipal tree at Ratanpuri jungle, ostensibly without food or water, Bomjan, had vanished from the crowded site on the night of March 11, 2006. There were controversies about his fasting as well as his spiritual claims.

The17-year-old boy’s saga was reported internationally while national and national and international researchers had also thronged to Ratanpuri.

The management committee had claimed that Bomjan left the area as it became unsuitable for him to meditate because of growing crowd. Some of the members of the committee were even charged with misuse of millions of rupees donated by tens of thousands of devotees who visited the site daily.

NEPAL – LAND OF MOUNTAINS AND TEMPLES

NEPAL is a landlocked country located between India to the east, south, and west and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north. Its territory, which has an area of 56,827 square miles (147,181 square kilometers), extends roughly 500 miles (800 kilometers) from east to west and 90 to 150 miles from north to south. The capital is Kathmandu.

Nepal, long under the rule of hereditary prime ministers favoring a policy of isolation, remained closed to the outside world until a palace revolt in 1950 restored the crown's authority in 1951; the country gained admission to the United Nations in 1955. In 1991 the kingdom established a multiparty parliamentary system.
Wedged between two giants, India and China, Nepal seeks to keep a balance between the two countries in its foreign policy—and thus to remain independent. A factor that contributes immensely to the geopolitical importance of the country is the fact that a strong Nepal can deny China access to the rich Gangatic Plain; Nepal thus marks the southern boundary of the Chinese sphere north of the Himalayas in Asia.
As a result of its years of geographic and self-imposed isolation, Nepal is one of the least developed nations of the world. In recent years many countries, including India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Denmark, Germany, Canada, and Switzerland, have provided economic assistance to Nepal. The extent of foreign aid to Nepal has been influenced to a considerable degree by the strategic position of the country between India and China.

HINDUISM

Bartabanda: A religious ceremony performed by/on two boys.


Hinduism

The beliefs, practices, and socioreligious institutions of the Hindus (originally, the inhabitants of the land of the Indus River). Introduced in about 1830 by British writers, the term properly denotes the Indian civilization of approximately the last 2,000 years, which evolved from Vedism, the religion of the Indo-European peoples who settled in India in the last centuries of the 2nd millennium BC. Because it integrates a variety of elements, Hinduism constitutes a complex but largely continuous whole and has religious, social, economic, literary, and artistic aspects. As a religion, Hinduism is a composite of diverse doctrines, cults, and ways of life.

General nature and characteristic features

The spectrum that ranges from the level of popular Hindu belief to that of elaborate ritual technique and philosophical speculation is very broad and is attended by many stages of transition and varieties of coexistence. Magic rites, animal worship, and belief in demons are often combined with the worship of more or less personal gods or with mysticism, asceticism, and abstract and profound theological systems or esoteric doctrines. The worship of local deities does not exclude the belief in pan-Indian higher gods or even in a single high God. Such local deities are also frequently looked upon as manifestations of a high God.
In principle, Hinduism incorporates all forms of belief and worship without necessitating the selection or elimination of any. It is axiomatic that no religious idea in India ever dies or is superseded—it is merely combined with the new ideas that arise in response to it. Hindus are inclined to revere the divine in every manifestation, whatever it may be, and are doctrinally tolerant, allowing others—including both Hindus and non-Hindus—whatever beliefs suit them best. A Hindu may embrace a non-Hindu religion without ceasing to be a Hindu, and because Hindus are disposed to think synthetically and to regard other forms of worship, strange gods, and divergent doctrines as inadequate rather than wrong or objectionable, they tend to believe that the highest divine powers complement one another. Few religious ideas are considered to be irreconcilable. The core of religion does not depend on the existence or nonexistence of God or on whether there is one god or many. Because religious truth is said to transcend all verbal definition, it is not conceived in dogmatic terms. Moreover, the tendency of Hindus to distinguish themselves from others on the basis of practice (orthopraxy) rather than doctrine (orthodoxy) further de-emphasizes doctrinal differences.
Hinduism is both a civilization and a congregation of religions; it has neither a beginning or founder, nor a central authority, hierarchy, or organization. Every attempt at a specific definition of Hinduism has proved unsatisfactory in one way or another, the more so because the finest scholars of Hinduism, including Hindus themselves, have emphasized different aspects of the whole.
Common characteristics of Hindu belief
Nevertheless, it is possible to discern among the myriad forms of Hinduism several common characteristics of belief and practice.

Authority of the Vdas and the Brahman class

Perhaps the defining characteristic of Hindu belief is the recognition of the Veda, the most ancient body of religious literature, as an absolute authority revealing fundamental and unassailable truth. At the same time, however, its content has long been practically unknown to most Hindus, and it is seldom drawn upon for literal information or advice. Still, it is venerated from a distance by every traditional Hindu, and those Indians who reject its authority (such as Buddhists and Jains) are regarded as unfaithful to their tradition. The Veda is also regarded as the basis of all the later Shastraic texts used in Hindu doctrine and practice. Parts of the Veda are still quoted in essential Hindu rituals, and it is the source of many enduring patterns of Hindu thought.

Also characteristic of Hinduism is the belief in the power of the Brahamans, a priestly class possessing spiritual supremacy by birth. As special manifestations of religious power and as bearers and teachers of the Veda, Brahmans are considered to represent the ideal of ritual purity and social prestige.
Doctrine of atman-brahman
Hindus believe in an uncreated, eternal, infinite, transcendent, and all-embracing principle, which, “comprising in itself being and non-being,” is the sole reality, the ultimate cause and foundation, source, and goal of all existence. This ultimate reality is called Brahman. As the All, Brahman causes the universe and all beings to emanate from itself, transforms itself into the universe, or assumes its appearance. Brahman is in all things and is the Self (atman) of all living beings. Brahman is the creator, preserver, or transformer and reabsorber of everything. Although it is Being in itself, without attributes and qualities and hence impersonal, it may also be conceived of as a personal high God, usually as Vishnu or Siva. This fundamental belief in and the essentially religious search for ultimate reality—i.e., the One that is the All—have continued almost unaltered for more than 30 centuries and have been the central focus of India's spiritual life.
Ahimsa: non-injury
A further characteristic of Hinduism is the ideal of ahimsa. Ahimsa, “non-injury” or the absence of the desire to harm is regarded by Indian thinkers as one of the keystones of their ethics. Historically, ahimsa is unrelated to vegetarianism; in ancient India, killing people in war or in capital punishment and killing animals in Vedic sacrifices were acceptable to many people who for other reasons refrained from eating meat. However, the two movements, ahimsa and vegetarianism, reinforced one another through the common concept of the disinclination to kill and eat animals, and together they contributed to the growing importance of the protection and veneration of the cow, which gives food without having to be killed. Neither ahimsa nor vegetarianism ever found full acceptance. Even today, many Hindus eat beef, and nonviolence (as the ideal of ahimsa is often translated) has never been a notable characteristic of Hindu behaviour.

Doctrines of transmigration and karma

Hindus generally accept the doctrine of transmigration and rebirth and the complementary belief in karma, or previous acts as the factor that determines the condition into which a being, after a stay in heaven or hell, is reborn in one form or another. The whole process of rebirths is called samsara. Any earthly process is viewed as cyclic, and all worldly existence is subject to the cycle. Samsara has no beginning and, in most cases, no end; it is not a cycle of progress or a process of purification but a matter of perpetual attachment. Karma, acting like clockwork that, while running down, always winds itself up, binds the atmans (selves) of beings to the world and compels them to go through an endless series of births and deaths. This belief is indissolubly connected with the traditional Indian views of society and earthly life, and any social interaction (particularly those involving sex or food) results in the mutual exchange of good and bad karma. It has given rise to the belief that any misfortune is the effect of karma, or one's own deeds, and to the conviction that the course of world history is conditioned by collective karma.

Such doctrines encourage the view that mundane life is not true existence and that human endeavor should be directed toward a permanent interruption of the mechanism of karma and transmigration—that is, toward final emancipation (moksha), toward escaping forever from the impermanence that is an inescapable feature of mundane existence. In this view the only goal is the one permanent and eternal principle: the One, God, Brahman, which is totally opposite to any phenomenal existence. Anyone who has not fully realized that his being is identical with Brahman is thus seen as deluded. The only possible solution consists in the realization that the kernel of human personality (atman) really is Brahman and that it is their attachment to worldly objects that prevents people from reaching salvation and eternal peace. (Hindus sometimes use the largely Buddhist term nirvana to describe this state.)

Concepts of Istadevata and Trimurti

Although those Hindus who particularly worship either Vishnu or Siva generally consider one or the other as their “favorite god” (Istadevata) and as the Lord (Isana) and Brahman in its personal aspect, Vishnu is often regarded as a special manifestation of the preservative aspect of the Supreme and Siva as that of the destructive function. Another deity, Brahma, the creator, remains in the background as a demiurge. These three great figures (Brahma, Vishnu, and Śiva) constitute the so-called Hindu Trinity (Trimurti, “the One or Whole with Three Forms”). This conception attempts to synthesize and harmonize the conviction that the Supreme Power is singular with the plurality of gods in daily religious worship. Although the concept of the Trimurti assigns a position of special importance to some great gods, it never has become a living element in the religion of the people. Moreover, Brahma has had no major cult since ancient times, and many Hindus worship neither Śiva nor Vishnu but one or more of the innumerable other Hindu gods.

Asrhamas: the four stages of life

In the West, the so called life-negating aspects of Hinduism have often been overemphasized. The polarity of asceticism and sensuality, which assumed the form of a conflict between the aspiration to liberation and the heartfelt desire to have descendants and continue earthly life, manifested itself in Hindu social life as the tension between the different goals and stages of life. The relative value of an active life and the performance of meritorious works (parvati) as opposed to the renunciation of all worldly interests and activity (niv/tti) was a much-debated issue. While one-sided religious and philosophical works, such as the Upanishads, placed emphasis on renunciation, the dharma texts argued that the householder who maintains his sacred fire, procreates children, and performs his ritual duties well also earns religious merit. Nearly 2,000 years ago, these dharma texts elaborated the social doctrine of the four ashramas (stages of life). This concept is an attempt at harmonizing the conflicting tendencies of Hinduism into one system. It held that a member of the three higher classes should first become a chaste student (brahmachari); then become a married householder (grihastha), discharging his debts to his ancestors by begetting sons and to the gods by sacrificing; then retire (as a vanaprastha), with or without his wife, to the forest to devote himself to spiritual contemplation; and finally, but not mandatorily, become a homeless wandering ascetic (sannyasin). The situation of the forest dweller was always a delicate compromise that remained problematic on the mythological level and was often omitted or rejected in practical life.

Although the status of a householder was often extolled, and some authorities, regarding studentship as a mere preparation, went so far as to brand the other stages as inferior, there were always people who became wandering ascetics immediately after studentship. Theorists were inclined to reconcile the divergent views and practices by allowing the ascetic way of life to those who are, owing to the effects of restrained conduct in former lives, entirely free from worldly desire, even if they had not gone through the traditional prior stages.

Three margas: paths to salvation

Hindus disagree about the way (marga) to final emancipation (moksha). Three paths to salvation (variously valued but nonexclusive) are presented in an extremely influential religious text, the Bhagavad-Gita (“Song of the Lord”; c. 200 BC), according to which it is not acts themselves but the desire for their results that produces karma and thus attachment. These three ways to salvation are (1) the karma-marga(“the path of duties”), the disinterested discharge of ritual and social obligations; (2) the jnana-marga(“the path of knowledge”), the use of meditative concentration preceded by a long and systematic ethical and contemplative training, yoga, to gain a supra-intellectual insight into one's identity with brahman; and (3) the bhakti-marga (“the path of devotion”), the devotion to a personal God. These ways are regarded as suited to various types of people.

Although the search for moksha has never been the goal of more than a small minority of Hindus, liberation was a religious ideal that affected all lives. Moksha determined not only the hierarchical values of Indian social institutions and religious doctrines and practices but also the function of Indian philosophy, which is to discuss what one must do to find true fulfillment and what one has to realize, by direct experience, in order to escape from samsara (bondage) and obtain spiritual freedom. While those who have not been reached by formal Indian philosophy have only vague ideas about the doctrines of karma and moksha, in semi-popular milieus these doctrines gave rise to much speculation.

For the ordinary Hindu, the main aim of worldly life lies in conforming to social and ritual duties, to the traditional rules of conduct for one's caste, family, and profession. Such requirements constitute an individual's dharma(law and duties), one's own part of the broader stability, law, order, and fundamental equilibrium in the cosmos, nature, and society. Sanatana (traditional) dharma—a term used by Hindus to denote their own religion—is a close approximation to “religious practices” in the West. This traditional dharma applies theoretically to all Hindus, but it is superseded by the more particular dharmas that are appropriate to each of the four major varnas, or classes of society: Brahmans (priests), Ksatriya (warrior kings), Vaisyas (the common people), and Sudras (servants). These four rather abstract categories are further superseded by the more practically applicable dharmas appropriate to each of the thousands of particular castes (jatis). Thus, religion for Hindus is mainly a tradition and a heritage, a way of life and a mode of thought. In practice, it is the right application of methods for securing both welfare in this life and a good condition in the hereafter.

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SINGAPORE AIRLINES
www.everest-express.com.np

TIBET GUEST HOUSE
www.trael-nepal.com/hotel/tibetguesthouse

TRAVEL NET INT’L
http://www.travelnetnepal.com/

SIKKIM

TOURISM DEPARTMENT
http://www.skikim.nic.in/
http://www.sikkiminfo.com/
http://www.sikkimindia.com/

DARJEELING

TOURISM DEPARTMENT
DARJEELING GORKHA HILL COUNCIL
http://www.darjeelingtourism.com/

ELGIN HOTELS
http://www.elginhotels.com/

THE TIBETIAN ART

Tibet is most renowned for its religious scroll paintings (tankas, or thang-ka), metal images, and wooden block prints. There are three categories of images—representing the peaceful, moderate, and angry deities—and three schools of painting—the Sman-thang, Gong-dkar Mkhan-bris, and Kar-ma sgar-bris—which are differentiated by color tones and depicted facial expressions.

The rich and ancient culture is based on religion. The Gar and the 'cham are stylistic dances performed by monks; they reenact the behaviour, attitudes, and gestures of the deities. Ancient legendary tales, historic events, classical solo songs, and musical debates are elaborately staged in the open air in the form of operas, operettas, and dramas. The folk songs and dances of local regions abound with color, joy, and simplicity: the bro of the Khams region, the sgor-gzhas of the dbus-gtsang peasants, and the Kadra of the A-mdo area are spectacles that are performed in groups; on festive occasions they continue for several days. These cheerful performances tell of the people's loves and celebrate their faith in their religion, the beauty of their country, and the brave deeds of their ancestors.

MAKALU BARUN (NEPAL) – STRICT NATURE RESERVE

“In the realm of nature, there is nothing purposeless, trivial or unnecessary.”
- Moses ben Maimon


Makalu Barun National Park and Conservation Area lies in the Solokhumbu and Sankhuwa districts of eastern Nepal. It is annexed to the Sagarmatha National Park in the eastern Himalaya, but has its own unique mandate of being the only “strict nature reserve” in Nepal. Mt Makalu, the world’s fifth highest peak, and the Barun valley, comprising unspoiled wilderness, make up the Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area. The northern boundary is defined by the border with the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China while Saune danda delimits the southern boundary. The altitude of the region varies from 435 m at the bottom of the Arun valley and rises to the 8,463 m snow capped tip of Mt Makalu within a distance of 49 km.

Makalu Barun National Park was established in 1991 and formally inaugurated in 1992. The park and buffer zone comprise a vital component of the greater Mt Everest ecosystem, which 1,500 sq km is National Park with a scientific Reserve and 830 km is a buffer zone. The park and buffer zone comprise a vital component of the greater Mt Everest ecosystem, which includes Sagarmatha National Park (1,148 sq km) to the west and Qomolongma National Preserve (35,000 sq km) in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north.

The inaccessible lower Barun valley, a glacier-fed tributary to the Arun River, and its tributary, the Saldima, flow through the pristine parkland protected by thick and extensive forests. These areas have been designated as Strict National Reserve with the aim of protecting the ecosystem in an undisturbed state for the scientific study, environment monitoring, education and maintenance of genetic resources.

Most part of the national park consists of remote wilderness with two small settlements and some seasonal temporary settlements in high pastureland. Having a wide range of altitudinal and climatic variations, the Makalu Barun area offers a remarkable and diverse habitat for a rich variety of flora and fauna. Each species is s storehouse of genetic codes and information, and any extinction is an irreversible loss to this planet.

Plants of all major ecological zones, tropical, subtropical, temperate, sub-alpine, and alpine – are found in the area. The vegetation comprises tropical Sal forest at elevations below 1,000 m; subtropical Schima castronopsis forest between 1,000-2,000 m; temperate zone oak. Maple and magnolia forest between 2000-3000 m. and sub-alpine shrubs of alpine pastureland between 4,000-5,000 m.

Due to very humid conditions; several species of flowers, rhododendrons, primulas and meconopsis among them, are found in abundance. The number of flowering plants in the Makalu Barun region is estimated to be over 3000 species including 30 species of rhododendrons and12 species of meconopsis. Similarly, out of 312 species of orchids found in Nepal, more than 59% occur in eastern Nepal alone. Some 48 species of orchids are found in Makalu Barun National Park. Likewise 19 species of bamboo, 48 species of primrose, 15 species of oak, 86 species of economically valuable medicinal and aromatic plants are also found in the area. An oak species, Lithocarpus fenestratus, has been recorded for the first time in Nepal in the park.

The park is home to a rich variety of wildlife too. Many rare mammals are found in the park although they are seldom seen due to the thick forests and their wariness of humans. Some 75 mammal species, 440 bird species, 30 reptilian an d25 amphibian species have been recorded in the park. The mammals include the snow leopard, clouded leopard, forest cat would, wild goat and wild boar. There is also an abundance of small wildlife, including Himalayan yellow-throated marten, Himalayan marmor, common otter, Himalayan squirrel and wooly hare.

The Barun valley is an important habitat for bird species adapted to high altitude. These include the dark sided thrush, slaty bellied tesia, broad billed warbler, spotted wren babbler, coral billed scimitar babbler and the olive ground babbler. Some notable birds in the park include Nepal hours marten, Himalayan monal, Darjeeling pied woodpecker, black eagle, common hill partridge and black bulbul.

The area is also rich in lower plants and animals such as micro-organisms, algae, fungi, bryophytes, arthropods, mollusks, amphibians and reptiles.

The buffer zone of the park is inhabited by some 32,000 people of diverse ethnic groups. Although all groups speak Nepali, the main groups may be linguistically classified according to their first languages as Rai (majority) and Sherpa and Shingsawa (Bhotia) farmers in minority each with their won rich cultural heritage Speakers of Tibeto-Burman languages other than Rai and Tibetan are also represented in smaller numbers.

A new park management approach by designating a part of the park as a buffer zone encourages the local people to become actively involved in protecting the national resources through traditional resource management system such as community controlled grazing and forest guardianship. Subsistence farming does not produce enough food for the entire year. As a result, the people’s livelihood is heavily dependent upon forest resources for animal fodder, fuel, food, and housing materials. Fertilizer, medicines and other uses, including clothing spun from “allo” nettles (Girandinia diversifolia), paper made from lokta bark (Daphne sp) and many items from bamboo, including furniture, baskets, musical instruments, containers and umbrellas. Knowing the value of these forests, the local people themselves are involved in conservation activities.

The natural treasure of the Makalu Barun area has not yet been widely publicized. The highlights of this rich natural paradise include beautiful mountains, pristine forests, a wide variety of plant and animal life and a simple and warm heated people with rich and varied cultures. With time, they can be expected to exert a strong pull on visitors. In fact, the Makalu Barun area is ideal for the development of ecotourism, a not-too-seriously promoted aspect of Nepal as yet, and something that has potential for development.

GETTING THERE

Trekkers and mountaineering expedition teams to Makalu either fly to Tumlingtar, the trailhead, form Biratnagar (an hour’s flight from Kathmandu), or travel by bus to Hile and trek all the way to their destination via Tumlingtar. Depending upon the destination, some even go to Khadbaari on their way to Makalu Barun while others may opt for different routes from Tumlingtar. Trekkers and mountaineers going to the base camp enter Makalu via Num. They stay overnight in Seduwa given the lack of lodging facilities further on. Trekkers generally prefer to camp in tents. The next overnight stop is Tashigaon, the last village on the way to Makalu base camp. Within the Makalu base camp spends only about two nights in inhabited areas after which trekking are confined to pure wilderness.

Ti takes five to six days to reach base camp from Tashigaon. Trekker passes through Khongma (flat high-altitude grassland), Mumbunk, Nehekharka, and Ramara and Hillary base camp. Some trekkers detour to Navagaon, the largest (42 houses) Sherpa village in the valley after Seduwa.

The other area of tourist interest is Khembalung. Generally, trekkers go from Tumlingtar, cross the Arun River and camp in Bumlingtar in Bhojpur district. From Bumlingtar, the trail passes through Tamku, Magitar, Chitre, Deurali and Gontala before finally arriving at Khembalung.

SIKKIM – LAND OF MYSTIC SPELENDOR

LACHUNG

Sikkim offers the magical feel of a Himalayan fairytale land. It is an amazing place of hidden valleys, mystical monasteries, snow-fed lakes and a mountain setting covered with flowers and forests. This former kingdom is home to three major population groups – Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepalese – providing a colorful composite of cultures. Mt Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world at 8,586 m, dominates the landscape and is revered a Sikkim’s guardian deity. Sikkim is a state of India tucked in the Himalaya across Nepal’s eastern frontier. It is crammed in between Tibet (China0 to the north, Bhutan to the east and the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council to the south.

GANTOK

Gantok (population 50,000 and elevation 1,780 m) is the capital of Sikkim. It is a charming, laid-back town straddling a ridge with houses spilling down the hillside.

The places to visit are Enchey Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist lamasery; rare statues, manuscripts, ritual objects and thanka paintings; Do-Drul Chorten, an impressive stupa ringed by prayer wheels; Government Institute of Cottage Industries for fine souvenirs like choktse (carved low tables), thanks paintings and carpets; and the exotic market of Lal Bazaar.

AROUND SIKKIM

Rumtek Monastery, a 24-km drive from Gantok, is the seat of the Gyalwa Kamapa Lama. The sacred Tsomgo Lake (elevation 3,780 m) is situated 38 km to the east of Gangtok amidst picturesque mountains. The famed Nathula Pass (4,392 m) on the old caravan trail to Tibet is 20 km further on from Tsomgo Lake.

In north Sikkim, Yumthang (3,782 m) is a mesmerizing scene with yaks grazing on flower-carpeted meadows against a backdrop of towering peaks.

The 134-km drive form Gangtok to Yumthang takes you through Kabi Longstok, where Sikkimese history began in the 13th century with the signing of a treaty of brotherhood between Lepcha and Tibetan chiefs; Phodong Monastery, one of the six major monasteries in Sikkim; Chungthan (1,586 m), a sacred place blesses by Guru Rimpoche; and Lachung (2,684 m), an idyllic valley surrounded by mist-shrouded mountains.

In west Sikkim, Pemayangtse Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist lamasery of the Nyingmapa Order, is a 112-km drive from Gangtok; Sangacholing Monastery, built in 1697, is one of the oldest in the state; Khecheopalri Lake is sacred to both Hindu and Buddhist; Yuksam is Sikkim’s original capita; and Tashiding Monastery, built in 1717, is famed for its stupa.

In south Sikkim, Namchi, a 78-km dive form Gantok, offers panoramic vistas of the snow peaks; Tendong Hill (2,623 m) and Menam Hill (3,141 m) provide unmatched views extending from the Himalaya to the plains of Bengal; and Temi Tea Garden is an opportunity to see how the aromatic leaves are grown and processed.

PERMITS & TRANSPROT

In addition to an Indian visa, foreign travelers must possess an Inner Line Permit, issued by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs or New Sikkim House both in New Delhi, to visit Sikkim. The permit is valid for 15 days. If you are visiting the interior, you also require a Protected Area Permit which is obtainable to Gangtok from the Department of Tourism. Tour arrangements should be made through a registered travel agent who will handle the official formalities.

Transport services are provided by four-wheel drive vehicles. Taxis are available for getting around Gangtok. Sikkim Helicopter Service operates sight-seeing flights to different points in Sikkim.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Sikkim is a mountainous land crisscrossed by deep ravines.

Access: From Kathmandu, fly to Bhadrapur in east Nepal (1 hour), then drive to Kakarbhitta (Nepal-India border, 34 km), to Siliguri (36 km) and to Gangtok (110 km, 3 hours 30 minutes). Gantok is also connected by road with Darjeeling (5 hours) and Bhutan (7 hours).

The closest Indian airport is at Bagdogra, 124 km form Gantok, where scheduled flights operate form Kolkata, New Delhi and Guwahati. Taxis to Gantok (4 hours) are available at the airport. Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation also operates daily helicopter flights form Bagdogra airport to Gangtok (20 minutes). The closest railway stations are Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri (121 km) which are connected to Kolkata, New Delhi, Guwahati and other major Indian cities. Taxis and buses for Gangtok are available at Siliguri.

Season: March-May and October-December are the best times to visit. Bring light woolen clothing during summer (maximum temperature 20.7 degrees Celsius) and heavy woolens during winter (minimum 7.7 degrees).

Adventure: Trekking, mountaineering, rafting and yak safari.

Accommodation: There are modern hotels and restaurants in Gangtok. Comfortable resort lodges are available in the outlying areas.

For more information, contact Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, MG Marg, Gangtok, Sikkim, India; Tel: 91-3592-22064; Fax: 91-3592-25647; Websites: www.sikkimnic.in; www.sikkiminfo.com; www.sikkimindia.com

POKHARA (NEPAL) – AN ENCHANTING NATURAL AMPHITHEATER

The Phewa Lake

The bustling lakeside town of Pokhara still offers haven of beauty and serenity for the adventurous backpacker or curious tourist. Famous for one of the largest and most picturesque alpine lakes in the Himalaya, the Pokhara valley attracts a large number of visitors every year to its magical environs.

The 124-sq ft valley is home to a number of lakes including the beautiful Phewa Lake. Phewa Lake is by far the largest of these, stretching out majestically for three kilometers, nestled amidst lush green hills, with vertical snow cliffs of the Annapurna mountain range and the striking formed pinnacle of Mt Machhapuchhre (fishtail) towering above it to the north.

The Seti Gandaki River flows through the valley, often disappearing underground into the soft limestone subsoil, cutting deep underground canyons in its wake. The water of the Phewa Lake travels underground and flows out at Devi’s fall situated half a kilometer away from the lake. This canyon is a nice example of the underground drainage of the area. It is truly an awe inspiring sight to watch huge gushes of water disappearing straight down into a dark and narrow to explore.

Historically, the Pokhara valley was part of a once vibrant caravan route between Jumla and Kathmandu and the one extending between India and Tibet. Each winter long trains of mule caravans arrived from the north, laden with bags of salt and wood from the Tibetan Plateau. These were exchanged in Pokhara for grain and goods carried in from Butwal in the south by porters.

The advent of modern roads and transportation in the early 1970s saw this trading town develop into a lucrative tourist destination. With the establishment of trekking routes for the Annapurna circuit, which marked Pokhara as the ideal place to begin a trek, combined with its legendary natural scenic beauty. Pokhara was soon set firmly on world trekking maps. Today, Pokhara is the biggest tourist destination in Nepal outside the Kathmandu Valley.

As the starting point for trekking routes in the Annapurna region, Pokhara town is a good place to relax and get in the mood for exploring the mountains. Beautiful cafes and diners situated on the lakefront are a good meeting place for travelers and trekkers to mingle and exchange stories about the trail and to swap information about the best trekking routes and guides and porters to hire for a trek.

Local inhabitants are a storehouse of practical information about the area, and are always willing to help you make an informed decision about hotel accommodation, trekking guide or permit money. You also get an insight into how to reduce the price on almost anything for sale in the many antique and curio shops dotted around the lake.

A typical day here greets you with spectacular vistas of the lake and hills and mountains mirrored in it. If you’re staying on the southern shore of the lake, the view is unmatched as the entire range of the Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Ganesh Himal are visible. Most enchanting is the single distinctive monolith of Machhapuchhre, soaring into the sky.

Boating on the lake is a lovely way to spend time here. The boats are simple wooden structures made of strong sal wood, and care easy to maneuver. You can choose to have a boatman with you for a price and allow him to row you around the lake close to its hilly shores or do it all by yourself.

The boatmen are generally friendly inhabitants of Pokhara, and have a lot of inhabitants of Pokhara, and have a lot of amusing stories about travelers and how storms on th lakes can be exciting and dangerous. Boating is a favorite leisure activity of residence and visitors alike, and on a typical afternoon, the placid lake is dotted with boats circling the Barahi Temple in middle, or just paddling around. Smiling faces and happy greetings are the norm here as are the melodies boatman tunes that linger long after one leaves the shores of Phewa.

If you can tear yourself away from the lake, there are other sights to explore around the area and other activities to indulge yourself in. One activity for the brave is paragliding, which involves taking a leap off Sarankot, the highest hilltop around Phewa Lake. It’s a tow-hour walk to the top, but the view is worth it. You can, of course, also hire a vehicle to get you there.

The companies offering paragliding here consist of experienced professionals who have mastered the alpine wind currents. They are one of the few paragliding groups in the world to use birds of foray like falcons and eagles to track air currents. The birds are tame and fly above and ahead of the gliders, catching th e rising thermals. The sheer power of these birds is a joy to watch as is the wonderful communication between the glider instructors and the birds as they work together to offer you an awesome experience of flying high like a bird against a backdrop of beautiful snow capped mountains and the pristine lake below.

Another airborne option is to hire a microlight aircraft and have the pilot take you up to 11,000 ft – close to the mountains. The tiny craft flies easily and is a great vantage point for photography as there are no windows. Watching the mountains up close in the light of the setting sun is an unforgettable experience, which is proven by the number of people who take this mountain flight more then just once.

The peace pagoda, a distinctive structure built on the top of the southern shore of Phewa, epitomizes the gentle beauty of the lake an lofty mountains mirrored in it. Its stark whiteness and domed shape are a strong symbol for peace in the valley. The stupa can be reached after a 20-minute walk, and offers a breathtaking view of the lake and the hills and mountains surrounding it. It is a nice spot for meditation and relaxation, very quiet and beautiful.

Sunset on the lake is often a spectacular event with the water birds skimming the lake surface, trailing spray as they head home to roost. Evening also sees the local fishermen set out their net to catch tasty lake fish. They are restricted to the western shore of the lake, however, as boats can get entangled in the nets.

There are many interesting restaurants along the lakefront that offer all kinds of food and entertainment. Many have live bands, consisting f local talent, which is surprisingly good considering that they play trendy English songs. Some restaurants also have live Nepali music and dance, very energetic and colorful. And, of course, there are discotheques that play western club or western music, mostly enjoyed by younger travelers or triumphant trekkers, who have just completed the Annapurna Circuit.

A few years ago Pokhara was host to a rash of open-air, lakeside raves, usually on the full moon of every month, which saw a boom in the boat ferry and mineral water business. Sadly, deteriorating political conditions and the alarming rate of erosion as a result of the continuous stomping of the hillside put an untimely end to this interesting phenomenon. The legends remain however, alive in boatman lore and deserted neon-painted resorts along the lake.

The famous charm and mystique of Pokhara has to be experienced to be believed. The place has a simple natural serenity that affects you at the very first glance. And Phewa Lake has often been described as being hypnotically beautiful. Pokhara, valley seems to retain an ancient grandeur of the mingling of elements; the lake – mountains, valley and large open skies. This natural peace is reflected in the people and lush flora and fauna of he valley. From secluded Shangri-La to kitschy tourist hub, Pokhara has come a long way from being a remote, albeit beautiful trading post. Indeed, the inclusion of Pokhara on the world travelers’ maps has been a blessing to the true explorers of the natural wonders and mysteries of this world.

DARJEELING - PROJECT RED PANDA:AN EFFROT TO CONSERVE THE FURRY CREATURES

It was amazing to see so many red pandas in one place. But I was standing outside a wire fence in a zoo, and one with the distinction of having successfully bred several red pandas in capitivity. There were 12 of them in the enclosure, most up on trees, either dozing or eating. They are one of the cuddliest and gentlest creatures, and one of the easiest to photograph, as they can hold one posture for hours on end.

The first recorded captive breeding of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) in Darjeeling was in 1908. But it was only in 1994 that the first successful breeding took place at the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park. Since then, the panda population has been growing steadily. At present, there are 21 red pandas in the zoo. The Project Red Panda, which this program comes under receive finance and guidance form the Central Zoo Authority of India, while the Manvell zoo of the UK provides technical support

The red panda, also known as the “lesser panda”, is now listed a protected species, and is found in the eastern Himalaya, starting from Nepal in the west to Myanmar in the east. The areas between these two extremities where the pandas are fund in the wild are Sikkim, Darjeeling, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan. There are also found in southern China. Red pandas are rare animals and their total population in the wild is still unknown. They thrive at altitudes ranging from 2, 8000 to 3,500 m.

In Darjeeling, the red pandas are found in the Singalila National Park and the Neora Valley National Park. The Neora valley is the only region in the world where the panda is known to share a habitat with tigers, leopards and elephants.

The nearest relative of this mammal is surprising the Latin American raccoon and not the Giant panda, as most people misconstrue. They fall in between the dog family and the bear family, and have a many features in common with the raccoon. They have long soft furl and a bushy tail with faint rings like the raccoon. The average weight of this bear cat, as it is sometimes called, is 5 kg and grows up to2 ft in length, excluding the tail. Their pale face is almost white with a rusty-red streak going down from each eye. The coat is thick and bright red while the under pants are dark brown. Giant pandas, other hand, are close to the bear in size and body shape. They also have the ability to stand erect on hind legs kike the bear. Recent studies have shown that their DNA resembles that of the bear while the DNA of a red panda matches that of a raccoon.

The red panda is a carnivore, but spends a large part of the day up on trees, and in its natural habitat, it subsists predominantly on bamboo leaves, which constitute 90% of its diet. It grasps the bamboo between thumb and finger while foraging. It has also been known to feed on birds, rats, squirrels, other small. animals, insects, fruits and tuberous roots. But is hard to make sense of their eating habits as they have an inefficient digestive system that cannot easily convert plant food into energy. Hence, they resort to eating vast quantities of bamboo to generate enough energy. They are better able convert met into energy but ironically depend more on bamboo leaves.

In order to communicate with each other, the red pandas whistle with each other, the red pandas whistle weakly. They also secrete a strong odor when under stress, or to attract a mate. They are known to have an ordinary sense of smell and their sight and hearing are dull. The panda can climb trees easily, and often sleep on tree tops of most of the day. They forage incessantly when awake.


The red panda is a solitary animal, which normally looks for a mate only during the breeding period. Mating takes place during late winter starting from the end of December to February. Females give birth in the hollow of trees during the monsoon, with the average birth count being two in a litter. It is usually between one and four .Cubs are confined in their den up on the tree living on their mother’s mild for about three months. After three months, they finally emerge from confinement to taste solid food and leaves. After 18months, the cubs are mature and can fend for themselves. In captivity, the panda goes through a gestation period of 130 days after which tow cubs are normally born in spring. Either parent or both will then nurse the offspring for a year. In captivity, their life span is 13 years.

According to a researcher with t eh Project Red Panda, the venture has been very successful since the early 90s. The animals are gradually to be released in the wild, before this, intensive studies and research will be made. Problems such as disease control aimed at avoiding contamination of those pandas bred in captivity by the wild population need to be looked into.

With conservation efforts like the Project Red Panda, the future of this once threatened mammal looks promising, at least for now.

DARJELLING – THE QUEEN OF HILLS

PICKING TEA LEAVES

Dirdham Temple

Darjeeling (Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in northeast India provides the perfect ambiance of a hill resort with its mild climate and laid back charm. Its verdant hills and valleys are steeped in color, and are interspersed with vast stretches of lush green tea gardens. Presiding over all these is the 8,586-m Mt. Kanchenjunga looming over the northern horizon, giving a magical aura to the land that entices to the land that entices thousands to its environs and leaves all the senses intoxicated.

Darjeeling is hemmed in by Sikkim in the north, Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the east. Darjeeling town, Kalimpong and Kurseong are the major urban centers. Heavily influenced by British India, Darjeeling still carries imprints reminiscent of its colonial past. The toy train is one of the most striking examples of Darjeeling’s British Raj influence.

DARJEELING TOWN

Darjeeling town (population 100,000 and elevation 2.134 m) is located on a spur with houses hugging the hillside. The places to visit are Chowrasta, a wide promenade atop, a ridge lined with shops and restaurants; Mall Road, starting and finishing at Chowrasta, for a leisurely stroll amidst peaceful surroundings and splendid views; Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park which has the Siberian tiger, Himalayan black bear, red pandas, snow leopard and many other animal and bird species, and the nearby snow leopard breeding center and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, a training center for mountaineers which also houses the Everest museum; Natural History Museum, with its fine display of Himalayan wildlife; Observatory Hill which has Hindu and Buddhist Shrines; Dhirdham, a pagoda style Hindu temple; Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Center, a major center of r the production of Tibetan carpets, woodwork and leather goods; the Buddhist monasteries of Bhutia Busty. Thupten Sangan Choling (Ghoom); Batasia Loop, a marvelous feat of railway engineering; Tiger Hill for its renowned sunrise view over Kanchenjunga and the eastern Himalaya; Japanese Peace Pagoda, established by the Japanese Buddhist order, Nipponzan Myohoji; and Lloyd’s Botanical Garden which has a varied collection of Himalayan flora.

Visitors can also take a ride in the Darjeeling-Rangit valley passenger cable car or hop on the toy train which wheezes and winds all the way from Siliguri to Darjeeling town via Kurseong.

AROUND DARJEELING

Kalimpong (pop. 50,000) is a steeply little town situated at an altitude of 1,200 m, some 50 km to the east of Darjeeling. It once used to be the hub of the trans-Himalaya trade between India and Tibet when merchants used to ferry commerce by mule caravan over the Jelepla pass on the Sikkim-Tibet border.

The places to visit are Kalimpong Arts and Craft Center for handicraft goods; Tharpa Choling Monastery, a repository of old scriptures and documents; Thongsa (Bhutan) Monaster, the oldest in the area; Dharmodaya Vihar, a Nepalese Buddhist temple; Rarnami Mandir and Mangal Dham; Durpin Danda from where the mountain ranges of Sikkim, including Jelepla, Tiger Hill and the confluence of the Relli, Riang and Tista rivers can viewed; Zong Dog Palri For Brang Monastery at Durpin Danda; Deolo View Point for magnificent views; and Kalimpong’s famouns flower nurseries.

Kurseong (elevation 1,458 m) is a quaint little town about 30 km to the south of Darjeeling on the way to Siliguri.

The market consists of rows of shops lining the main road which is crisscrossed at several points by the railway tracks of the toy train. The places to visit are Eagle’s Crag which ahs park form where glorious views of Kanchenjunga on one side and the southern plains on the other can be taken in; Dow Hill which has the forest museum, Deer Park and a water reservoir, and set amidst moss-laden confers; and Chimney, a serene, open meadow.

Mirik (elevation 1,767 m) is another tiny hill resort easily accessible from Siliguri, Kurseong or Darjeeling. The centerpiece of the town is the Sumendu Lake where boating under the serene gaze of Kanchenjunga makes for a most relaxing pastime. Rameetay Dara and Deosi Dara are tow elevated points near the lake from where the view’s terrific. Apple orchards and tea gardens are other attractions.

PERMITS AND TRANSPORT

Foreigners visiting Darjeeling must possess an Indian visa. No special permit is required for either traveling or trekking inside Darjeeling. However, necessary travel documents need to be shown as and when required.

Transport is provided by buses, four-wheel drive and smaller vehicles. Local taxis are also available for hire for getting around.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Darjeeling is a hill top town, overlooking hills and valleys below.

Access: From Kathmandu, take the one-hour flight to Bhadrapur (the nearest Nepalese airport to Darjeeling), drive to Kakarbhitta (Nepal-India border, 34 km), to Siliguri (36 km) and to Darjeeling (77 km, 2 hours 30 minutes). Darjeeling is also connected by road with Sikkim (120) km) and Bhutan (about 200 km). Darjeeling town is 90 km from Bagdogra, the nearest Indian airport, where scheduled flights operates from New Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati.

Season: March-May and September-November are the best times to visit. Bring light woolen clothing during summer (maximum temperature 16 degrees Celsius) and heavy woolens in winter (minimum 1.6 degrees).

Adventure: Trekking, white water rafting, kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking and rock climbing.

Accommodation: There are modern hotels and restaurants in Darjeeling and Kalimpong, and comfortable lodges in Kurseong and Mirik.

For more information: contact Department of Tourism, Darjeeling Gorkha Hill council, Silver Fir Building. The Mall, Darjeeling – 734301, India; Tel: 91-354-54879, 54214; Fax: 91-354-54214; E-mail: dghctourism@hotmail.com; Website: www.darjeelingtourism.com