Pashupatinath Temple is one of the biggest Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world, located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The temple served as the seat of the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, until Nepal was secularized The temple is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. Believers in Pashupatinath (mainly Hindus) are allowed to enter the temple premises. Anyone not born in Nepal or India is considered a non-Hindu by the temple authorities. Non-Hindu visitors are allowed to have a look at the temple from the other bank of Bagmati river. It is regarded as the most sacred among the temples of Lord Shiva (Pashupati). The temple was first established in the 17th century. The priests who perform the services at this temple have been Bhat-Brahmins from South India (Karnataka) origin since last 350 years. The priests of Pashaputinath are called Bhattas and the chief priest is called Mool Bhatt or Raval. The chief priest is answerable only to the King of Nepal and reports to him on temple matters on a periodic basis.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Sagarmatha National Park
Sagarmatha National Park is a protected area in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal containing the southern half of Mount Everest. The park was created on July 19, 1976 and was inscribed as a Natural World Heritage Site in 1979. The park encompasses an area of 1,148 km2 in the Solukhumbu District and ranges in elevation from 2,845 metres (9,334 ft) at Jorsalle to 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) at the summit of Mount Everest. Barren land above 5,000 m (16,400 ft) comprises 69% of the park while 28% is grazing land and the remaining 3% is forested. Most of the park area is very rugged and steep, with its terrain cut by deep rivers and glaciers. Unlike other parks, this park can be divided into four climate zones because of the rising altitude. The climatic zones include a forested lower zone, a zone of alpine scrub, the upper alpine zone which includes upper limit of vegetation growth, and the Arctic zone where no plants can grow. The types of plants and animals that are found in the park depend on the altitude. The park contains the upper watershed of the Dudh Kosi river basin system.The park's visitor centre is located at the top of a hill in Namche Bazaar, also where a company of the Nepal Army is stationed for protecting the park. The park's southern entrance is a few hundred metres north of Monzo at 2,835 m (9,300 ft), a one day hike from Lukla. Lukla.
Ghodaghodi Lake
Ghodaghodi Lake Area is one of the nine Ramsar sites of Nepal, which was designated a Ramsar site on 13 August, 2003. It is a freshwater oxbow lake and also the largest natural lowland lake of Nepal. It lies in Kailali district of far-western region. Ghodaghodi Lake Area includes 19 associated lakes & ponds and covers an area of 2563 hectares and is located at 205 meters above sea level. It lies in a very strategic location between Bardiya NP and Suklaphanta WR and alongside of the east- west highway. It has globally significant biodiversity value as it supports 11 globally threatened (IUCN Red list) faunal species namely; Red-crowned roofed turtle, Tiger, Three-striped roofed turtle, Smooth-coated otter, Common otter, Swamp deer, Lesser adjutant stork, Marsh crocodile, Ferruginous duck, Grey-headed fish eagle, Asiatic rock python and golden monitor lizard. It also includes endangered species of Orchid, religiously important and threatened species of Lotus and rare wild rice.
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is a protected area in the Terai of eastern Nepal covering 175 km2 (68 sq mi) of wetlands in the Sunsari, Saptari and Udayapur Districts. In altitude it ranges from 75 to 81 metres (246 to 266 ft) and consists of extensive mudflats, reed beds, and freshwater marshes in the floodplain of the Sapta Kosi River. It was established in 1976 and designated as a Ramsar site in December 1987. It can be accessed from the Mahendra Highway. A study of the reserve was conducted between 1997 to 1998 by the Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu. The study found serious conflicts between the reserve wildlife and the local people living adjacent to the reserve. The people suffered crop depredations and animal harassment while the reserve managers had the problems of poaching, cattle grazing, and other illegal activities in the reserve. The study has several recommendations, one of which is the promotion of tourism to the area with the reserve using local tourist guides trained by wildlife experts.
Rara Lake
Rara Lake (Rara taal) is the biggest lake of Nepal. It lies in Rara Village Development Committee, Mugu District in Western Nepal and falls under the Rara National Park.The lake is also known as Mahendra Daha,the late king of Nepal and lies at an altitude above 3200 metres above sea level covering an area of 16 km².Rara Lake is the largest lake of Nepal, situated in Mugu district in the far western region of Nepal, near Gam Ghadi (district-headquarters of Mugu) and Talcha airstrip. It takes around 3 to 4 days of walking to reach Rara from Jumla.The surface is around 8 square kilometer and the perimeter 9 kilometer. The length of the lake is 5 kilometers and it is 2 kilometers wide, the altitude around 3060 meter and the max. depth is 167 meter. Rara is an unique spot in Nepal. The lake is situated in the Rara National Park and because of its remote location and the violence/threat of a revolutionary communist group (Maoists) the lake has been visited by only few tourists in the past. Only in the second half of 2006 the situation improved and foreign visitors do not need to pay the high fee of around $100 per person to these Maoists anymore.
Chitwan National Park
Chitwan National Park is the first national park in Nepal. Formerly called Royal Chitwan National Park it was established in 1973 and granted the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984. It covers an area of 932 km2 and is located in the subtropical Inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal in the Chitwan district. In altitude it ranges from about 100 metres (330 ft) in the river valleys to 815 metres (2,674 ft) in the Churia Hills. In the north and west of the protected area the Narayani-Rapti river system forms a natural boundary to human settlements. Adjacent to the east of Chitwan National Park is Parsa Wildlife Reserve, contiguous in the south is the Indian Tiger Reserve Valmiki National Park. The coherent protected area of 2,075 km2 represents the Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU) Chitwan-Parsa-Valmiki, which covers a 3,549 km2 huge block of alluvial grasslands and subtropical moist deciduous forests.
Pokhara
Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City is a city of close to 2,500,000 inhabitants in central Nepal located at 28.25°N, 83.99°E, 198 km west of Kathmandu. It is the third largest city of Nepal after Kathmandu & Biratnagar. It is the Headquarters of Kaski District, Gandaki Zone and the Western Development Region. Pokhara is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal. It is also known as the Tourist capital of Nepal, noted for its tranquil atmosphere and the beauty of the surrounding countryside. Three out of the ten highest mountains in the world can be viewed very closely from Pokhara. It is also a base for trekkers undertaking the Annapurna Circuit.Pokhara is situated in the northwestern corner of the Pokhara Valley, which is a widening of the Seti Gandaki valley. The Seti River and its tributaries have dug impressive canyons into the valley floor, which are only visible from higher viewpoints or from the air. To the east of Pokhara is the municipality of Lekhnath, a recently established town in the valley.
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