ONCE UPON A TIME, NEPAL

A Temple

Our small plane was flying over the Himalayas, and looking from the window, I was in awe while staring at the beautiful chain of mountains covered with snow against the clear blue sky. At that time I was working with the World Health Organization and I lived in Bangladesh in South Asia. I was on my way to Katmandu, Nepal which was not very far from where I was stationed.

Himalayas

The Federal Republic of Nepal is the world’s largest country by land mass, and is located in Himalayas bordered to the north by China, and to the south, east and west by India. The 27+ million population of the country are mostly Hindu and Buddhist. Nepal is separated from Bangladesh by a narrow stretch of land. The capital city and the largest city of Nepal is Katmandu. The country’s agriculture sector employs about 76% of the workforce.

The Watching Eyes

People love to visit Nepal for its natural beauty and for being almost like a mystical place but they also go there for mountain climbing especially if they are professional mountaineers. The mountains north of Nepal have eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains, including the highest point of Earth, Mount Everest.

 

A beautiful scenery in Katmandu

My whole experience of being in Nepal felt like a dream especially when I took a tour to see the surrounding skirts of mountains. The air was fresh and cool and I felt I have stepped into a new planet. I saw local women and children in colorful cloths waiting around and talking with each other. When I asked the tour guide about them he said that many of them are relatives of Sherpas who guide the mountaineers.

Sherpas are an ethnic group from the most mountainous region of Nepal in the Himalayas who are regarded as elite mountaineers and expert in their local terrain. In April 2014 the avalanche of massive chunks of ice and snow killed 16 Nepalese guides, mostly Sherpas. There are reports that many Sherpa climbing guides have left their jobs because of frequent deaths and injuries.

Colorful Spices

I experienced Nepal as a beautiful and colorful country with an spectacular landscape. The diverse and exotic cultures of Nepal attract a lot of tourists. The people of Nepal are extremely kind, serene and helpful in spite of the hardship and apparent poverty. I never forget the view of Himalayas and the country’s beautiful sceneries and temples.

In Katmandu

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