Naturally Nepal ----Once is not enough

BANDIPUR A Paradise On Earth

By Prabalta Rijal

Just 163Km away from the capital and 73km north-east away from Nepalese film city Pokhara, lies, our very own paradise on earth Bandipur. Though a small hill station, the place can keep us busy the whole day. Different places like the Bandipur market, Tundhikhel, Thani Mai (Purano Kot), Tin Dhara, the hike to Raniban and Ramkot, Siddha cave, Sunkhari Marga, Khangadevi, Vindyabasini and Mahalaxmi temple. A Swiss tourist who was viewing the Annapurna range and trying to identify Mt; Manaslu from Tundikel during sunrise said that it felt like you were in heaven filled with clouds. "I just cannot get enough of this scene the range looks so beautiful and it feels like I’m floating above the clouds," he said. With him were a few Chinese tourists who were excitedly telling their children that on the other side of the mountains was China. The local establishment in Bandipur is mostly of Newars who migrated from Bhaktapur and this is why the village looks like a mini Bhaktapur Durbar square. Bishnu Shrestha, a coffee and tea shop owner informed that the community living in the village were mostly Newars and the best place to go to view the mountains would be the Thani Mai temple which is situated right on top of the hill 500 meters west of the market where one can reach the height in 20 minutes. "Bandipur used to be a trade centre years back and was originally a Magar village but in the early 19th century Newars from Bhaktapur migrated here and developed the village into an important trading location on the Tibet-India trail," she said. The Thani Mai temple used to be a fort years back and the locals believe that at times of drought, ‘worshiping lord Shiva there would bring rains. The temple is also a perfect location to view mountains during sunrise and sunset. Probably the biggest cave in the Himalayan region Siddha cave is located in Bimal Nagar Bandipur, a small market 2 Km east of Dumre on the Prithivi highway. It was discovered in 1989 and is situated at 600 meters above the sea level. It is a half an hour hike via a stone path that starts from the orange orchids leading to the community forest from the highway and about an hour’s hike from Bandipur bazaar. The easy hike to the cave offers magnificent vistas and abundant nature with several rare varieties of orchids. The view point just few meters below the entrance of the cave offers a panoramic view of the Annaupurna range and Mt; Manaslu both above 8,000 meters and the Marsyangdi valley below at five hundred meters. Although the entrance of the cave is narrow it widens inside. The maximum height inside the cave is around 50 meters and minimum four meters. It is rich in stalactites and stalagmites, which take thousands of years to form so they should be protected. Stalagmites are locally known and worshipped as the Shiva Lingum because of their shape. The locals have also given other formations names in accordance to their shape. The view of the elephant trunk hill during sunrise A bag-packer from Israel Meir Hagbi who was with his friend Ricardo Sastre from Spain said that the place was very natural. They loved the orange orchids; the elephant trunk hill that looks like elephant sitting down and said that they hoped the cave too was just as exciting. After getting into the cave Hagbi said, "This cave is more adventurous than the ones in Pokhara it is very natural I just love the formations it is very difficult to find these. I’m actually cluster phobic but I’m trying to get over my fear, trust me the narrow windings below the steps gave me the spooks but I’m glad I got over it." His friend Ricardo, a retired computerspecialist and a photographer said that he preferred Bandipur to Pokhara because it was more natural and efforts had been made to preserve the natural beauty of the place. "Pokhara these days has become more artificial and the minute people see tourists there, they look for ways to drill a hole into our pockets,’ he said. Dipak Sunar, cave caretaker and guide informed that over three hundred visitors visit the cave on weekends and even on other days the number of visitors crosses fifty. A committee ‘Siddha Cave Development Committee’, has been formed to protect and promote the cave.