A New Journey into the Wild: Ranipauwa, Chimteshwor & Devighat Trekking Route
Yogesh Dhakal
Nepali new year celebration were on the high and while I was wondering what should I do, to give it a special starting, I received an unexpected invitation. To trek on a two day new trekking route- Ranipauwa – Chimteshwor – Devighat. The offer seduced me instantly and there was no denying. I instantly began to pack my things when Chandra Rijal, President of Nepal National Tourism Entrepreneurs called me on the last day of the year. The next morning I was on the van and geared up to trek on one of Nepal’s brand new trekking route.
At 8 am our van speeded towards and three hours on the road, our team was in Raanipau. A small town but provisioned with good and elegant hotels. Along with luxurious accommodation, the charges were cheap in comparison to those found in Kathmandu. From the facilities, it was evident that the town was fast bracing to welcome tourists there. It was a happening tourist destination with foreigners enjoying the beauty and serenity that one rarely gets in Kathmandu.
After having a delicious ethnic Nepali lunch at a hotel, we geared up for the trek. Rijal informed that the three-day trekking route is originally designed to trail around Raanipauva, Chimteshwor, Devighat, Galchi, Dharke, Naubisey to Kathmandu. But for us, we were skipping the latter three destination and will be ending our trek in Devighat and return to Kathmandu from Devighat. So, now i began to sketch a trail map in my mind and started following the team as they stepped up the mountainous trek right at the end of Okharpauwa town.
Half-hour uphill trek caught my fellow trekkers breath. Though my city-dwelling frets were also pulling me down the hill, the music of the pine leaves and the sweet and thick air was instilling in fresh ounces of life. I was once more truly in the lap of nature. The turvy and twisted trail up and down and across the mountain trail filled with pine trees brought us to a desolate town- Maajhkharka. The town is manifestation of the Tamang heritage. Tamang women clad mostly in their ethnic outfit welcomed us with Strawberry and Strawberry juice. That was in fact the last thing I expected to quench my thirst. Powered with the juice and the simple yet weather tarnished smiles of those folks we set out for our next resting point- Hiley.
Hiley is famous for its awesome mountain view and sunrise. A perfect place for sight seeing and cultural heritage. As part of the Tamang heritage, it showcases the inherent cultural and social practices. An ideal place for serious researchers, it is also equally awe inspiring destinations for travelers and trekkers like us. The welcome offered by the Tamangs throughout the trail-towns renders Tamangness to the whole circuit. Its simply out of the box experience.
Morning sun has always been an inspiring source within me. I used to dream that I could the sun in my hands if I were to climb a mountain, when I was a child. On the top of Chimteshwor mountain top, I realized that my childish ambition still seemed so far away. Even at such heights. The mountain has a key place in Nepal’s history and Hindu scriptures. It was the same place from where Nepal’s great king, Prithvi Narayan Shah, had conquered Nuwakot and planned his strategy to capture the Kirtipur kingdom. Relics of Shah’s armory on the mountain top can be found to these days also.
But that was not all. According to local legends, the place got its place Chimteshwor because Hindu’s god Lord Shiva had forgotten his Chimta (a percussion instrument) when he once had lived in the caves there. Legends claim that Shiva and his wife Parvati had stayed their for some days, with a saint. But later on the couple decided to move on concluding that they were disturbing the sage’s penance. However, the lord forgot his percussion at the cave. years later, locals made a temple to workshop lord Mahadev. The temple was named after Mahadev and his son’s content.
Clock was Dickung. We would have spent some more hours or even days at the place. But we were destined to move. So, we started down the mountains for Devighat. Six hours of refreshing visit through newly populate forests, rife with ainselu and kafal we reached Mahadev Kharka- a desolate place of Jilling VDC. What was amazing here is that kids dashed off to their houses seeing us – strangers. Locals claimed that a constant decrease of foreign tourist has been seen in the town. After spending some hours in Devighat, we headed back to Kathmandu. And thats all.
Leave a comment if you think we can further edit this story.