Searching Strange Lives in the Himalayan Cloud: Researcher's Experience from Helambu - Langtang Area, Nepal

By Shiva Devkota, Kathmandu, Nepal
shivadevkota12@yahoo.com

“Shiva! as per department' decision, you are selected to conduct research work on Lichen with Swiss Professor Christoph”, said Prof. Krishna, Chief of Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University. I was amazed. I thought, now time has come to me to meet my goal and to do something new in more innovative and responsible ways. Then after it was hard time for me to have research permission from Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Nepal. After half a month long process and my regular visits to concerned authorities I collected permission. Thanks god! we got legal permission.

“Nepal is really a beautiful country, I like it”, said Prof. Christoph when I first met him in the lobby of Thamel Guest House. In our short talk, I was impressed by him and his works on lichens and of course by his simplicity. Lichens are unique having strange lives with the combination of Algal and Fungal Partners.  In Nepalese language it is called Jhyau. We made some plans and he described me some field ideas. Thamel Guest House, which is standing as the legend in Nepal Tourism sector is serving visitors since decades.

“Shiva Sir, we are leaving hotel at 9:00 AM sharp” said Dhan Rai. He is travel agent and was managing our trip. Along with Christoph six others Swiss friends were also in the team as travelers. We left hotel and our two vehicles directed towards Bouddha, Jorpati, Sankhu, and then to Melamchi pul bazar (846m). Road from Sankhu onwards was really awful with sharp bends, narrow track and was so much dusty. We turned powdery white when stopped at pul bazar, to have lunch. Aasbir, Maanbir, and Nepalese teammates were there as helping hands. Though Melamchi river is nearby Kathmandu, it was of my first visit. Since last few years Melamchi is becoming familiar among Nepalese due to its mega water supply project for Kathmanduties.

“We have constructed this road to link our village with Melamchi pul bazar”, said local of Sermangtang, Helambu and our jeep owner and driver. While he was speaking so so, a kind of self satisfaction was clear in his eyes. Our Pajero, however managed to climb the newly built section of the road and we continued along narrow sweeping curves. In the late afternoon we reached Palchok, Kakani (2000m) and stayed there. Just nearby the hotel, local monastery with its historical importance was enlightened with the sounds made by monks. While returning from Monastery I made talk with Claudia, our team member and young school level student. She was in Nepal to enjoy her holiday. She expressed her interest on weather, clouds and forecasting. I was surprised to know her strange interest on research. Normally, in our Nepalese culture and society young students do not pay attentions for such kind of things. I thought, it may be due to the impact of education system. In the evening, Swiss friends served some sweets to celebrate Ester.

Nice to be in a group - at Helambu, Nepal

In the morning, sky was clear. “Today is the first day of hiking, hopefully you all are prepared for it”, said Dhan- before starting. I shared my experience on Caterpillar fungus or Yarsagumba (Cordyceps sinensis) with Elizabeth, Therese and Hedi. They became excitement with all realities related with caterpillar fungus of the Nepal Himalayas. While we left hotel, our mission started. On the way Christoph and I were looking for lichens and others were enjoying in their own ways. Mr. Franz, another teammate was technical person. He is fond of energy and its generation. Even in the field he was carrying solar panels to recharge camera batteries and an instrument to measure wind speed in different locations of the route. He is really funny and also a calm man with lots of experience in his age.

On the way, I came to know about more than three dozens of lichens. Prof. Christoph explained me about different aspects of lichens and their morphological features. Examination of lichen with lenses on different substratum was incredible. “There may be more than fifty varieties of lichens even in a single tree” – said, Prof. Christoph. Mr. Franz and his wife Mrs. Therese served some dry banana and chocolates on the way.

Sermangthang, Helambu, Rasuwa

After two hour walking distance from Palchok there is beautiful strata of rhododendrons. We made some click and clicks. But, it was bitter scene that, locals were cutting living and flowering trees of rhododendron for their domestic uses. There is beautiful Buddhist pilgrim site in the middle of the ways. The site was beautifully decorated and well managed by local community. Stone paved narrow path, large and tall statue, flowering orchids and Buddhist flags were the main attraction. Sometimes, path was lined by enormous stone chortens. We rest there for a momentum and directed towards the Sermangthang (2693m), our next destination. While we reached, Sermangthang, Helambu was bathing in yellow light of late afternoon. It is a Small Sherpa settlement with terraces and traditional house styles. From our study also it is reveled that the forest of Sermangthang is good in lichen diversity.

We enjoyed Sermangthang momo in the evening. Though I have visited more than forty districts of Nepal, it was first experience for me with such shape and taste of momo. In addition to their own indigenous knowledge, there are rich anecdotes of local history and lore, economy and culture. During dinner time I met two young students from America. They were staying there for last three months to complete their reports for the fulfillment of their academic degrees.

Tarkeyghyang (2550m), Helmbu, Rasuwa, Nepal

Next day, in the morning few local youths arrived in our hotel and said that, they are going to celebrate reopening program of locally based school "Yangrima School". "The school was closed for last 10 years due to Maoist insurgency and today (14^th April) we are going to celebrate schools' 20^th birthday" – said locally active youth Mr. Lama. After having group photographs with school team members, we started our mission to reach Tarkeyghyang (2550m). On the way there are beautiful settlements, green terraces with lots of potato farming and dense forest. Our other team members left us (me and Christoph) far more behind as we were inside the forest to search lichens. In the evening we reached Tarkeyghyang and stayed at "Hotel Tarkeyghyang". I like Tarkeyghyang settlement much more. Small settlement having green circle of dense forest is really eye-catching. We visited the monastery and talked with hoteliers about lichens and wild mushrooms of Tarkeyghyang.

The following morning, we descended into a small settlement Nakotegaun (1776m). After continuous two hours walking, we reached Melamchi khola and had lunch. Our Nepalese friends themselves were providing support to the restaurant owner to make food in short period. We enjoyed pumpkin and potato. After having lunch we then ascended through barren field terraces and reached Melamchigaun (2550m) in the evening. I have heard about this village many times. I feel relaxed. In the evening before dinner time, we enjoyed singing. Dorothea, Therese, Claudia, Franz, Christoph, Elizabeth and Hedi sang Swiss songs and we shared Nepali songs. Resam Firiri Resam Firiri……was the most wanted songs among them.

Next day we crossed the steel suspension bridge near Melamchigaun and started climbing up the route. We crossed from interesting conifers forest. On the way we found some interesting lichens. The path along the ridge was cool and pleasant through oak and rhododendron forests. The track passed through junipers near Tharepati (3486m). Tharepati had four hotels and we stayed there for a night. In next morning, the sky was clean and view of Langtang range was crystal clear. We made many clicks and clicks. Then, we traversed across the Betula forest. We searched some lichens there. The ground below the rhododendron was covered with dense mosses. There is also dense vegetation of bamboo. We feel great pleasure, when we finally got special lichen Lobaria sp. in Pinus wallichiana forest since we had left Kathmandu. In the late evening we reached Ghopte (3430m). There were two hotels.

In following day, we had to pass Lauribina East pass (4608m). We ascended through junipers and boulders. There were numerous small landslides on the way and with narrow footholds. We traversed a series of rocky ridges and even on the rocks we searched for variety of high altitude lichens. There were no villages after Tharepati and only of few hotels and tea shops. After two hours walking distance from Ghopte there was Ram Sherpa's tea shop at Phedi (at around 4000m). In the mid day we reached Lauribina pass. Indeed, it was great moment to see frozen Surya Lake nearby the pass. Nau kunda, Saraswoti kunda and Bhairab kunda were others small lakes. Soon after we reached Gosainkunda (4380m), I washed my face in the Gosainkunda Lake, and water was so so cold. There were about six hotels serving for visitors. We stayed at Hotel Lake side.

"According to Hindu legend, once upon a time gods and demons churned the ocean for ambrosia. In the process there appeared poison and fearing that the demons might use it against gods, Shiva drank it and was so overcome with its scalding sensation that his throat turned blue (therefore Nilkantha) and he retreated to the Himalayas to plunge into a cold lake amidst a mass of icy mountains at Gosainkund" – described Harka Gurung in his book Vignettes of Nepal.

Gosaikunda Lake at 4380m 

Next day, in the early morning we climbed up the hill and reached on the top. From where Kimjung and Lirung Himalayas along with Langtang Range was clear. We stayed there for half an hour. Then Prof. Christoph and I moved in search of more lichens on the way. It was bitter experience to see accidental wild fire near by Lauribina (3901m) "The place of discarded sticks". On the way to Cholangpati (3668m) we had a memorable sight of verities of rhododendrons blanketing the hillsides. We made lichens collection before reaching to Cholangpati in Pinus and Tsuga forest. In Cholangpati there were two hotels and we stayed for the night.

Rhodendrons are really beautiful: at Cholangpati, Rasuwa

When we left the Cholangpati for Thulo Syabru (2120m), there is dense conifer and oak forest. Chandanbari (3250m) lies after one hour distance from Cholangpati. Cheese Factory is there and which is producing yak cheese. The factory is established by Swizerland governmen. There is high demand of yak cheese in capital. We made vigorous collections of lichens in research plots. As we were descending, the abundance of Lobaria lichens was seen to be negligible. In the late evening we reached Thulo Syabru. With scarce of Lobaria species, we decided about my early return to Kathmandu. While Prof. Christoph and other team members headed for Kyanjin (3900m).

Beautiful mountain range from Kyanjin (3900m)

I had experience of other settlements  of Langtang National Park like Dhunche (1960m), Pahiro (1660m), Lama Hotel (2840m), Ghora Tabela (3000m), and Kyanjin (3900) while I was there with other researchers to conduct researches on climate change in Langtang Area and once to explore wild mushrooms from these localities. In my personal experience and eternal feelings, Langtang National Park and overall Helambu area is deep rooted as paradise and bio-resources rich site.  After six days of my returned, Prof. Christoph team also arrived Kathmandu with lots of lichens and fountains of happiness. Before they leave we share good time with typical nepali food (Dal, Bhat, Tarkali, and Mutton ) and celebrated small Nepali gathering along with my Mrs. Shova and Dhan`family at Thamel. Next day they flew away for Zurich, Switzerland. Nice and wonderful momentum which I shared with them will remain memorable in my life.

This article is published in tourism based Festival Magazine (Sep, 2009)