Finally, we stepped our feet in the land of heaven which stands at the altitude of 4100 m high above sea level. By dusk we had reached the foot of the lakes.
After we came across the place, we could not believe ourselves, especially, I could not because I'd never been to such an amazing place, and the outlandish views of nature, green valley, quiet lakes and cool weather brought all goosebumps to my skin. I couldn't believe myself that I was on the top of 4100 m high as I'd never scaled such a high point in my entire life.
'Uff!' 'What an amazing beauty!' 'Yippee! Heavenly beauty!' 'Oh my goodness! What a place!' These are the words that were spilling out of our mouths, being in the land of lakes.
"Hey! We reached Panch Pokhari! We reached!" We screeched triumphantly as we were desperate to visit this place in our whole life.
This is a group of five hindu holy lakes and a popular pilgrimage site. The lake in Janai Purnima (hindus' festival) is a renowned destination for hindu and buddhist pilgrims.
I've heard about the Jhakri (witch doctors) dance but have never witnessed such ritual performance. Jhakri dance is the identity of the Tamang community which is performed by a local group of witch doctors at the fair at the time of Janal Purnima when the pl. It is said that the people from different parts of the country visit Panch Pokhari at the time of Janai Purnima festival just to watch it.
This is a remote and unfrequented region, despite being close to Kathmandu city. Panch Pokhari is the main feature of Langtang National Park from where we can see excellent views of Jugal Himal region that includes Lakpa Dorje, Madiya, and Phurbi Chyachu himal closely.
Our eyes were wondering, seeing the place and lakes and were trying to catch its range as much as they could from the peak.
It was cold, though the month was Spring in the hilly region and this place was on the mountainside.
The mountains lay in a great line like the spine of the land. It was as If long ago there was a huge beast only to lie down one day and never got up. Perhaps the beast fell into an enchanted sleep. The mountain range was high to the west and low to the east, curling at the end like a tail. They were the reasons the land looked so lush at one side and the other side was scorching desert. To pass them, the clouds must go high and meet the colder air up there, then they dump their rain on us.
Our eyes caught several teepee tents dotted on the peg from the ground which were looking extremely attractive to stay in. Beyond the lakes, some tourists, including two local Nepali visitors who may be tourist guides for them, were also making tents for camping as the fixed tents were not sufficient for them. Two robust type foreign men were hitting metal pegs under the ground and trying to tie the ropes firmly to join and secure the knot of the tent from every end .
We got to know that Panch Pokhari certainly gets less tourists for visiting especially in the time of Spring and cold seasons, but this time the place had been occupied by many tourists.
We were on the lakes, so there were no resorts and homestay nearby. There were few, but they were too expensive and were far away from lakes.
It was about 5 in the evening and we were too tired of walking through several trails and villages and our legs were hurting very sinisterly. On the other hand, the evening was getting even darker as the villages get early nights than the cities.
Now we had two choices; either we should walk some more steps hurting our legs or urge them to arrange one space.
We also yearned to stay in tents like this and we've never spent nights. We were also extremely willing to spend at least one night in a tent, so we had an obligation to plead with them to arrange one vacant tent.
We asked the proprietors of that place and got to know that there was no tent vacant, all were booked by the troop of foreigners well in advance and some had been going to be built by them as the tents were less for the group. We were going to have an utter problem as the night was slowly falling, and home-stays and resorts were far away from that place.
When we exposed our problem solemnly to the proprietors, they came up with an idea and advised us, 'Once talk to the tourists and urge, they may look into your problem and accommodate you any tent for the night,'
"Thank you sir! We'll talk," Som said.
"The night is falling. I think we must talk to them and plead," I said.
"Yes, they seem to be kind and helpful. They'll surely do," Jeetu added.
'I think Som, you need to go to them to talk," I said.
"Okies! Sure!" said Som,
With a great hope, he walked towards the place dotted by the tents to talk to English people, while Jeetu and I lied on the grass until Som came back.
Some moments later, Som came back with a smile on his face as it seemed that they were ready to tolerate us and permitted to join them for the night.
"Yeh! They are ready!" Som said cheerfully.
"Oh! Thank god! They allow us," I said.
They all welcomed us happily and asked us to feel comfortable. We introduced each other. When they said their names, it was so complicated for us to articulate their names and we also knew their countries. There were a total 18 tourists from different countries but came in the same group for trekking to different parts of Nepal. They were mostly English people from England and Australia and few were Europeans, but all were very kind, amicable, and sophisticated men..
Most English people are kind, friendly, and benevolent who speak very courteously and help others that we got to know by meeting and conversing with them.
They came to visit Panch Pokhari after scaling Gaurishankar mountain that lies in Dolakha district. They said that they would go back to Kathmandu the next day, and then they will leave for India.
We somehow dissolved the problem of spending the night. But we thought of food items which were too expensive in that place, certainly double of the original rate.
'Thank god!' We did not forget to carry some raw unhygienic food stuffs such as cookies, chips and noodles from the roadside stall, but we had to rely on only these stuffs to kill our hunger just for the night regardless.
However, they accommodated a tent for us and surprisingly didn't need to pay out. We entered the tent and snuggled our bags into the corner. Though it was a small tent, it had adequate space for us.
After some time, two same Nepali men who were perhaps their guides, entered the tent with three small cups of hot coffee.
"Sir, take coffee,"
"Thank you very much for your kindness!" We said unanimously.
"No need for formality! We're brothers!" he said, smiling. "Feel free to ask for anything,"
"Oh! Thank you sir once again!"
We introduced each other and talked for some time candidly. They articulated their names; Hom Bahadur and Jeet Tamang one after another.
Hom Bahadur looked more senior than Jeet Tamang with the slight age difference. Hom Bahadur was a 40 year old man who had his wife and two children, whilst the another guide was about 30 years old who was still unmarried.
"Why are you still unmarried?" I asked.
"I'm desperate to find the right partner one. I 've visited all 75 districts but did not find any," he responded with a little humor.
They both gentlemen were good human beings who spoke very politely.
They both were from Helambu and had been working as guides for a long one decade. When they were talking about themselves it manifested that they both looked extremely happy and satisfied with their jobs and perhaps, with their earnings too.
We enjoyed sipping coffee in that cold weather, on the other hand, all of them were busy preparing food; maybe frying chicken and sausages, as it was smelling and entering inside our noses.
The place had expensive food items, maybe that was the reason for the tourist people themselves being interested in cooking.
I've heard most of foreign people are good cooks and they do experiments to carry out new items, but here, on the hillside in remote areas, they had to depend on only a few selected dishes or dried food, therefore, this was the other reason as they were indulged in cooking.
With the darker night, some of them started playing guitars and singing carols. The guitarists were sprouting beautiful and praiseworthy melodies out which were irresistibly soothing to our ears too. Slowly and gradually, the night was floating in the lightning of dim lamps and moons, light notes of English songs, and smell of scrumptious foods. After some minutes, the songs and music had been louder and flaring in the cold air.
It was about seven and presumably time for supper. In the village area, people eat supper even earlier.
We were just chatting and chewing chips and noodles, laying our bodies on the cushioned pillows in prop-top position. Suddenly, Hom Bahadur came in and said, "Brothers, let's go outside to have food. Our group members are inviting you three."
"No sir! Thanks! We've carried food," I said.
"I know you are very hungry and these are not good enough for your stomachs, especially in this cold region," the man remarked. "Please, do not hesitate and come with us!"
"I think we are giving trouble you all."
"No, Not at all," they both said unanimously.
"Please! Let's go for supper."
I looked at Som and Jeetu and they nodded their heads for supper,
"Okay then," we said.
We got out of the tent and joined the group of English people. They had good arrangements for the night as one of them had a birthday and was throwing a party for all of us.
The night was falling and some butter lamps were lit which were commonly used on the hillside or mountain areas, especially by the Tamangs and Sherpas community. The people of the group were turning electric lights as well, but the importance of lighting lamps in the village has not been replaced yet by anything.
Hom Bahadur came to us with one brown man, carrying a big fiber plate that contained- enough quantity of beaten rice, butter chicken, pickles and some salads.
And, the brown man was carrying two bowls of soup which was perhaps made from chicken that smelt really tasty and pleasant.
At the same time, Jeet Tamang also appeared with one more bowl of soup and urged to take it.
Besides these, they offered us some more food items, varieties of food items which were cooked by the English themselves. Some were English food which we've never tasted in our entire life. They were seemingly paying only for lodgings not for fooding as they arranged all food themselves and of course, did cooking too.
We also started enjoying and chewing scrumptious varieties of food which were cooked by English cooks. The slow music and English carols were adding an extra excitement and enjoyment being in the group. Some who finished eating supper, were rapt on making melodious notes from guitars and shaking legs and hands on the beat of the light music.
it was cold on the uphill. A chill breeze was coming off the lakes, making us cool though it felt stiff. We were feeling a little cold due to the chilly lakes like in the winter season. On the other side, fireflies also made the night aesthetically better in the silent and tranquil atmosphere, just moving and making buzzing sounds, and flashing lights all around us.
English men were eating, drinking, singing, dancing and screaming with fun in the dim lightning of butter lamps and moon. They were offering us some wine but politely forbade them to drink.
I have been a teetotaller during my whole while, so I refused to take drinks, but both of my friends who sometimes drink, also denied as they were hesitating a little to join the liquor party.
We got up at our place, finishing our food. The humble men were still pleading us to take some more food, but each and every corner of our bellies were full of food and did not have space to store now.
"You all keep enjoying it, but we're done now," I said. "Thank you guys! And thank you very much for food items that were very delicious. We really enjoyed it."
"Oh! Thanks for the compliments," one of them replied.
"Sorry to say! But we want to go to sleep. We are extremely tired."
"Okies! Never mind! Sure!"
"Have a good evening, guys!" we said,
"All right, Have a sweet dream!"
It was eight when we left the party, wishing 'Good night' to them and slid into the tent. We laid on the mats idly after overeating and of course, due to blistering weariness of four and half hours trek.
"'Som, what's our next plan? We have to visit another place or back to Kathmandu," I murmured, closing my eyes.
'I think we need to go to some more places tomorrow like a nearby mountain," Som replied.
'Okies!"
English tourists still were enjoying the night drinking, singing, dancing and sometimes some roaring noises were howling in the moon night. We spent some time talking about English people, their cultures and lifestyles. And of course, delicious foods which were served by them.
Next morning it was seven when my eyes opened. My head had gotten a severe headache due to the cold on the hillside as it seemed to be a hard rock. I could not get up, so I kept lying on the mat.
I noticed Som and Jeetu had already awoken, and they were talking perhaps with Jeet Tamang outside as I easily recognized his voice even from inside of the tent though he is used to speaking in a low voice. I heard a few words from them as it seemed both were talking about another place and taking some information, but I could not hear the name of the place clearly.
Jeetu entered the tent and yelled and uncovered me, removing my blanket from my head.
''Wake up man! It's 7'o clock," he screeched, placing the cup of tea near me on the small table.
"Drink hot tea! How long do you sleep?"
"It's cold and I have a headache. Let me sleep for some time," I said with half open eyes, snatching the blanket from him
"What?" he asked again.
"Headache!
"Humm! You've got a cold, Wait! I have medicine."
"You have!" I asked surprisingly.
"Yes, I carry all needed stuffs because i know we may need any time,"
"Ph! That's good!"
"Hope this will help you reduce your headache," Jeetu said.
"Thanks!" I said, grabbing one cetamol tablet quickly from his hand.
I tried to hold my whole weight and awoke.
I gulped the medicine instantly in just a second with one sip of the tea which tasted like ginger tea. It smelled really nice and I was enjoying drinking tea. I reckoned the sweet taste of the tea and medicine would definitely lessen my headache soon.
Som was still outside and continuing talks with the English people too, and maybe he was talking about either the places they had visited so far or about their countries and cultures.
I finished the tea and got out of the tent to observe the morning beauty of the hillside. It looked really enigmatic and inexplicably outlandish from top of the hill where we could see mountain ranges clearly.
It was cold even in Spring as the lakes were giving off cold, and the sun had not arrived yet.
Some English people were standing by the edge near the tree, sipping hot coffee in mugs, gazing at the mountains and talking with each other and some were busy washing faces and brushing. Meanwhile, others were chewing breakfast.
My headache had gotten a little better as I was feeling lighter than in the morning and proceeded to Som and asked him,
'What do you think now, Som? We have to go back or ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"
''I think we have to go climbing Jugal Himal ranges. Hom Bahadur has advised this place as there is no authority we need, to climb this himal, "he said. "What do you say?"
When he talked about Jugal Himal climbing, I thought he was just boasting and making fun of us.
"Jugal Himal! Are you serious about this place? And, can we trek Jugal Himal ranges?"
''Of course! I'm, and not kidding,"
"But I think we may need some preparation,' I added.
'What preparation?'
"To climb mountain, we may need some essential mountaineering stuffs,"
"Don't worry! We're not going for either Mount Everest or Annapurna. We just have to trek till Phurbi Chyachu, then we'll come back.
But yea, we are going to wear boots, warm jackets, and sunglasses that are sufficient to trek Jugal, aren't we," Som said.
"Yes,"
"I've heard that we need permission to reach Jugal Himal," I said.
"I think that is applicable for tourists, not for local people. But we can go till Phurbi Chyachu, not all mountain ranges" Som replied, "I've asked Hom Bahadur. We don't need it"
"Oh! Then it's good."
"And, Jeetu, what do you say?" Som turned to him and asked.
Jeetu was listening to us solicitously. He thought for a while and remarked, ''Guys, it's a little dangerous and perilous mountain though it's not too high. Are you sure to go for this?''
While Jeetu uttered these words, some doubts and fear surrounded my head also. I'd heard that several deaths occured on even that mountain due to extreme avalanches.
"It happens sometimes with some people. Most people go to that mountain, and as far as I know this is the closest and safest mountain to climb," Som said. 'Why are you both getting scared of it? Don't worry!"
"To trek the place, I guess we may need a local guide," Jeetu added.
"No! Not at all! We can find our ways ourselves. We do not need any guide,"
This time Jeetu did not argue much like before and nodded for the next destination.
Later, Som joined Jeet Tamang and Hom Bahadur who were standing by the small tree a little far from the tent and chatting with each other. He thwarted their talks and begged them to give some information about Jugal Himal as our other destination. Having had a few minutes to talk, he had acquired some key information about Jugal Himal from them.
It's a low altitude snowy mountain which is not risky to climb, especially in Spring time. A person can climb without any hurdle and without any guide as it is very close to Panch Pokhari.
Jugal Himal goes to the north east direction where we can start our trekking from Golche village, then we can easily find ways through the steep path to Jugal Himal ranges.
"I think we need to leave this place for Jugal Himal now,' Som said.
"Why today and why not tomorrow? I think we need to stay here for one more day to enjoy the weather and visit more places. We can go for Jugal himal tomorrow," Jeetu said.
I was amazed by his words a little when he asked to stay at the same place for one more day.
"No, Jeetu, I think we all are going to run out of money," Som remarked.
"To stay here for one more day means we'll have unwanted expenses for accommodation as this place is expensive and we've already seen most places, so I guess it's stupidity if we stay here for one more day. Furthermore, we can use the same amount of money for somewhere else. We must leave for Jugal himal today."
"Yes, Som is right. We must leave today," I added.
'Okay then," Jeetu agreed.
We quickly came up with a decision to leave the place at nine and climb Jugal himal, so we changed our dress and put on jackets and boots.
We packed up our rucksacks and were ready to walk out of the place.
We heartily thanked all of the English people and Nepali guides Hom Bahadur and Jeet Tamang who had been extremely kind and humble to us and helped us benevolently in our poor circumstances.
"Have a nice journey, bros!" all of them wished one after another, shaking hands.
"Thank you all for your help and support!
May your journey become successful and memorable!"
'Goodbye!'
Waving hands to them, we abandoned the place and walked away.
They waved saying 'Goodbye' cheerily.