MYSTICAL NEPAL
When it comes to Nepal, the first thing that comes to mind is the Himalayas. It is home to 8 of the 14 highest mountain peaks on the planet, including the highest mountain, Mount Everest (8,848 m). But when you come to Nepal, you first end up in Kathmandu – there are no international airports in the other cities. And Kathmandu can be shocking. The capital, frequented by British royalty and Hollywood stars alike, is a chaotic, noisy, bustling, and crazy city. The worst part is the roads, which are almost nonexistent. But you come to terms with this, as well as the crazy traffic of motorcyclists, cyclists, and cars, pretty quickly. The mystery of Kathmandu is that after wading through the smog and dust of the roads, suddenly you find yourself in a completely fantastic – quiet, clean and beautiful – Buddhist monastery Kopan, where many Europeans come to learn the basics of Buddhism, or the palace square Durbar, where Dr. Strange was looking for the mysterious Kamar-Taj. And as you walk clockwise around Bodnath, a huge Buddhist stupa in the center of the city, to the mantra “Om mani padme hum,” the clapping of pigeon wings and the sound of brass bells, you suddenly realize that you are in another reality.
It has its own laws, its own rhythm of life and its own ideas about how the world works, and you have no choice but to shed your bourgeois snobbery and tune in to the vibrations of this ancient culture. To further immerse yourself in the mystical atmosphere, you can visit the Pashupatinath temple complex, where on a ghat near the Bagmati River almost all the inhabitants of the country consider it an honor to cremate their deceased relatives – a kind of small Nepalese Varanasi. It is believed that cremation in this temple grants a happy and successful rebirth.
Nepal doesn’t have Michelin restaurants, expensive malls, or Mercedes cars on the streets, but that’s not why people come here. The visitors fall into two categories. The first immediately go to the mountains to trek (almost half of the population employed in tourism and trekking), the latter come for spiritual cleansing and detox (mountain air and glacial water perfectly cleanse the body). But many people combine both. You can’t understand Nepal without visiting the Himalayas, because the heart of the country and all the beauty is there. But you should not refuse retreats, in other words, therapeutic sanatoriums, either – there are many Ayurvedic and yoga centers, where you can take a break from the digital world and improve your health. Interestingly, the small Nepal (the distance from north to south is only 250 km), sandwiched on all sides by India and China, is the highest mountainous country in the world – almost half of the territory is located at an altitude of 3000 meters. There are lowlands in Nepal – about 70 meters above sea level, where the wet jungle and wildlife reserves (one of the best places to watch the wildlife is considered Chitwan National Park). But most of the country is occupied by the Great Himalayan Range.
The mountains in Nepal are really special. The first time you see a snow-covered eight-thousand-meter peak (in my case it was the Dhaulagiri Massif), the mind instantly falls silent at its majesty. The mountains are so huge and regal that you involuntarily bow in silent worship. Swooning in admiration at their beauty and power, you realize the fragility of the little man, who looks like a speck of dust compared to the mountain. However, during the trek, day after day, overcoming one height after another, you begin to believe in yourself, in your physical strength and your suddenly awakened willpower, not allowing you to stop, in your ability to overcome fatigue and not paying attention to the lack of comfort. And when you get to the end, you’re filled to the brim and rejoicing at what you’ve accomplished. It is both joy and strength, and a giant wave of endorphins. This is why people come here again and again.
The mountains are deserted and picturesque. Here, in essence, you are left alone with yourself, you are climbing up, overcoming yourself both physically and mentally, discarding one by one all social masks. The head clears, the annoying thoughts go away, and they are replaced by answers and insights. You don’t need any teachers – the mountains themselves are much wiser. It is not for nothing that for centuries yogis and elders came (and still do) to the Himalayas to meditate in the caves – just being in these places elevates you to a different frequency. No photo captures their mesmerizing beauty. Cedar forests on the slopes, turquoise lakes from melting glaciers, canyons and quiet gorges. wild horses grazing on the hills, eagles soaring in the sky, and mountain peaks covered with glistening snow. At night, due to the lack of city illumination, the sky sparkles with a scattering of huge stars, and the Milky Way can be seen without a telescope. And, of course, the views from the peaks to the floating clouds below you are unforgettable.
The Nepalese themselves are uncommonly good-natured and friendly – they will help you everywhere, feed you, orient you in the area and tell you about the traditions and rituals. And they will do it from the heart, not for money. The level of security for travel is quite high, you can not be afraid of having your bag or purse stolen – there is no crime against tourists. You will be welcomed everywhere. This is the mentality of the nation – despite economic and political instability, poverty and misery, people do not think of being sad. Locals are used to being optimistic, and nothing can throw them off that path. It’s all about what you expect from the future.
In Nepal, a kind of melting pot of Buddhism, Hinduism, and animism, people believe in their karmic account. If you want to increase your stock of godliness, do good deeds. You only want to take – the account balance will quickly deplete. This idea is so strong in the air that even many Europeans, when they come to Nepal, are imbued with it and start doing charity work – building rural schools, hospitals, helping orphanages and orphans. Unfortunately, the effects of the 2015 earthquake are still being felt and many need help. So there is plenty of room for activity “on the scale of good deeds. It is no secret that many world celebrities, who, by the way, often come here incognito, have also helped Nepal. It is said that many live in monasteries and undergo Buddhist retreats. Stephen Seagal, Lady Gaga, Matthew McConaughey, Richard Gere, Leonardo DiCaprio, Keanu Reeves (Bertolucci’s “Little Buddha” was filmed here) and many others have been spotted in love with Nepal. Recently, businessmen and politicians began to come – after all, a clear mind and pure energy are some of the most valuable currencies these days.
The Himalayas are like an alien mythological city, where you get drunk on the air and don’t understand how to contain all this beauty. But the most important thing they give you is faith in yourself. Not into some abstract spirituality, which in every tradition and religion is different and often looks like a patchwork quilt. Namely faith in yourself, in your spirit and willpower, in the ability to achieve the goal. It is a real adventure – overcoming your fears, the early risings, the sun, the mists and dawns, the heart-stopping majesty of the mountains, the delight of sunsets, the acceptance of yourself and everything around you. And it is in the Himalayas that you realize that it is useless to look for power outside, because all the power and answers are inside. This feeling will then accompany you everywhere. It’s very hard to describe – you have to come here to really understand it.
Text: Irina Malkova
14 REASONS TO VISIT NEPAL:
1. Here lies the “abode of the snows” – the Himalayas.
2. Nepal is home to 8 of the 14 highest mountains on earth, including Everest.
3. Here are the best trails for trekking in the world.
4. Even if you can’t climb them, you can fly over their tops in an airplane.
5 Nepal is the center of world spirituality. Here in practice you can see that people can have happiness, no matter how much money they have.
6. Here you can have a real mystical experience that will forever change your entire perception of yourself and the world around you.
7. Many religions peacefully coexist here: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity…
8.. Nepal is a very affordable country.
9. Nepal is a completely safe country (even for solo travel).
11.Nepal has all climatic zones, from the tropics to permafrost.
12. There are about 200 lakes in Nepal.
13. From Dubai/Sharjah (UAE) to Nepal it is only about 4 hours of direct flight.
14. You do not need to apply for a visa in Nepal in advance, it is issued upon arrival at Kathmandu airport (the capital of Nepal).
This is a very incomplete list of reasons to go to Nepal. You will surely complete it with your own, having been there.
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