Maimajhuwa, Eastern Nepal trip

    Family Holidays :Travelling to unexplored tourists’ paradise of extreme remote destination of Eastern Nepal 2019. .

                To escape from the prolong tiresome hospitality service of our Mansarover Homestay since this summer tourist season 2019, my small family consisting my wife Puspa , my son Sandeep and  myself took a four days break up holidays from 15^th Jun 2019  to 20 Jun 2019 closing down the booking from our web-site for visiting   Taplayjung Nepal via Ilam. But my sister Shiva suggested us to visit Maimajhuwa where her sister-in-law Sarda Gurung resides and operates a beautiful  homestay named  Pema Shikar Heritage Farmhouse Homestay at Maimajhuwa.  On 15^th Jun 2019 morning we set forth our journey  in our own car crossing  Nepal border from Pasupati Fakat Custom Point.

 After taking the necessary formality paying 4 days temporary vehicle permit, we proceeded towards Ilam Bazar via Fikkal. The motorable road constructed by Korean grant-in-aid fund and their engineers is really praiseworthy to ply the vehicle through greenery mountain and beautiful villages. The road are wide and well maintained having box drainage system along the entire stretch of road.    On the way I noticed some beautiful way side hotel constructed locally available resource ie. Bamboo rids which is worth eye-catching and eco-friendly.

     The typical Nepalese heritage thatched roof huts along the road side recollected my childhood days of our rural village house at Darjeelng Hills

           

            I stopped my car at one way side hotel at Bhalukhp for wash room facility  where we drank pure handrolled Ilam organic tea contained  full of flavor which refreshed my long monotonous driving.

     

We reached Ilam at about 2 o’clock. The old houses of wooden structure look so beautiful and seem to be heritage building. Though the town is small but it beautiful. The shops were all closed down as Saturday is the public holiday at Nepal.

Ilam is to Nepal what Darjeeling is to India - Home to finest tea production in the country and a beautiful hilly region. Ilam has many tea estates and some of them have started offering accommodation to tourists as well. Kanyam, is the most well-known and a beautiful tea estate. One can visit Ilam View Tower at Panitanki and Gadi is another good spot for great view of the hills and surrounding tea gardens.

While sipping the hot tea, it pained my heart a lot seeing a huge piles of tree logs along the road everywhere for sale.  If such type massive tree felling takes place in the eastern mountain of Nepal, the environmental degradation will, no doubt, takes place effecting not only Nepal country but also effect Indian Sub Himalayan region.   The public awareness for preserving forests is the demand of the day. The government of Nepal should  intervene this deforestation in this region in order to preserve bio-diversity in the sub-himalayan region especially Singalila. Wildlife Sanctuary. I would also request the environmental ministry, the government of India for initiate talk to Nepal Government for conservation of such lovely flora and fauna of this part of world.

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The deforestation is rampant and transportation of logs by big lorries are seen frequently while plying the vehicle on the stretch of long journey . What I felt that farmers earn immediate income out of sale of fire woods and logs at the cost of irreparable lost of flora and fauna and environment degradation .The Nepal government must stop the murder of this lovely earth of                                                                                      Eastern Nepal.

After reaching Ilam, East Nepal we further proceeded towards our journey, my host  Sri Kamal Gurung, owner of Pema Shikhar Heritage Farm Homestay had arranged one 1942 model vintage Land Rover jeep from Bhanjyang to Maimajhuwa. 

Mr. Kamal Gurung owner/driver received on the way and led us to Barbodetay where I had to parked my car 4 days at Gurung Homestay owned by Mr Gautam Gurung, the relative of my host. He is my nephew in relation on behalf of soltenee Sarda Gurung. Kamal Gurng family runs a beautiful homestay. He has his own Tea Garden and produces hand rolled best organic tea. Gautam Gurung and his family has big agricultural land where they run one cattle farm and it’s subsidiary dairy Farm. They  produces dog-chew bars and exports the product to America from Nepal.  His 3 unmarried old aged sisters are real Gurungsenes  of full of humors and talk straightforward addressing timi or thah to any persons irrespective their ages and positions.
 This is the way of simple village folks lives of interior Nepal. What I observed here that the style of language spoken in Eastern Nepal is similar to the people of Darjeeling and Sikkim. When the British company started tea plantations in the hill of Darjeeling, this part of ancestors  might had migrated and permanently settled down at Darjeeling and Sikkim.

        We reached Ilam ,Eastern Nepal Town  at about 2 o’clock. I had to park my car at some safer  place for 4 days  because SUV  cannot  ply on rough country road. So I hired one 1942 model vintage Land Rover vehicle to take further 30 kms. journey to negotiate over  the cross-country stony and muddy hilly kachha road towards Maimajhuwa Gurung hemlet.

      

While plying the vehicle on the highway, I noticed that in each eateries along the road openly display the alcohol for sale and the drivers of public transport vehicles commonly drink liquor which is    dangerous to the lives of commuters. This practice should be nipped to the bird, I mean, the ban to display liquors as well as sale of liquor along site of highway to be implemented as practiced  in India

            We reached Ilam ,Eastern Nepal Town  at about 2 o’clock. I had to park my car at some safer  place for 4 days  because SUV  cannot  ply on rough country road. So I hired one 1942 model vintage Land Rover vehicle to take further 30 kms. journey to negotiate over  the cross-country stony and muddy hilly kachha road towards Maimajhuwa Gurung hemlet.

The road is challenging to off-road adventurous travelers. My hat off to the Red Panda Off Road bikers who completed their tough expedition from Siliguri via Ilam Eastern Nepal version to Sandakpur.  My son Sandeep has a passion to drive vintage Land Rover and he enjoyed the experience to drive such a old model jeep so smoothly

 We halt for a break at Deorali Bhanjyang . old wooden structure houses and restaurants which reminds me the old western cinema taxes town. I met some old gurungsene ladies of above eighty years old of age with their robust health and wearing traditional ornaments.

 My camara captured their beautiful portraits.

We halt for a break at Deorali Bhanjyang . old wooden structure houses and restaurants which reminds me the old western cinema taxes town. I met some old gurungsene ladies of above eighty years old of age with their robust health with traditional ornaments. My camara captured their beautiful portraits.

     We reached Ilam ,Eastern Nepal Town  at about 2 o’clock. I had to park my car at some safer  place for 4 days  because SUV  cannot  ply on rough country road. So I hired one 1942 model vintage Land Rover vehicle to take further 30 kms. journey to negotiate over  the cross-country stony and muddy hilly kachha road towards Maimajhuwa Gurung hemlet.

On the way I saw one poster about Red Panda Awareness Motorbike rally poster displayed near Mai Pokhari under Sandakpur Gaon Palika.  Just a few days back, I had commented on facebook account to Oshan Lepcha of Himalaya Tour & Travel, Dooars version, the team leader of bike rally for the success of the expedition.  I always made him aware that lot of resentments and criticism written in the newspapers about timing of motor bike rally because this is the hyphenation period of wild birds and animals of Singalila National Park.  The wildlife division of Forest Department has announced to stop for inflow of tourists with effect from 15 Jun 2019 to Sept 201

We halt sometime at Mai Pokhari Touirst place to see this natural lake which is so beautiful. Mai Pokhari houses a magnificent lake and nine ponds - some even large enough for boats. An important pilgrimage site, the lake is of emerald color and sprinkled with water lilies and swarmed with goldfish. Located about 8 miles (13 kilometers) north of Ilam Bazar, there are nearby villages for viewing, including Chureghanti, Dharpani and Hasbire Bhanjyangon

The famous star shaped lake, Mai Pokhari is a wetland in the Ilam district of Nepal. It has nine corners, which is believed to be paying a tribute to nine different Gods. It is a pilgrimage site for both the Hindus and the Buddhists and is considered to be a sacred place among the local population.

The Mai Pokhari is known for the lush greenery surrounding which provides a perfect place for boating and fishing. It houses a rare variety of flora and fauna like orchid, porcupine, etc. Near to it is the Maipokhari Botanical Gardens which has a rock garden, and orchid house, a green house and a wide range of plants collected from different regions of Nepal. The serenity and the greenery is enough to leave you spell bound. As with all the lakes of Nepal this place also provides a beautiful view of the snow-capped mountains surrounding it which is sure to leave you mesmerized.Many varieties of floral and faunal species can be found at the Mai Pokhari like the white-rumped vulture, leopard cat, goldfish, water lily, etc. Excited much?!

Recently some hotels and restaurants were gutted down due to fire in this localities as there is the common practice here in the hill for making local wine. While  burning firewood for wine distilling process the fire incidents took place.

 

            Mansarover Homestay has planned to start off road adventure  tourism for nature lover trekkers. Our mission of this visit is to explore the unexplored tourists’ paradise of extreme eastern  Nepal . Because the usual Maneybhangyang to Sindakpur trek route is now converted into metal road so that the tourists opt to go Sandakpur for one day visit from Darjeeling .

Sandakpur is a small hill town of Ilam district which situated at an altitude of 3636 meter above from the sea level at the border of Nepal and India. Often this place is covered by snow. Sandakpur is on of the best view point to observe ths splendid Himalayan Ranges (Kachanjunga, Kumbhakarna, Makalu and Mount Everest including Sikkim and Bhutan Himalayan Ranges).

         

It is also best place to observe spectacular sunrise and sunset views. Rather than cultural and historical aspects its natural aspect seems highly promising for ecotourism development in this area

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 The area is also important for flora and fauna. Red panda, a rare animal species are also found there. Sandakpur is a very popular trekking route of Ilam district. From Ilam bazaar bus services are not regular. So, tourists can use private vehicles that take them to Khorsanitar of Maimajhuwa, about 21km north from Ilam bazaar, from there Sandakpur is about six hour trek. But instead of using 4 wheeled jeep or vintage land rovers, trekking from Barbote just 10 to 12 kilometer away is the best starting point to set forth  journey viz. Kharedara, Barbote,Maipokhari, Deorali, Biplatay, Maimajhuwa, Goru Aahale,and Sandakpur. While returing back another trek route Birkhe Bhanjyang, Kalapokhari, Jaubari, Jogmal, Gorkhe and Pasupati Phatak border point of Indo-Nepal country. 6 days trekking is the best option to enjoy the serene of this part of world.
 While returning from Torkey Water Fall, we happened to crossed at Bhusunay Rai remote village, I met one Rai Bhajay who offered me a dabaka full of yogurt (dahi).

We spent two nights at Pema Shikhar Heritage Farm homestay owned by Kamal Gurung and his family. In such a far flung remote mountain village, the house is built in locally available stone wall. The rooms are well furnished for the trekkers..Maimajhuwa Gurung  helmet is another beautiful place to visit for pure organic farming, dense forest, cattle farming, cardamom plantation, kiwi fruits orchid, potatoes cultivation and vivid tropical fruits viz. peach, pears, guava, naspati . Even Ghana Shyam Gurung, my cousin brother has nurtured a big kiwi fruit and ground apple orchid in his field. The maize and potato farming are main cash crops here.

It attracted me a lot that lot of big chap and gura  trees are seen around the periphery of Pema Shikhar Heritage Farm Homesttay.During March-April season when these trees bloom, it will become an another paradise for the visitors. 


We enjoyed two days sight seen halting at Pema Shikar Heritage Farm Hmestay,Maimajhuwa including Torke Water Fall , Changey Fall and Mini Hydel Project on Mai Khola and one beautiful aluminum plated suspension bridge and drinking water project at the remote villages funded and constructed by Bristist Government.

Bird eye view of Changey Fall at Sindakpur Gaonbisha area

            My legs were trembling negotiating down the mountainous hilly terrain but seeing the luxuriant Torke fall situated beyond another hill looks so amazing and beautiful. 







 When I reached at one suspension bridge over Mai Khola constructed and financed by British Government. I took a little rest. The suspension bridge is made of aluminium bar which is rust free and everlasting. 

I noticed that Bristist Welfare Society had provided drinking water provision in the every household with proper hydrant in the remote villages of eastern Nepal. They also constructed mini hydel power house channeling the river water of Mai khola and provided 4 electric points at every household at the minimum of monthly revenue of  rupees 50 per household. 

My wife Puspa wanted to stay some more days in the lap of this pristine mountain village but I had taken only 3 days custom entry permit from Pasupati Entry Point of Nepal country. If I had to extend my vehicle permit, I would have to go to Pasupati Check post which was not feasible to me.

The hospitality of the Pema Shikar Heritage Farm Gurung family is exceptional. The locally available home grown organic vegetables, milk, curds, cheese, butter and wine are the signature dishes of Sarita Gurung, the primary school teacher who is so amicable and active in running their homestay. Specially in this remote mountain village, there are plenty of country breed fowl and goats to serve in your dishes but vegetable are scare which are found in super markets in the metropolitan cities. The old house adjacent to new building is another engineering design of the yester years. The kitchen equipped with bhukari provided by British Voluntary organization is so nice to have firewood cooked foods. They served us smoked hand rolled tea grown in their own field. It was our unforgettable memories to spent with our relatives at Pema Shikar Heritage Farm Homestay at Upper Maimajhuwa under Sandakpur Gaonbisha of Pradesh I state of Nepal.  We took the last good bye photograph with the host family and returned back to Kalimpong as we had to receive our guests who booked to stay with us at Mansarover Homestay.

Remembering the famous stanza of Robert Frost’s poem summed up my short unforgettable  break up journey.“ Woods are lovely dark and green/But I promises to keep/And miles to go before I sleep/ And miles to go before I sleep”.

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