10.30.06

Silver Jubilee

Posted in Travel & Places at 12:14 am by www.PHALANO.com

nar-phu.gif

By Dinesh Wagle 

As this reporter entered the cozy abode of the aging couple, Pema without any response, continued with her meal. But the next question was certain to bring back all her memories. “Ama, do you recognize her?” This reporter showed her a coffee table book published 25 years ago. After a constant gaze at the cover, she replied, “Of course! It’s me!”

Recently, on one of those early October afternoons, with sips of yak milk along with rice, Pema was busy having her meal on a ceramic plate with her husband. Behind her on the wooden furniture, steel utensils and the thermos containing briny tea are placed carefully.


Coverl girl Pema Bhutti with her husband 

In Pema’s hands, instead of the ceramic plate, now it is the book brought out on 1981 by a team of British writers, anthropologists and photographers after researching over a month and half on the fringes of Tibet and highlands of Nepal.

Having her eyes fixed on the cover page, Pema recalls the day her snap was taken. It was 25 years ago, in the month of April, altogether a team of 34 guides, porters and foreigners visited the Nar village situated on the northern side of Pisang peak in Manang. And their experiences of the Bhotia people grazing their herds of yaks and the photographs taken by the visitors were compiled and then published by Time-Life Books of America. With exceptional photographs taken by Nik Wheeler, the book entitled “Cloud Dwellers of the Himalayas: The Bhotia” was written by Windsor Charlton. Along with the descriptions of the spectacular panorama of the place, the book also depicts the way of life of the people back then. After China attacked Tibet on 1959 and due to other domestic circumstances, Nepal had restricted foreigners to visit Nar and Phu from the northern border. However, as mentioned in the book, the team was able to visit the place because of a special permission from the late King Birendra who was familiar with the investigations and researches conducted in Nepal by a member of the visiting group __ Professor Christoph Von Furer-Haimendorf.

Oblivious to the details about the book, Pema vaguely recalls a fair guy taking numerous shots of hers in his cameras.

After getting married at the age of 17, Pema traveled as far as India with her husband. “Back then, life was quite difficult but still we had fun. Today, things have got a lot easier,” disclosed her husband, 69 years old Sangma Chesanga Gurung, after he sensed that Pema was too shy to talk about those days.

When asked about the changes they’ve witnessed in the past two decades, Pema answered, “Previously, there was no electricity and trails were very narrow. But the scenarios have changed today. Moreover, the mules also carry provisions instead of riders only. From foods to facilities, everything has gotten better.”


Pema Bhutti


Nar village 

Situated at the height of 4,110 meters, Nar is indeed one of those villages inhabited by the high-alpine people at the soaring Himalaya.

With 71 houses, including two hotels for tourists, the dwellers of Nar uphold an exclusive culture and thereby sustain their identity. Living in a small community, they indeed know each other quite well. Thus, turning the pages of ” Cloud Dwellers” seemed like unveiling their own family album. On the eighth page of the book, we can witness the snapshot of a middle aged lady with her narrow eyes focused on the camera.


Tsering Yangjee, then and now

“Do you know her?” As this reporter asked 68 years old Tsering Yangjee, she immediately responded, “It’s me. Years back, when these visitors came to take my photos, I was mourning over the death of my daughter. Many other children of the area had also died because of smallpox.”


Looking their parents in the book.

Though illustrated in the “Cloud Dwellers” as a locale isolated from the other societies of Nepal, Nar and Phu have now become more reachable and connected to the other parts of the country. Most of the people have at least been to Pokhara or Kathmandu. Youngsters revealed their desire to work in reliable occupations such as government jobs instead of grazing yaks or farming in the fields which are subjected to fluctuations.

As for Nyima Chowang,  he was three years old when the book came out. Now he has a three years old son. Flipping through the pages, he said, “It was incredible to see our old traditions and people, who have already died, in the photographs in this remarkable book.”


Sheep boy in the book is now a man showing his picture.


Entry to Phu village


Khagla pass


A village below Phu


Trail to Phu village


Thrashing crops


Thrashing crops


Phu woman basking Koru in the sun


Phu woman harvesting


Phu village


Phu village

 
Telcom at Nar


Phu Khola (river)


Phu village kids


Yak ploughing at Nar


Nar women at field work


Yaks and Nar village


Phu kid drinking water from the tap


Let’s rock !


A trekker taking picture at Nar Phedi


Khangla pass


Happy silver jubilee, Pema!! 

All pictures by Kantipur journalist Dinesh Wagle, founder of United We Blog
Read his Nar Phu trekking diary on his website Wagle Street Journal


298 comments »

  1. birugurung(korea said,

    November 21, 2006 at 11:53 am

    i love my nepal and i love phu village. thank you very very much

  2. RAI/CHHAHARI/BIRATNAGAR said,

    November 21, 2006 at 11:36 pm

    YOUR PHOTO DOCUMENTARY IS EXCELLENT WE HOPE FOR MORE PHOTOS TO RECOLLECT THE GONE DAYS.

  3. raj iraq said,

    November 22, 2006 at 8:08 pm

    hi
    i love my nepal and i love phu village

  4. samjhana, australia said,

    November 29, 2006 at 10:32 am

    all the pictures are very beatifull .it made me really proud of being nepali .

  5. rim,u.k,swindon,said said,

    November 30, 2006 at 9:14 pm

    OH, THIS IS A GREAT OPICTURE OF NEPAL. I LOVE IT , WELL DONE DINESH

  6. xeric said,

    December 14, 2006 at 2:35 pm

    good photography

  7. dipak, italy rome said,

    December 18, 2006 at 12:00 am

    Thanks for your works. Really this good photograpy recognized nepal in the world. I invit to come in rome Italy to the producer group. ok .

  8. dipak titung tamang morang said,

    December 19, 2006 at 5:32 pm

    hey,
    thankx for the nice shots. it reflect s lifestyle and natural beauty of manang.

    welldone!

  9. ishwariprased lamichhane.U.A.E. said,

    December 21, 2006 at 12:39 am

    I lika may nepal . Because they have veraity of people.

  10. hema budha magar/london said,

    December 31, 2006 at 4:14 am

    ekdamai ramro laggyo keep it up..

  11. dbrocklalitpur said,

    January 2, 2007 at 11:05 am

    thanks

  12. Ram Pun/England said,

    January 2, 2007 at 9:00 pm

    A picture reveils a thousand words. It was mind blowing, great and marvellous. Feeling good to wide open our eyes for the himalayan beauties of nepal (Phu and Nar villages).On the other hand, I will give a shit for the politicians not giving any eyes towards such a beautiful places. Any way u, phalano.com, has done a gr8 job.

  13. dublin ireland said,

    January 12, 2007 at 11:24 pm

    thank you for these lovely pictures i was in nepal a few times but never got to these places maybe on my next visit? keep up the good work thanks liz

  14. James Hong Lee said,

    January 18, 2007 at 11:16 am

    My friend Jagendra Chhantyal of Chhilly,Lammela /Baglung
    has asked me to visit his village many times.He always talks about highlands and himalayas of western Nepal where he passed more than 19 years of his life but he did never mention us about such villages as Nar and Phu!
    Rajeshnim,I am very pleased to have reached in your villages by the means of the pictures you have taken.So natural and so beautiful.I envy your country!Thanks!

  15. Shambhu Lamsal/Tatopani said,

    January 20, 2007 at 2:59 am

    Thanx for nice ptctures and hope to see more.

  16. Debu thapa,waterbury.CT.USA said,

    January 22, 2007 at 7:14 pm

    Its so niceee.Its more then thank you.showing not only pic.showing
    real life. Very good job ,i wish to you. Good luck on future as well
    keep it up thanks

  17. sabita sitaula/sydney said,

    February 5, 2007 at 2:17 pm

    it’s really an attractive pictures…….nepal is really very beautiful …the pictures itself could reveal that it may the most favourable destinations for the tourists…………………

  18. junu said,

    February 11, 2007 at 3:40 pm

    obviously it is appreciable job of falono.But here we just hung on the great job of falano. shall we keep an eye what do the snap tell us?what does the entire heart of the falano team try to message us? when i have gone through the article and contained picutures,it really hurted me. we are here in the age of computer but our family are still in this situation in such remote place!!!!!!!! and here we are pride on their pityful lifestyle???????? its really aching……….

  19. Rishi Pd Nepal said,

    February 14, 2007 at 6:33 pm

    Great work weldoone!!

  20. edmonton said,

    February 19, 2007 at 2:30 am

    I think credit needs to be given to Wanda Vivequin as well who took many of these photos.

  21. Ang Gyalzen Sherpa Recently in (USA) said,

    March 15, 2007 at 7:23 am

    It’s really great job. I miss my occupation when I saw these marvallows pictures and The great ” HIMALYAS ”

    I wish you all the best and looking forward to see more again .

    Thank you Dinesh Ji,

  22. Kiran Ghimire,London said,

    March 17, 2007 at 9:11 am

    Incredible enthusiasm in their faces to search themselve years back…And it’s you who brought that charm.Simply Awsome,breath taking beauties.Grand compilation…

  23. mahesh , california said,

    March 20, 2007 at 8:06 pm

    Dinesh jee..thanx a lot for your beautiful pictures..Really dinesh jee it reminds me the days of my nepal..those are really beautiful pictures but ..still there is something ……the pain of neplease…how long will it goessssssss…i love my nepal…

  24. KIRAN MAHARJAN, WARSAW,PL said,

    March 28, 2007 at 7:25 pm

    Dear,
    Dinesh Dai, the pics are really nice and it reminds me a lot of things of Nepal and travelling of different places which are more beautiful than heaven I think. I really appreciate your snaps and grateful to your work.

  25. Amit/Dharan said,

    March 30, 2007 at 10:50 am

    So, time changes everything. Photos are great!!!

  26. biru pradhan said,

    April 11, 2007 at 8:24 pm

    beautiful pictures return me nepal once more thank so much phalano

  27. sydney said,

    April 15, 2007 at 11:28 am

    beauti of nepal sometime make me as i am in nepal and thanks

  28. joahna/phils said,

    April 22, 2007 at 12:40 pm

    beautiful nepal!!!

  29. Resham Bhandari (sydney) said,

    May 11, 2007 at 1:51 pm

    well, its really awesome to explore the spontaneous and in fact heart winning pictures of typical nepal but at the same time it hurts seeing the way the peoples are spending there time in hardship.Thanks for the man in shadow of a camera who did this appreciable work.
    At last my message to all the neplease overseas to creat some opportunities in your country and make it a living paradise and hope there would be prosperity,peace, love, friendshipand affection al over.May god fare our country well for ever.

  30. Pensum Bhutia darjeeling/Todey said,

    May 19, 2007 at 9:24 pm

    MARVELLOUS PICTURE !!!!!
    I REALLY ENJOY IT
    THANKS………..

  31. Mahendra Adhikari, USA said,

    June 6, 2007 at 1:58 am

    Graet job! Dinesh ji, exposing such a beautiful places and livestyle. Imagine how hard their life would be? Our politicians should visit such places by themselves. I know this place is better than some other place of the country. I can not wait to see other photographs like this!!!!!!

  32. Nawa Tamang(USA)Alaska said,

    July 25, 2007 at 11:14 am

    thanks Dinesh ! I love the Pictures .I am a trekking and mountain guide in Nepal . When I shaw those beutiful pictures ,I really feel I am in Mustan or Manang .
    I thought I miss my beautiful Himalayas and my job in Nepal .

    I really iiked it . Thanks . Next time try to put from the Everest That is my village .
    Ok, all the best .bye .
    Nawa .
    USA.

  33. Binod Khadka, Doha, Qatar said,

    August 10, 2007 at 1:11 pm

    Happy grandma…….god keeps you always smiling grandma….

  34. Dinesh Tamang said,

    August 26, 2007 at 11:01 pm

    Ati nai manmohak lagyo thanks!

  35. nanda ,renuka usa said,

    August 30, 2007 at 10:10 am

    thks alot for photografar so nice picture we love our countery nepal

  36. winnipeg, canada said,

    October 8, 2007 at 11:12 pm

    What a great job! Thank you for bringing those beauitful parts of the world so pure to us. It’s just priceless!

  37. iraq said,

    October 10, 2007 at 5:15 am

    very nice picture and very good well don man i realley remember the nepal and himalaya pardesh thank you very much go ahead like this work we can help u very very thanks

  38. sydney, Australia said,

    October 12, 2007 at 2:10 pm

    hi phalano,
    its very wondaring job i like it and my country. I got a chance to see my typical traditional country thank you very much and keep it up.

  39. Khagendra Sapkota, Sydney, Australia said,

    October 15, 2007 at 9:21 am

    photole nepal ko samjhana ra yad……………….thanks for publisher

  40. puskar pokharelsydney said,

    October 15, 2007 at 9:23 am

    life is beautiful one day we will have like same photoes we will be old and die so we should not be worried about life anly think positive be positive so life is nothing in that sence life is going on , try to enjoy every single events where you can get internal satisfaction that is the great things. do good job

  41. sajina said,

    October 16, 2007 at 2:59 pm

    really very beautiful place!! i have never imagined such beautiful places in Nepal. MY god NEpal is really very beautiful. I feel like going to these place. The himalayans people really looks so innocent.” Pema BHutii” innocent face really touched my heart.

  42. janak raj hamal Humal said,

    October 17, 2007 at 1:46 pm

    AT FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANKS FOR BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF UR KARNALI ZONE. IT IS ISULATE AREA OF NEPAL . LET SEE FOR DEVELOPMENT THIS SIDE FROM GOVERMENT N OTHER . THAMKS

  43. karma Thai,korea said,

    December 4, 2007 at 3:27 pm

    nice piccccccccc bro.this our village

  44. Sudarshan Bhandari Saitama, Japan said,

    January 13, 2008 at 2:03 pm

    Great pictures of the remote Nar and Phu village of the Manag district.
    So the Himalayas is one of the heaven in the earth and our Nepal and we Nepali are proud of our topography.

    Sudarshan

  45. ashok gautam,sydney said,

    January 23, 2008 at 2:07 pm

    i cann’t belive this !!!!! o god ..its a heaven in earth !!!!!!

  46. prakash pandey/kathmandu said,

    January 25, 2008 at 8:07 am

    beautiful pictures. thank you very much.

  47. Naharlagun said,

    July 26, 2009 at 9:54 pm

    Please send beauty Sineary of World.

  48. Naharlagun said,

    July 26, 2009 at 9:56 pm

    Kush Biswas Please Send Beautyful picture from your country.

    My Email address: biswas.kush@yahoo.com

Leave a Feedback