Ranighat

....also known as the Taj Mahal of Nepal. It was built buy a General about a century ago in memory of his deceased wife. They said it would be a 5 hour trek. It took us 9 and a half hours. The Nepalis are highlanders..seasoned to walk on the mountains. We saw fifthgraders prancing back from school laughing at us as we panted and puffed louder than the big bad wolf.
  Yet I'd recommend it to everyone visiting Palpa. It shouldn't be a challenge to anyone who climbs a flight of stairs once a day. It's better to travel in groups since there are no guides or directions.

   The trek to the palace is downhill and from is uphill. It took us more time to go downhill as we didn't know the route ...which was very unclear.....and we just didn't know if we were getting there. The trek begins with a steep downhill walk over a very rocky path. The people are really friendly and hospitable. The locals guided us whenever we came across them. The route moves down wooded hills and terraced farms....which I had always wanted to get close to....you can't run down them as I always thought :)...until you finally reach a stream...with ice cold water. This is the mid point to our destination. The stream crosses through the path at many places as you move downhill. The cold water soothed our aching feet. We walked through green forests with insects buzzing in the backdrop. All you can see for the next four hours are green trees and rocks. You tend to forget there's a world outside those hills. You pass by two small villages where the locals sell biscuits etc and have a couple of eateries offering simple food and drinks.

      It's difficult finding a loo...I don't think there are any on the way. One can be as innovative as he likes while in the woods.
   The stream forms rapids and tiny waterfalls along the way. You get to walk right through them at times. You cross a creaky bridge and walk downhill through more trees and springs till you finally get to the palace.
On our trip there was a landslide midway. We risked our necks and clambered over it to the other side.
     One meets the local people at the beginning and the end of the trip. It's very hard finding people to guide you mid way. As a rule of thumb...keep going down in a straight path.

a village en route

     The palace is not much to write about. It's like a big blue country manor. You have to show yourself in, unbolt the doors walk through the empty rooms and bolt the doors on your way out. The view from the balcony is breathtaking with the Narayani river flowing right beside the palace. How the General built the big structure in the middle of the forests a hundred years ago is a wonder. With no motorable roads people had to trek through dense woodland with bricks and mortar and wood .....seems impossible.
    There are eateries around the palace where we ate a bowl of noodles before the trek up. Towards the end of the trek we met someone who we had encountered on our way down. He said he hadn't expected us to come back so soon. Coming from a highlander..that was a compliment...we boast of how fast we walk whenever we can now.
    My description of the palace shouldn't discourage one from going there. The trekking route is excellent. The palace is good...just don't expect the Taj Mahal.

the palace

   Back in civilization....we hogged on pastries and noodles and momos at Nanglo's and headed back to the hotel to enjoy a well earned sleep.

That's a random picture I took at a local market at Bhairahawa in Nepal. I think it truly symbolizes the spirit of South Asia...unity in diversity....feel free to use it as your wallpaper or share it with a friend..

Palpa and Tansen

      Palpa, one of the first cities one encounters on the mountains in Nepal when travelling by road from India. It's a 4 hour ride from Butwal in a quaint little bus with the drivers cabin done up like a bride. I'd do the same if I were I spent most of my days...and  nights behing the wheel.

      We see the plains of the Terai fade away. There is a sudden drop in temperature as hills with terraced farms appear. It's best to sit on the left side of the bus. A local traveller brought two goats and a chicken onto the bus. One of those goats was huge. It weighed around 25 kg and was worth a fortune.

Durbar Square

    Palpa bus stop is very busy. It's an important junction en route to Kathmandu, Pokhara and other cities in Nepal. There are lots of really cheap hotels with the bare minimum facilities and of questionable hygeinic standards. One can find better hotels after a really steep climb up the hill to the main market. I staid at the Green Hill...just minutes away from Durbar square.

   Palpa was established by the Newari people who built houses with pagodas and huge wooden windows. The Greeh Hill is on a street lined with Newari style houses which gives an ethnic feel to it. It's right next to the Doco...a little restaurant in the attic of the house right next to it. There're just two tables so it's not great for a large group but one get's the opportunity to stare out of those windows I mentioned earlier. A Doco is a shuttle cock shaped wicker basket women strap to their backs and use as baskets while picking leaves in tea plantations. It's also inverted and used to cage poultry. It's a common site in rural Nepal.

a traditional Newari house

   There is no public transport on the hill. I didn't see any vehicles save for the odd motorbike. It's too steep for them.
   There are shops in the main market where one can purchase basic necessities. There are a few chemists but I'd advise purchasing essential meds before the journey.
   A small white tower is at the heart of Palpa. There is the Durbar...the court of the erstwhile princes which houses the municipal offices at present right next to it. It was bombed during the Maoist uprising and was being done up when I visited.
   There's a famous temple dedicated to Goddess Durga. There's a gala procession every year which I missed by a week. Nanglo's west, one of Nepal's most popular restaurant chains has an outlet At Durbar Square. It's huge and has an old world ambience with mats and low tables. Most waiters speak English so communication is not a problem for the foreign traveller.
  Papla is famous for Dhaka hats...the traditional headgear of the Nepali menfolk and copperware.
A short trek up the hill and one is in Srinagar...a beautiful hilltop full of pine trees. I love the smell of wood in the air which is so characteristic of hillstations. The best thing to do in Palpa is the trek to Ranimahal which I'll write about in my next blog.
Peace!

the view from my room