Following Manjushri- Round the Valley in 8 days IX

Day 8: Phulchoki to Pharping

8:00 am – 4:00 pm (Sunday. April 18, 2010)

52

In the beginning was the Tao.

All things issue from it;

all things return to it.

To find the origin,

trace back the manifestations.

When you recognize the children

and find the mother,

you will be free of sorrow.

If you close your mind in judgements

and traffic with desires,

your heart will be troubled.

If you keep your mind from judging

and aren't led by the senses,

your heart will find peace.

Seeing into darkness is clarity.

Knowing how to yield is strength.

Use your own light

and return to the source of light.

This is called practicing eternity.

Map of eastern area of Phulchoki (Click to enlarge)

The trail to Lele forks out from the Phulchoki road at the first hairpin bend when coming from Godaveri. If descending from Phulchoki be on a lookout for a major trail that forks out to the left right next to a ravine. The trail to Lele forks out to the right from the stream trail around 5 minutes after leaving the road. If you come to an underground water tank or a huge tree (see picture), you have gone too far.

The trail climbs steeply upwards and meets the ridge after half an hour. At the ridge there are a bunch of trails that fork out. One keeps on going south along the ridge. Another one goes down the ravine to the west. Yet another goes north along the ridge and another one goes northwest along the contours. You can either go down the ravine or take the northwest trail. The ravine trail will bring you to a dirt road and habitation in 10 minutes. From there, you will have to walk along the road itself through villages. The northwest trail continues through reforested pine forest along the ridge to the north of Lele Valley. It meets the dirt road coming from Lele after around half an hour. It should take around one and a half hours to get to Lele either way.

Lele is traditionally a Newar town at the head of a narrow river valley. There are a couple of shops and some places to eat here. From here you walk on the metalled road to Tikabhairab sharing the road with the countless number of tippers carrying stone from the countless number of stone quarries in the area.

Fields near Lele

Lele

One hour along this road should bring you to Tikabhairab, a small town with an interesting temple at the bank of Nallu Khola. This temple dedicated to Bhairab is a huge stone slab on one side and a painted fierce face on the other. Bhairab is a fierce incarnation of Lord Shiva and is quintessentially a Newar deity.

Tikabhairab

Tikabhairab

One of the many stone quarries in the Lele-Tikabhairab area

From Tika Bhairab continue along the road after crossing the stream. Leave the first fork that comes to the right. At the next intersection take right. Walk along this road for 10 minutes and then take a ridge trail that will bring you to Tallo Buryanchali, a small Tamang settlement. There is a road that goes down from Tallo Buryanchali just past a small Buddhist shrine at the edge of the village. You can either take the road which winds through villages or take a ridge trail through cultivation. In either case you should be at Dukuchap within one and a half hours. From here take the road down to Danuwargaun and then to Damodarghat (very few locals seem to be acquainted with that name though). Here you will make the second Bagmati crossing if you travelled via Baghdwar in Shivapuri. And it will be quite a contrast.

Buddhist shrine at Tallo Buryanchali

Trail from Tallo Buryanchali to Dukuchap

Bagmati River at Damodar Ghat, suspension bridge visible

Bagmati River

There is a suspension bridge across the Bagmati River. From the opposite side you can either walk to Dakshinkali and then take the bus to Pharping or you can walk to Pharping via Tashi Gumba. Both the trails will go past settlements and farmlands. It takes one and a half hours to get to Dakshinkali and two hours to get to Pharping.Buses run frequently from Dakshinkali to Kathmandu.

Pharping

Back to the teashop

Tashi Gumba

However, be sure to stop at Chobhar and its caves to pay your last homage to Bodhisattwa Manjushri. It is here, where Chandrahasa cut the gorge to drain the pristine water to create an enchanting valley, that you leave the footsteps of Manjushri. It is here, among black water and plastic bags that you complete the pilgrimage around the Kathmandu Valley.

Chobhar Gorge

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Personal Notes:

Started pretty late. Took an hour to the forktail trail from the hut. Very passive monkeys. Overexcited squirrel. Kaleej pair. Very silent white-throated laughing-thrushes. Steep climb from the trail to the ridgeline. Took around an ½ hour to get there. One trail heads south along the ridge itself. Another trail to Lele heads down the ravine to the west. Another trail heads north along the ridge another heads NNW and follows the contour, The trail to Lele took us down to habitation in 20 minutes where we scared a buffalo and a herd of goats. Water tap and temple to the right. From hereon it’s a walk along the road to the west at the bottom of a river valley which gets progressively wider till Lele. Reforested pine forest on the northern hill, broadleafed forest on the southern hill. Had a good dal bhat meal at Lele. Lot of stone quarry on the way and of course a lot of tippers. Reached Lele around 11:00a. Tikabhairab around 12:00p. At the bank of Nallu khola that becomes Nakhu khola downstream. From thereon walked on a dirt road for 10 min and took a trail to Tallo Buryanchuli. A Buddhist shrine near the top. Tamang settlement. NW to Dukuchap and then to Damodarghat to make the Bagmati crossing at 2:30p. From thereon was an easy climb to the Tashi Gumba at Pikhel. Had tea at Didi’s place at 4:00p (husband: Narayan). Took a bus to Chobhar for pictures. Back to home at 5:30p.

43

The gentlest thing in the world

overcomes the hardest thing in the world.

That which has no substance

enters where there is no space.

This shows the value of non-action.

Teaching without words,

performing without actions:

that is the Master's way.