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If Kathmandu is the cultural hub
of Nepal, Pokhara is its centre of adventure. An enchanting
city nestled in a tranquil valley, it is an extraordinarily
beautiful place. The green valley is dotted with lakes, its
gentle climate nurturing a variety of flowers. The lush tropical
setting is backed by some of the world’s highest peaks: Dhaulagiri,
the Annapurna range, Manaslu, Himalchuli, and most spectacular
of all, Macchapuchare, the ‘Fishtail’.
Pokhara lies in the very heart
of Central Nepal, and its population is representative of
the ethnic patchwork of the region. This is the land of the
Magars and Gurungs, as well as the Thakalis, who are known
for their entrepreneurship.
As successive dynasties fell
prey to their own troubles, Pokhara Valley and the surrounding
hills disintegrated into small kingdoms called Chaubise Rajya
or the Twenty-four Kingdoms. It was amidst this political
instability that Kulmandan Shah established his kingdom. His
descendant Drabya Shah was the first to establish Gorkha,
which produced the legendary Gorkha warriors.
Pokhara was once along the vibrant
trade route from India to Tibet. Even now, mule trains bearing
goods from remote Himalayan regions can be seen camping on
the outskirts of town.
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| Lakeside |
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Pokhara Lakeside
is a backpacker's dream: panoramic views of the Annapurna range
obscured by stacks of pizza and apple pie -- the ultimate place
to kick back and relax.
The Phewa Lake (Phewa Taal) originating from the more
glacial regions of the Annapurna mountain range is situated
about 1.5 km from the airport. This is the second largest lake
in the kingdom and the largest and most enchanting of the three
lakes that add to the resplendence of Pokhara. It is about 3
km long and abounds in freshwater route and carp. The eastern
shore, popularly known as Lakeside or Baidam where all
the tourists hang out, is the favorite home base for travellers
and is where most of the hotels, restaurants and handicraft
shops are located. On this shore is also the royal winter residence.
Between the months of January and April there is a festival
season of song and dance.
Not only does the Lakeside have the largest number of hotels,
guesthouses and lodges, it also has the widest selection of
shops, bookshops, restaurants, travel agencies, bicycle rentals
and so on. Although the majority of the places are firmly in
the budget range, there's also a fair sprinkling aiming for
the mid-range with en suite bathrooms, carpets and comfortable
beds. Prices tend to vary with demand, rising and falling with
the season and the number of travelers passing through. There's
usually hot water available in the bathrooms and many places
offer very pleasant garden areas, often right in front of your
room. The rooms are usually quite simply furnished. There are
increasing numbers of new concrete hotels with totally uninspiring
architecture, but with comfortable rooms. They're relatively
expensive with rates starting at about $10, and there is usually
room for seasonal discounts, especially if you plan to stay
more than a couple of days.
Don't eat at your hotel. The Lakeside is filled with brightly
lit restaurants, pubs and bars, the famous ones not necessarily
on the shore. The population here is often dominated by foreigners.
Never miss out on the apple pies and cheesy pizzas, and Kahlua
after dinner.
Next to eating, promenading along Lakeside's pipal-shaded main
drag is the favourite pastime in Pokhara. It's a pleasant enough
stroll in parts, but new construction in this area (known locally
as Baidam) has largely spoiled its former rural character: they've
literally paved paradise here. Shops and restaurants now crowd
together so closely on the main strip that they effectively
block off any lake views between the Royal Palace and the campground.
It's actually illegal to build commercial structures along the
lake side of the road, and these buildings are all theoretically
under a demolition order, but the government has never shown
the political will to enforce the law, and the buildings are
now so numerous and valuable that it's hard to imagine the order
ever being carried out.
Basundhara Park, Lakeside's biggest patch of open space, is
the venue for the annual Annapurna Festival (usually
held in April), a cultural event featuring music, dance and
food, and for occasional other commercial expos. At other times
it's quiet and not very interesting. The main reason to enter
it is to get to the rope ferry that leads across this narrow
neck of the lake to Fish Tail Lodge. You don't have to
be staying there to go across and have a look.
Further north at Gauri Ghat, where the Lakeside strip passes
at its closest to the lake, a set of steps leads from a leafy
chautaara down to a rocky outcrop marked by a linga shrine.
Midway along the strip sits Ratna Mandir, the winter Royal Palace,
a definite no-go area during the king's residence each winter
or early spring. (Him Griha, further south, is an annex
of the palace reserved for guests and lesser royals.) At the
palace's northern edge, a road leads down to the lake at a shady
spot known as Barahi Tol, where Nepalis and visiting Indians
often go to escape the Western-dominated strip, and the main
launching site for boats to Taal Barahi.
Numerous other lanes head back away from the lake into what
was until recently lush farmland. The farmers have now all sold
out to developers and speculators, although many of the family-run
guesthouses retain their traditional vegetable plots, sugar-loaf
haystacks and banana-palm borders. Traditional thatched oval
houses - designed to be warm in winter and cool in summer -
have almost all been replaced by rectangular concrete ones.
North of Lakeside in the area known as Khahare, the lake again
becomes visible from the main road, which reverts to a dirt
track that can be followed along the less developed northern
shore. Side trails lead up to Sarangkot from there.
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| Sight-seeing |
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One of Pokhara’s natural wonders
is the Seti Gandaki River, which flows right through
the city, completely underground in places. ‘Seti’ which means
‘white’, refers to the colour of the water, which is derived
from limestone in the soil. The river appears no wider than
two metres in some parts, but has a depth of over 20 metres.
The bridge at the northern end of the bazaar as well as Mahendra
Pul Bridge in the main bazaar area provide good views of the
river.
Tthe Barahi Temple in
the middle of the Phewa Lake is accessible by boat. The temple,
which is the most important monument in Pokhara, is a two-storeyed
pagoda dedicated to the boar manifestation of Ajima,
a protecting deity that represents the female force Shakti.
Locally known as the Patale Chhango or ‘Hell’s Fall’, Devi’s
Fall is a lovely waterfall about two kilometres southwest
of Pokhara Airport on the Siddharta Highway. Legend has it
that a trekker named David was washed away by the Pardi Khola,
the outflow from Phewa Lake that drops into a hole and disappears
underground at the fall.
Mahendra Cave is a large
limestone cave locally known as the ‘House of Bats’. It was
once considered the abode of Nidhini, a female demon who dined
on local cattle. A two-hour walk to the north of Pokhara,
the cave is filled with stalactites and stalagmites, as well
as the local winged residents!
The Old Bazaar,
Pokhara’s traditional bazaar, is as colourful as its ethnically
diverse traders are. The area is strewn with shops selling
everything from edibles and cloth to cosmetics and gold. Some
of Pokhara’s most important temples and monuments are located
here and display close links with the Newari architecture
of the Kathmandu Valley. The Bindhyabasini Mandir
dedicated to goddess Bhagwati, an incarnation of Shakti, is
built atop a shady hillock. Devotees gather here on Tuesdays
and Saturdays, imparting a festive local flavour to the place.
The Pokhara Museum,
a little past the bus stop off Naya Bazaar road, reflects
the ethnic mosaic of western Nepal. The lifestyles and history
of ethnic groups such as the Gurungs, Thakalis and Tharus
are attractively displayed through models, photographs and
artefacts. A major attraction is a display of the remains
of an 8,000-year old settlement in Mustang. The museum is
open everyday except Tuesdays and holidays.
The Annapurna Regional Museum,
also known as the Natural History Museum, has an exceptional
collection of butterflies, birds, insects, and models of wildlife
found in the area. It is open daily except Saturdays and holiday
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| Entertainment
& Shopping |
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Besides the
incredible choice of restaurants offering an incredible variety
of delectable dishes, Pokhara also has some interesting places
to hang out. You could delve deep into the richness of Nepali
traditional dance forms at cultural programs in different lodges
or maybe you could have a quiet, relaxing time with live Indian
Ghazals (Urdu love songs derived from Poetry) at restaurants.
Not surprisingly, Pokhara boasts a fast swelling number of chic
bars and pubs with pool tables, outdoor decks, swinging music,
the works.
For shopping
enthusiasts, Pokhara's teeming Tibetan population holds considerable
interest with handicrafts and artefacts. The carpets are well
worth a look and while you're at it, you could pick up a Saligram
(Fossilised sea creatures) as well!
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| Surrounding Areas |
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Pokhara is the starting and/or finishing
point for some of the most popular treks including the Annapurna
Circuit and the Jomsom Trek. It also offers a number of short
treks. Sarangkot(1,592 metres), a former Kaski
fort lying atop a hill to the west of Pokhara, is a popular
destination offering a panoramic view of the Himalayas. Other
favourite destinations around Pokhara include Kahundanda, Naudanda,
Ghandrung, Ghorepani, and Ghalchok. There
are also a number of Tibetan settlements around Pokhara. The
Tashiling Tibetan Village, where they weave Tibetan
carpets, is only a couple of kilometres away from the airport.
A larger settlement known as Tashipalkhel is located
at Hyangja, on the start of the Jomsom Trek route. The hilltop
Tibetan Buddhist Monastery is a relatively recent construction
with a large Buddha statue and colourful murals.
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