New Nepal Trekking

TOP OF THE WORLD

2009-02-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

I LOVE MY COUNTRY NEPAL

2009-02-18T07:31:00.000-08:00

TALLEST MOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD

2009-02-18T07:30:00.000-08:00

PEOPLE FROM NEPAL

2009-02-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

MOUNTEVREST

2009-02-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

NEPAL THE BEUTIFULE COUNTRY

2009-02-18T07:23:00.000-08:00

POKALDE PEAK NEPAL

2009-01-21T21:23:00.000-08:00

Pokalde Peak
Pokalde Peak as viewed from Base Camp
Elevation	5,806 metres (19,048 feet)
Location	Khumbu, Nepal
Range	Himalaya
Prominence	271 metres (889 feet)
Coordinates	27°55′33.1″N 86°49′59.5″E / 27.925861, 86.833194
First ascent	April 15, 1953
Easiest route	Scramble

Pokalde Peak (or Dolma Ri) is a mountain peak of Nepal situated 12 km southwest of Mount Everest. Pokalde Peak is one of the shortest and easiest trekking peaks in the Everest Region. The majority of the 650m climb from base camp requires little more than walking with short sections of scrambling up rock.

During the trekking seasons this rocky peak is scarcely covered by snow. Despite its lack of any great technical difficulty, it offers trekkers the prospect of reaching 5,800m in elevation and superb views from the summit, particularly to the South East, North West and West. Other prominent mountains visible from the summit include Makalu, Ama Dablam and Pumori. Because of its relatively low difficulty and impressive summit vista's for this altitude, Pokalde is a popular commercial tourist peak in Nepal for those wishing to climb a Himalayan peak without needing to use ice axes and crampons.

The first ascent of Pokalde Peak was made in April 1953 via the ridge adjoining the Pokalde summit with the Kongma La high pass (5535m). This ridge continues from Kongma La to the slightly higher Mehra Peak (Kongma Tse) at 5820m and beyond. Hence the prominence of Pokalde Peak is modest at 271m (889 feet). Most ascents of Pokalde Peak nowadays are made by skirting the opposite Makalu side of the mountain.

Pokalde Peak can be easily climbed in half a day by a fit and acclimatised group with appropriate leadership. Despite its low difficulty, sections of Pokalde are quite exposed so it shouldn't be attempted in poor weather. Doing so would significantly increase the difficulty of the climb above that of a "simple trekking peak". The final pitch to the summit also involves a short section of near vertical scrambling which for amateurs should definitely be protected by rope.

The base camp of Pokalde Peak is situated in a raised "amphitheatre" style valley with a large circular lake in the middle below the Kongma La pass. About 40 minutes from the base camp is the Kongma glacier. This glacier offers ice walls suitable for ice climbing training by appropriately equipped and motivated groups. The glacier is said to be receding in size.

Foot print evidence of significant Snow Leopard activity has been witnessed in the vicinity of Pokalde Peak base camp. This is despite the popularity of the area in being the gateway to both a major trekking peak as well as a high pass.

Even during the trekking seasons, it is not uncommon for overnight temperatures at base camp to be in excess of two decades below freezing.

MAKALU NEPAL

2009-01-21T21:04:00.000-08:00

Makalu / Makaru
Makalu from the southwest
Elevation	8,462 metres (27,762 ft)^[1] Ranked 5th
Location	Nepal—Tibet
Range	Himalaya
Prominence	2,386 m (7,828 ft)
Coordinates	27°53′21″N 87°05′19″E / 27.88917, 87.08861Coordinates: 27°53′21″N 87°05′19″E / 27.88917, 87.08861
First ascent	May 15, 1955 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy
Easiest route	snow/ice climb
Listing	Eight-thousander Ultra

Makalu

Location on Nepal/Tibet border

Makalu (in Nepal officially मकालु;in China officially Makaru; Chinese: 马卡鲁山, Pinyin: Mǎkǎlǔ Shān) is the fifth highest mountain in the world and is located 22 km (14 mi) east of Mount Everest, on the border between Nepal and China. Makalu is an isolated peak whose shape is a four-sided pyramid.

Makalu has two notable subsidiary peaks. Kangchungtse, or Makalu II, 7,678 m (25,190 ft), lies about 3 km (2 mi) north-northwest of the main summit. Rising about 5 km (3.1 mi) north-northeast of the main summit across a broad plateau, and connected to Kangchungtse by a narrow, 7,200 m saddle, is Chomo Lonzo, 7,804 m (25,604 ft).

Climbing History

The first attempt on Makalu was made by an American team led by William Siri in the spring of 1954. They attempted the southeast ridge but were turned back at 7,100 m (23,300 ft) by a constant barrage of storms. A New Zealand team including Sir Edmund Hillary was also active in the spring, but did not get very high due to injury and illness. In the fall of 1954, a French reconnaissance expedition made the first ascents of the subsidiary summits Kangchungtse (October 22: Jean Franco, Lionel Terray, Sirdar Gyaltsen Norbu and Pa Norbu) and Chomo Lonzo (October 30(?): Jean Couzy and Terray).^[2]

Makalu was first climbed on May 15, 1955 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy of a French expedition led by Jean Franco. Franco, G. Magnone and Sirdar Gyaltsen Norbu summitted the next day, followed by Bouvier, S. Coupe, Leroux and A. Vialatte on the 17th. The French team climbed Makalu by the north face and northeast ridge, via the saddle between Makalu and Kangchungtse (the Makalu-La), establishing the standard route.^[2]

The first ascent of the southeast ridge route attempted by the Americans was made by Y. Ozaki and A. Tanaka from a Japanese expedition on May 23, 1970. The very technical West Pillar route was climbed in May, 1971 by Frenchmen B. Mellet and Y. Seigneur.^[2]. The second ascent of the West Pillar was completed in May, 1980 by John Roskelley (summit), Chris Kopczynski, James States and Kim Momb, without Sherpa support and without bottled oxygen.^[3]

On or about January 27, 2006, the French mountaineer Jean-Christophe Lafaille disappeared on Makalu while trying to make the first winter ascent.^[4]

Makalu is one of the harder eight-thousanders, and is considered one of the most difficult mountains in the world to climb. The mountain is notorious for its steep pitches and knife-edged ridges that are completely open to the elements. The final ascent of the summit pyramid involves technical rock climbing. Makalu is the only Nepalese 8,000 m peak which has yet to be climbed in true winter conditions.

PUMORI NEPAL

2009-01-16T22:56:00.000-08:00

Pumori

Pumori
View from Pumori Base Camp, Khumbu Valley
Pumori Location in Nepal
Elevation	7,161 metres (23,494 ft)
Location	Nepal-Tibet
Range	Himalayas
Coordinates	28°00′53″N 86°49′41″E / 28.01472, 86.82806Coordinates: 28°00′53″N 86°49′41″E / 28.01472, 86.82806
First ascent	1962 by Gerhard Lenser
Easiest route	snow/ice climb

Pumori (or Pumo Ri) is a mountain in the Himalaya on the Nepal-Tibet border. Pumori lies just eight kilometres west of Mount Everest. Pumori, which means "Unmarried Daughter" in the Sherpa dialect, was named by George Mallory. Climbers sometimes refer to Pumori as "Everest's Daughter".

Pumori is a popular climbing peak and the easiest route is graded class 3, although with avalanche danger. Pumori was first climbed in 1962 by Gerhard Lenser of a German-Swiss expedition.Two Czechs (Leopold Sulovsky and Michalec Zeduak) climbed a new route on the South face in the spring of 1996 (Joe Simpson, 1997, Dark Shadows falling).

An outlier of Pumori is Kala Patthar (5,643m/18,513'), which appears as a big brown bump below the impressive south face of Pumori. Many trekkers going to see Mt. Everest up close will attempt to climb to the top of Kala Patthar. The views from almost anywhere on Kala Patthar of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse are quite impressive on a clear day.

MAKALU NEPAL

2009-01-16T22:53:00.000-08:00

Makalu

Makalu / Makaru
Makalu from the southwest
Elevation	8,462 metres (27,762 ft)^[1] Ranked 5th
Location	Nepal—Tibet
Range	Himalaya
Prominence	2,386 m (7,828 ft)
Coordinates	27°53′21″N 87°05′19″E / 27.88917, 87.08861Coordinates: 27°53′21″N 87°05′19″E / 27.88917, 87.08861
First ascent	May 15, 1955 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy
Easiest route	snow/ice climb
Listing	Eight-thousander Ultra

Makalu

Location on Nepal/Tibet border

Climbing History

On or about January 27, 2006, the French mountaineer Jean-Christophe Lafaille disappeared on Makalu while trying to make the first winter ascent.^[4]

2004 photo mosaic the Himalayas with Makalu and Mount Everest from the International Space Station, Expedition 8.

EIGHT-THOUSANDER

2009-01-15T21:34:00.000-08:00

Eight-thousander

Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Makalu and Mount Everest as seen from the International Space Station.

The eight-thousanders are the fourteen independent^[1] mountains on Earth that are more than 8,000 metres (26,247 ft) high above sea level. They are all located in the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges in Asia.

The first attempt on an eight-thousander took place on the expedition by Albert F. Mummery, and J. Norman Collie to Nanga Parbat in Pakistan in 1895; this ended in failure, when Mummery and two Gurkhas, Ragobir and Goman Singh, were killed by an avalanche.

The first successful ascent of an eight-thousander was by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, who reached the summit of Annapurna on June 3, 1950.

The first person to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders was Reinhold Messner. He completed this task on October 16, 1986. A year later, in 1987, Jerzy Kukuczka became the second climber to accomplish this feat. As of 2008^[update], a total of fourteen people have followed through undisputed. This is an extremely hazardous feat; at least four people have died while in pursuit of this goal.

List of eight-thousanders

Peak	Height	Location	First ascent	First ascensionist(s)	First ascent in winter	First ascensionist(s) in winter	Ascents^*	Deaths^*	Death rate^*	Death rate before 1990^*	Death rate since 1990^*
Everest	8848 m	Nepal/China	May 29, 1953	Edmund Hillary Tenzing Norgay	February 17, 1980	Krzysztof Wielicki Leszek Cichy	1924	179	9.30%	37%	4.4%
K2	8611 m	Pakistan/China	July 31, 1954	Achille Compagnoni Lino Lacedelli			198	53	26.77%	41%	19.7%
Kanchenjunga	8586 m	Nepal/India	May 25, 1955	George Band Joe Brown	January 11, 1986	Krzysztof Wielicki Jerzy Kukuczka	185	40	21.62%	21%	22%
Lhotse	8516 m	Nepal/China	May 18, 1956	Fritz Luchsinger Ernst Reiss	December 31, 1988	Krzysztof Wielicki	243	11	4.53%	14%	2%
Makalu	8463 m	Nepal/China	May 15, 1955	Jean Couzy Lionel Terray			206	22	10.68%	16%	8.5%
Cho Oyu	8201 m	Nepal/China	October 19, 1954	Joseph Joechler Pasang Dawa Lama Herbert Tichy	February 12, 1985	Maciej Berbeka Maciej Pawlikowski
Dhaulagiri	8167 m	Nepal	May 13, 1960	Kurt Diemberger Peter Diener Nawang Dorje Nima Dorje Ernst Forrer Albin Schelbert	January 21, 1985	Andrzej Czok Jerzy Kukuczka	313	56	17.89%	31%	11%
Manaslu	8163 m	Nepal	May 9, 1956	Toshio Imanishi Gyalzen Norbu	January 14, 1984	Maciej Berbeka Ryszard Gajewski	240	52	21.67%	35.16%	13.42%
Nanga Parbat	8125 m	Pakistan	July 3, 1953	Hermann Buhl			216	61	28.24%	77%	5.5%
Annapurna	8091 m	Nepal	June 3, 1950	Maurice Herzog Louis Lachenal	February 3, 1987	Jerzy Kukuczka Artur Hajzer
Gasherbrum I	8068 m	Pakistan/China	July 5, 1958	Andrew Kauffman Pete Schoening			195	21	10.77%	15.5%	8.75%
Broad Peak	8047 m	Pakistan/China	June 9, 1957	Fritz Wintersteller Marcus Schmuck Kurt Diemberger Hermann Buhl			255	18	7.20%	5%	8.6%
Gasherbrum II	8035 m	Pakistan/China	July 8, 1956	Fritz Moravec Josef Larch Hans Willenpart			650	17	2.62%	7.8%	0.44%
Shishapangma	8027 m	Tibet/China	May 2, 1964	Ten climbers led by Hsu Ching	January 14, 2005	Piotr Morawski Simone Moro	201	19	9.45%	2%	16.8%

^* As of September 2003, data from Chinese National Geography 2006.8, page 77.

Verified climbers who have reached the summit of all 14 eight-thousanders

See also official table "Climbers that have summited all the 14 Main-8000ers" at Adventurestats.com. Field 0₂ lists people who have peaked all 14 without bottled oxygen.

	w/o O₂	Name	Period	born	at age	Nationality
1	1	Reinhold Messner	1970-1986	1944	42	Italian
2		Jerzy Kukuczka	1979-1987	1948	41	Polish
3	2	Erhard Loretan	1982-1995	1959	36	Swiss
4	3	Carlos Carsolio	1985-1996	1962	33	Mexican
5		Krzysztof Wielicki	1980-1996	1950	46	Polish
6	4	Juanito Oiarzabal	1985-1999	1956	43	Spanish
7		Sergio Martini	1976-2000	1949	51	Italian
8		Hong-Gil Um	1988-2000	1960^[2]	40	Korean
9		Park Young Seok	1993-2001	1963	38	Korean
10		Alberto Iñurrategi	1991-2002^[3]	1968	34	Spanish
11		Han Wang Yong	1994-2003	1966	37	Korean
12	5^[4]	Ed Viesturs	1989-2005	1959	46	American
13	6^[5]^[6]^[7]	Silvio Mondinelli	1993-2007	1958	49	Italian
14	7^[8]	Ivan Vallejo	1997-2008	1959	49	Ecuador

Disputed

Disputes occur when not enough evidence was provided to claim the climb up to the highest peak. See dispute resolution rules at Adventurestats.com which keeps records of the climbs. See also Claims 14 table compiled 2006-11-27.

Name	Period	born	at age	Nationality
Alan Hinkes (Cho Oyu 1990^[9]^[10])	1987-2005	1954	53	English
Fausto De Stefani (Lhotse 1997^[11])	1983-1998	1952	46	Italy
Vladislav Terzyul	1993-2002(died)	1953	49	Ukrainian
Abele Blanc (Annapurna^[12]^[13])		1953	49	Italy

Gallery

Everest	K2	Kangchenjunga	Lhotse
Makalu	Cho Oyu	Dhaulagiri	Manaslu
Nanga Parbat	Annapurna	Gasherbrum I	Broad Peak
Gasherbrum II	Shishapangma

DHAULAGIRI NEPAL

2009-01-15T21:18:00.000-08:00

Dhaulagiri

Dhaulagiri
Dhaulagiri I in October 2002
Dhaulagiri Location in Nepal
Elevation	8,167 metres (26,795 ft) Ranked 7th
Location	Dhawalagiri, Nepal
Range	Dhaulagiri Himal
Prominence	3,357 m (11,014 ft)^{[citation needed]}
Coordinates	28°41′47″N 83°29′43″E / 28.69639, 83.49528Coordinates: 28°41′47″N 83°29′43″E / 28.69639, 83.49528
First ascent	May 13, 1960 by a Swiss/Austrian team
Easiest route	snow/ice climb
Listing	Eight-thousander Ultra

Dhaulagiri (धौलागिरी) is the seventh highest mountain in the world. It forms the eastern anchor of the Dhaulagiri Himal, a subrange of the Himalaya in the Dhawalagiri Zone of north central Nepal. It lies northwest of Pokhara, an important regional town and tourist center. Across the deep gorge of the Kali Gandaki to the east lies the Annapurna Himal, home to Annapurna I, one of the other eight-thousanders. Dhaulagiri means "White Mountain".

Notable Features

Computations by Lt. William Spencer Webb from surveys started in 1808 indicated that Dhaulagiri was the highest known mountain in the world.^[1] This lasted for 30 years before Dhaulagiri's place was taken by Kangchenjunga.

Dhaulagiri from Poon Hill

Dhaulagiri Range from Poon Hill

In terms of rise above local terrain, Dhaulagiri is, in fact, almost unparalleled in the world. For example, it rises 7000 m over the Kali Gandaki gorge to the southeast in about 30km of horizontal distance. The Kali Gandaki is especially dramatic since Dhaulagiri and Annapurna both stand near the river, giving a unique example of two Eight-thousanders facing each other over a deep valley.

The South and West faces of Dhaulagiri both feature massive drops; each rises over 4000 meters from its base, and each has been the site of epic climbs (see the Timeline).

Among the subsidiary peaks in the range, Gurja Himal also boasts a large, precipitous drop on its south face.

Climbing History

Dhaulagiri was first climbed on May 13, 1960 by Kurt Diemberger, Peter Diener, Ernst Forrer, Albin Schelbert, Nyima Dorji and Nawang Dorji, members of a Swiss/Austrian expedition. The expedition leader was Max Eiselin; they used the Northeast Ridge route which had been reconnoitered one year earlier by an Austrian expedition led by Fritz Moravec. This was also the first Himalayan climb supported by a fixed-wing aircraft. The aircraft, a Pilatus PC-6, crashed during the approach and was later abandoned on the mountain.

The vast majority of ascents to date have been via the first ascent route, which is the "Normal Route" on the mountain. However ascents have been made from almost every direction.

Partial Timeline

1950 The peak is reconnoitered by the French, led by Maurice Herzog; however they do not see a feasible route and switch their objective to Annapurna, where they succeeded in making the first ascent of an 8000 m peak.
1953-1958 Five expeditions attempt the North Face, or "Pear Buttress", route.
1954 J. O. M. Roberts and Sherpa Ang Nyima climb Putha Hiunchuli (the first successful major summit ascent in the range).
1959 An Austrian expedition led by Fritz Moravec makes the first attempt on the Northeast Ridge, which will become the first ascent route the following year.
1960 The first ascent, detailed above.
1969 Americans, led by Boyd Everett, attempt the Southeast Ridge; seven team members, including Everett, are killed.
1970 The second ascent of Dhaulagiri, via the first-ascent route, by a Japanese expedition led by Tokufu Ohta and Shoji Imanari. Tetsuji Kawada and Lhakpa Tenzing reach the summit on October 20.^[2]
1973 An American team led by James Morrissey makes the third ascent of Dhaulagiri, via the first ascent route (Northeast Ridge). Summit team: John Roskelley, Louis Reichardt, Nawang Samden.
1975 A Japanese team led by Takashi Amemiya attempts the Southwest Ridge (also known as the South Pillar). Six people are killed in an avalanche.
1976 An Italian expedition makes the fourth ascent of the peak.
1977 An international team led by Reinhold Messner attempts the South Face.
1978, Spring: Amemiya returns with an expedition which puts five members on the summit via the Southwest Ridge; this is the first ascent not to use the Northeast Ridge. One team member is killed during the ascent.
1978, Autumn: Seiko Tanaka of Japan leads an expedition which successfully climbs the very difficult Southeast Ridge. Four team members are killed during the ascent. Also, a French team attempts the Southwest Buttress (also called the South Buttress), but reaches only 7200 m.
1979 A Japanese expedition climbs Dhaulagiri II via the east ridge and Dhaulagiri V via the south ridge. They place camps on the summits of both peaks, and members of the expedition make traverses along the 4 km (2.4 mi) intervening ridge (which is everywhere above 7,150 m) in both directions. This expedition was also notable for being led by a woman, Michiko Takahashi.
1981 A Yugoslavian team reach 7,950 m after putting up the first route on the true South Face of the mountain, on the right side, connecting with the Southeast Ridge. They climbed in alpine style, but suffered four days of open bivouacs and six days without food before returning. Also, Hironobu Kamuro of Japan reaches the summit alone, via the normal route.
1984 Three members of the Czechoslovakian expedition (J. Simon, K. Jakes, J. Stejskal) reached the summit via the monumental west face of the mountain. J. Simon died during the descent.
1985 A Polish expedition including the famed Jerzy Kukuczka climbs Dhaulagiri, via the standard route, in winter: they reach the summit on January 21.
1986 A mostly Polish expedition puts up the second South Face route, on the left side of the face, connecting with the Southwest Ridge route. They go above 7500 m but do not reach the summit.
1988 Yu.Moiseev and K.Valiev in cooperation with a Slovak Z.Demjan succeeded in getting over the south-west buttress. In the alpine context, this ascent with a 3000m altitude difference and passage of the VI+A2 sections at altitudes of 6800-7300m, was acknowledged as the year's best achievement at the UIAA Expedition Commission Conference.^{[citation needed]}
1990 Dhaulagiri becomes the first mountain higher than 8000 m to be climbed by a Lithuanian. The legendary alpinist Dainius Makauskas disappears while coming back from the top.
1993 A Russian-British team puts up the Direct North Face Route.
1998 On May 16, Chantal Mauduit, an accomplished French climber, dies in an avalanche while attempting Dhaulagiri.
1999 On October 24 Ginette Harrison, an accomplished British climber, dies in an avalanche while attempting Dhaulagiri. Days later, the Slovenian Tomaz Humar climbs the huge, steep South Face solo, but does not reach the true summit of the peak.

Other peaks in the Dhaulagiri Himal

The Dhaulagiri Himal contains the following named peaks over 7,000 m (22,966 ft)^[3]

World Rank†	Mountain	Height (m)	Height (ft)	Coordinates	Prominence (m)	First ascent
7	Dhaulagiri I	8,167	26,795	28°41′45″N 83°29′36″E / 28.69583, 83.49333 (Dhaulagiri I)	3,357	1960
30	Dhaulagiri II	7,751	25,430	28°45′46″N 83°23′14″E / 28.76278, 83.38722 (Dhaulagiri II)	2,396	1971
	Dhaulagiri III	7,715	25,311	28°45′16″N 83°22′46″E / 28.75444, 83.37944 (Dhaulagiri III)	135	1973
	Dhaulagiri IV	7,661	25,135	28°44′10″N 83°18′55″E / 28.73611, 83.31528 (Dhaulagiri IV)	469	1969
	Dhaulagiri V	7,618	24,992	28°44′04″N 83°21′56″E / 28.73444, 83.36556 (Dhaulagiri V)	340	1975
72	Churen Himal (Main)	7,385	24,229	28°44′06″N 83°12′58″E / 28.735, 83.21611 (Churen Himal (Main))	600	unknown‡
	Churen Himal (East)	7,371	24,229	28°44′33″N 83°13′51″E / 28.7425, 83.23083 (Churen Himal (East))	150	1970
	Churen Himal (West)	7,371	24,183	28°43′55″N 83°12′45″E / 28.73194, 83.2125 (Churen Himal (West))	70	1970
	Dhaulagiri VI	7,268	23,845	28°42′30″N 83°16′32″E / 28.70833, 83.27556 (Dhaulagiri VI)	485	1970
95	Putha Hiunchuli	7,246	23,773	28°44′50″N 83°08′55″E / 28.74722, 83.14861 (Putha Hiunchuli)	1,151	1954
	Gurja Himal	7,193	23,599	28°40′26″N 83°16′37″E / 28.67389, 83.27694 (Gurja Himal)	500	1969

† In this list, only peaks above 7,200 m with more than 500 m (1,640 ft) of topographic prominence are ranked.

‡ The status of the three peaks of Churen Himal is unclear, and sources differ on their heights.^[3]^[4]^[5] The coordinates, heights and prominence values above are derived from the Finnmap.^[5] The first ascent data is from Neate^[3], but it is unclear if the first ascent of Churen Himal East was actually an ascent of the highest of the three peaks, as Neate lists Churen Himal Central as a 7,320 m subpeak of Churen Himal East.

Most of these peaks lie along one high east-west ridge, lying to the west-northwest of Dhaulagiri I and separated from it by a deep col (the French col). In order from west to east, they are: Putha Hiunchuli, Churen Himal, D VI, D IV, D V, D III, D II. Gurja Himal lies south of Dhaulagiri VI, away from the main ridge.

Gallery

Dhaulagiri from Poon hill (Day)

Dhaulagiri from Poon Hill with a Golden Top (Sunrise)

Dhaulagiri short before sunrise (Night)

TREKKING TIPS

2009-01-15T21:15:00.000-08:00

"Walking stick" may also refer to a stick insect, of the Order Phasmatodea, which uses camouflage to resemble a stick or twig.

A walking stick is a tool used by many people to assist walking. Walking sticks come in many shapes and sizes, even leading some people to collect them.

Hemiplegic and balance-impaired persons use the stick to give them a better sense of the vertical position, thereby lessening vertigo. Without the stick, it is easy to walk at an angle, and perhaps not move in a straight line. The stick is held in the stronger hand.

Muscle-weakened persons (with reduced strength or nerve action) need a stronger weight-bearing stick to take some of the load normally used by the afflicted leg. Canes are generally used in the hand opposite the injury or weakness. This may appear counter-intuitive, but this allows the cane to used for stability in a way that lets the user shift much of their weight onto the cane and away from their weaker side as they walk. Personal preference, or a need to hold the cane in their dominant hand means some cane users choose to hold the cane on their injured side[1]. Also serving this purpose are walkers, which are held in front of the user and allow the user to lean heavily on them.

Walking sticks, also called trekking poles, hiking poles or hiking sticks, are used by hikers for a wide variety of purposes: to clear spiderwebs, part thick bushes or grass obscuring the trail; as a support when going uphill or a brake when going downhill; as a balance point when crossing streams, swamps or other rough terrain; to feel for obstacles in the path; to test mud and puddles for depth; and as a defense against wild animals. A walking stick can be improvised from nearby felled wood. More ornate sticks are made for avid hikers, and are often adorned with small trinkets or medallions depicting "conquered" territory.

Accessories

The most common accessory, before or after purchase or manufacture, is a hand strap, to prevent loss of the stick should the hand release its grip. These are often threaded through a hole drilled into the stick rather than tied around.
A clip-on frame or similar device can be used to stand a stick against the top of a table.
In cold climates, a metallic cleat may be added to the foot of the cane. This dramatically increases traction on ice. The device is usually designed so it can be easily flipped to the side to prevent damage to indoor flooring.
Different handles are available to match grips of varying sizes.
Rubber ferrules give extra traction on most surfaces.
Nordic walking (ski walking) poles are extremely popular in Europe. Walking with two poles in the correct length radically reduces the stress to the knees, hips and back. These special poles come with straps resembling a fingerless glove, durable metal tips for off-road and removable rubber tips for pavement and other hard surfaces.

Ecclesiastical use

Orthodox protodeacon holding a walking stick. Portrait by Ilya Repin, 1877 (Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow).

In the Eastern Orthodox Church and some of the Oriental Orthodox Churches an ecclesiastical walking stick is used by bishops, archimandrites and hegumens (abbots) when walking outside. It is usually made of dark wood and is straight, rather than having a curved handle. The walking stick used by bishops and archimandrites is normally adorned with a silver grip at the top and a metal ferrule at the tip. The walking stick used by an hegumen or hegumenia (abbess) is normally of plain wood, unadorned.

The walking stick is not used in any liturgical context, except to the extent that when a bishop is formally received at the beginning of the service, he will carry it as he walks into the church. An altar server will usually take it from him when he enters the narthex and return it to him when he leaves at the end of the service.

GORKHA PEOPLE OF NEPAL

2009-01-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

Gurkha

Statue of a Gurkha near the Ministry of Defence, City of Westminster, London.

Gurkha, also spelled as Gorkha, are people from Nepal and parts of northern India, who take their name from the eighth century Hindu warrior-saint Guru Gorakhnath.^[1] His disciple Bappa Rawal, born Prince Kalbhoj/Prince Shailadhish, founded the house of Mewar, Rajasthan (Rajputana). Later descendants of Bappa Rawal moved further east to found the house of Gorkha, which in turn founded the Kingdom of Nepal.^[2] Gorkha is one of the 75 districts of modern Nepal.

Gurkhas are best known for their history of bravery and strength in the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments. The Gurkhas were designated by British officials as a "Martial Race". "Martial Race" was a designation created by officials of British India to describe "races" (peoples) that were thought to be naturally warlike and aggressive in battle, and to possess qualities like courage, loyalty, self sufficiency, physical strength, resilience, orderliness, the ability to work hard for long periods of time, fighting tenacity and military strategy. The British recruited heavily from these Martial Races for service in the colonial army.^[3]

Etymology

The word Gorkha is derived from the prakrit words "go rakkha" (Sanskrit gau-rakṣa, literally "cow-protector"). This was used by Guru Gorakhnath, the spiritual leader of the Gorkhas, the name given to his disciples.

History

Gurkhas claim descent from the Hindu Rajputs and Brahmins of Northern India, who entered modern Nepal from the west. Guru Gorkhanath had a Rajput Prince-disciple, the legendary Bappa Rawal, born Prince Kalbhoj/Prince Shailadhish, founder of the Royal house of Mewar, who became the first Gurkha (Gorkha) and is said to be the ancestor of the present Royal family of Nepal.^[4]

Sri Panch (5) Maharaja Dhiraj Prthivi Narayan Shahdev

The legend states that Bappa Rawal was a teenager in hiding, when he came upon the warrior saint while on a hunting expedition with friends in the jungles of Rajasthan. Bappa Rawal chose to stay behind, and care for the warrior saint, who was in deep meditation. When Guru Gorkhanath awoke, he was pleased with the devotion of Bappa Rawal. The Guru gave him the Kukri (Khukuri) knife, the famous curved blade of the present day Gurkhas.^[5] The legend continues that he told Bappa that he and his people would henceforth be called Gurkhas, the disciples of the Guru Gorkhanath, and their bravery would become world famous. He then instructed Bappa Rawal, and his Gorkhas to stop the advance of the Muslims, who were invading Afghanistan (which at that time was a Hindu/Buddhist nation). Bappa Rawal took his Gurkhas and liberated Afghanistan - originally named Gandhara, from which the present day Kandahar derives its name. He and his Gorkhas stopped the initial Islamic advance of the 8th century in the Indian subcontinent.^[4]

There are legends that Bappa Rawal (Kalbhoj) went further conquering Iran and Iraq before he retired as an ascetic at the feet of Mt. Meru, having conquered all invaders and enemies of his faith.

It is a misconception that the Gurkhas took their name from the Gorkha region of Nepal. The region was given its name after the Gurkhas had established their control of these areas. In the early 1500s some of Bappa Rawal's descendants went further east, and conquered a small state in present-day Nepal, which they named Gorkha in honour of their patron saint.

By 1769, through the leadership of Sri Panch (5) Maharaj Dhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shahdev (1769–1775), the Gorkha dynasty had taken over the area of modern Nepal. They made Hinduism the state religion, although with distinct Rajput warrior and Gorkhanath influences.

In the Gurkha War (1814–1816) they waged war against the British East India Company army. The British were impressed by the Gurkha soldiers and after reaching a stalemate with the Gurkhas made Nepal a protectorate. Much later, they were granted the right to freely hire them as mercenaries from the interiors of Nepal (as opposed to the early British Gurkha mercenaries who were hired from areas such as Assam (ie. Sirmoor Rifles) and were then organised in Gurkha regiments in the East India Company army with the permission of then prime minister, Shree Teen (3) Maharaja (Maharana) Jung Bahadur Rana, the first Rana Prime-minister who initiated a Rana oligarchic rule in Nepal. Jung Bahadur was the grandson of the famous Nepalese hero and Prime minister Bhimsen Thapa. Originally Jung Bahadur and his brother Ranodip Singh brought a lot of upliftment and modernisation to Nepalese society, the abolishment of slavery, upliftment of the untouchable class, public access to education etc. but these dreams were short lived when in the coup d'état of 1885 the nephews of Jung Bahadur and Ranodip Singh (the Shumshers J.B., S.J.B. or Satra (17) Family) murdered Ranodip Singh and the sons of Jung Bahadur, stole the name of Jung Bahadur and took control of Nepal This Shumsher Rana rule is regarded by some as one of the reasons of Nepal lagging behind in modern development. The children of Jung Bahadur and Ranodip Singh mainly lived outside of Kathmandu, in Nepal and mainly in India after escaping the coup d'état of 1885.^[6]

Sri Teen (3) Maharaja Jung Bahadur Rana

The "original" Gurkhas who were descended from the Rajputs (Thakuri and Chetri) refused to enter as soldiers and were instead given positions as officers in the British-Indian armed forces. The non-Kashaktriya Gurkhas entered as soldiers (ie, Magar, Gurung).

The Thakur/Rajput Gurkhas were entered as officers, one of whom, (retired) General Narendra Bahadur Singh, Gurkha Rifles, great grandson of Jung Bahadur, while a young captain, rose to become aide-de-camp (A.D.C.) to Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India.

The Gurkha soldier recruits were mainly drawn from several ethnic groups. When the British began recruiting from the interiors of Nepal these soldiers were mainly drawn from Magar, Gurung, Rai and Limbu, although earlier British Gurkhas included Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Assamese and others as well.

After the British left India, Gorkhalis continued seeking employment in British and Indian forces, as officers and soldiers.

Under international law present-day British Gurkhas are not treated as mercenaries but are fully integrated soldiers of the British Army, operate in formed units of the Brigade of Gurkhas, and abide by the rules and regulations under which all British soldiers serve. Similar rules apply for Gurkhas serving in the Indian Army.

The Gorkha war cry is "Jai Mahakali, Ayo Gorkhali" which literally translates to "Glory be to the Goddess of War, here come the Gorkhas!"

Professor Sir Ralph Turner, MC, who served with the 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles in the First World War, wrote of Gurkhas:

“

As I write these last words, my thoughts return to you who were my comrades, the stubborn and indomitable peasants of Nepal. Once more I hear the laughter with which you greeted every hardship. Once more I see you in your bivouacs or about your fires, on forced march or in the trenches, now shivering with wet and cold, now scorched by a pitiless and burning sun. Uncomplaining you endure hunger and thirst and wounds; and at the last your unwavering lines disappear into the smoke and wrath of battle. Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you.

”

British East India Company army

Gurkhas served as troops under contract to the East India Company in the Pindaree War of 1817, in Bharatpur in 1826 and the First and Second Anglo-Sikh Wars in 1846 and 1848. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Gurkhas fought on the British side, and became part of the British Indian Army on its formation. The 2nd Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) defended Hindu Rao's house for over three months, losing 327 out of 490 men. The 60th Rifles (later the Royal Green Jackets) fought alongside the Sirmoor Rifles and were so impressed that following the mutiny they insisted 2nd Gurkhas be awarded the honours of adopting their distinctive rifle green uniforms with scarlet edgings and rifle regiment traditions and that they should hold the title of riflemen rather than sepoys. Twelve Nepalese regiments also took part in the relief of Lucknow under the command of Shri Teen (3) Maharaja Maharana Jung Bahadur of Nepal and his older brother C-in-C Ranaudip Singh (Ranodip or Ranodeep) Bahadur Rana (later to succeed Jung Bahadur and become Sri Teen Maharaja Ranodip Singh of Nepal).

British Indian Army

Gurkha Soldiers (1896). The centre figure wears the dark green dress uniform worn by all Gurkhas in British service, with certain regimental distinctions

From the end of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 until the start of the First World War the Gurkha Regiments saw active service in Burma, Afghanistan, the North-East and the North-West Frontiers of India, Malta (the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78), Cyprus, Malaya, China (the Boxer Rebellion of 1900) and Tibet (Younghusband's Expedition of 1905).

Between 1901 and 1906, the Gurkha regiments were renumbered from the 1st to the 10th and redesignated as the Gurkha Rifles. One hundred thousand Gurkhas fought in the First World War. They served in the battlefields of France in the Loos, Givenchy, Neuve Chapelle and Ypres; in Mesopotamia, Persia, Suez Canal and Palestine against Turkish advance, Gallipoli and Salonika. One detachment served with Lawrence of Arabia.

During the Battle of Loos the 8th Gurkhas fought to the last, and in the words of the Indian Corps Commander, "found its Valhalla". During the Gallipoli Campaign the 6th Gurkhas captured a feature later known as "Gurkha Bluff". At Sari Bair they were the only troops in the whole campaign to reach and hold the crest line and look down on the Straits which was the ultimate objective. Second Battalion of the 3rd Gurkha Rifles was involved in the conquest of Baghdad.

In the interwar years, Gurkhas fought in the Third Afghan War in 1919 followed by numerous campaigns on the North-West Frontier, particularly in Waziristan.

During World War II, the Gurkhas started with 8 one-battalion regiments and 2 two-battalion regiments; the Nepalese crown let the British recruit 40 extra battalions — 55 in total — and let them serve everywhere in the world. Nepalese Gurkhas numbered 250,000 in total.^[7] In addition to keeping peace in India, Gurkhas fought in Syria, North Africa, Italy, Greece and against the Japanese in Singapore and the jungles of Burma. The 4th battalion of the 10th Gurkha Rifles became a nucleus for the Chindits. They fought in the Battle of Imphal.

Gurkha military rank system in the British Indian Army

The 2/5th Royal Gurkha Rifles marching through Kure soon after their arrival in Japan in May 1946 as part of the Allied forces of occupation.

British Indian Army and Current Indian Army /Current British Army Equivalence

British Gurkha Victoria Cross Recipients: [1]

Note:

As opposed to British army officers who received regular Queen's or King's Commissions, Gurkha officers in this system would receive the Viceroy's Commission. After Indian Independence, Gurkha officers in those regiments which became part of the British Army were known as King's Gurkha Officers and later Queen's Gurkha Officers (QGOs), receiving the King's and later Queen's Gurkha Commission. This distinction implied that Gurkha officers had no authority to command troops of British regiments.
The equivalent ranks in the post 1947 Indian Army were (and are) known as Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs). They retained the traditional rank titles used in the British Indian Army - Jemadar (later Naib Subedar), Subedar and Subedar Major.
While in principle any British subject may apply for a commission without having served in the ranks previously, the same cannot be said about Gurkha officers. It was customary for a Gurkha soldier to rise through the ranks and prove his ability before his regiment would consider offering him a commission.
From the 1920s, Gurkhas could also receive King's Indian Commissions, and later full King's or Queen's Commissions, which put them on a par with British officers. This was rare until after the Second World War.

Gurkha Rifle Regiments ca.1800-1946

1st King George V's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment) (raised 1815, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) (raised 1815, allocated to British Army in 1948)
3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles (raised 1815, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles (raised 1857, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) (raised 1858, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
6th Gurkha Rifles, renamed 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles in 1959 (raised 1817, allocated to British Army in 1948)
7th Gurkha Rifles, renamed 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles in 1959 (raised 1902, allocated to British Army in 1948)
8th Gurkha Rifles (raised 1824, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
9th Gurkha Rifles (raised 1817, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles (raised 1890, allocated to British Army in 1948)
11th Gorkha Rifles (1918-1922; raised again by India following independence in 1947)
14th Gurkha Rifles (1942–1946)
25th Gurkha Rifles (1942–1946)
26th Gurkha Rifles (1943–1946)
29th Gurkha Rifles (1943–1946)
38th Gurkha Rifles (1943–1946)
42nd Gurkha Rifles (raised 1817 as the Cuttack Legion, renamed 6th Gurkha Rifles in 1903)
44th Gurkha Rifles (raised 1824 as the 16th (Sylhet) Local Battalion, renamed 8th Gorkha Rifles in 1903)
56th Gurkha Rifles (1943–1946)
710th Gurkha Rifles (1943–1946)

Post-independence

THE GURKHA
SOLDIER
Bravest of the brave,
most generous of the generous,
never had country
more faithful friends
than you.
Professor Sir Ralph Turner MC^[8]

After Indian independence – and partition – in 1947 and under the Tripartite Agreement, six Gurkha regiments joined the post-independence Indian Army. Four Gurkha regiments were transferred to the British Army. To the disappointment of their British officers the majority of Gurkhas given a choice between British or Indian Army service opted for the latter. The reason appears to have been the pragmatic one that the Gurkha regiments of the Indian Army would continue to serve in their existing roles in familiar territory and under terms and conditions that were well established. The only substantial change was the substitution of Indian officers for British. By contrast the four regiments selected for British service faced an uncertain future in (initially) Malaya - a region where relatively few Gurkhas had previously served. The four regiments (or eight battalions) in British service have since been reduced to a single (two battalion) regiment while the Indian units have been expanded beyond their pre-Independence establishment of twelve battalions.

The principal aim of the Tri-Partite Agreement was to ensure that Gurkhas serving under the Crown would be paid on the same scale as those serving in the new Indian Army. This was significantly lower than the standard British rates of pay. While the difference is made up through cost of living and location allowances during a Gurkha's actual period of service, the pension payable on his return to Nepal is much lower than would be the case for his British counterparts.

With the abolition of the Nepalese Monarchy, the future recruitment of Gurkhas for British and Indian service has been put into doubt. A spokesperson for the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), which is expected to play a major role in the new secular republic, has stated that recruitment as mercenaries is degrading to the Nepalese people and will be banned.

British Army Gurkhas

Four Gurkha regiments joined the British Army on January 1 1948:

They formed the Brigade of Gurkhas and were initially stationed in Malaya. There are also a number of additional Gurkha regiments including the 69th Gurkha Field Squadron and the 70th Gurkha Field Support Squadron, both of which are included in the 36th Engineer regiment.

Currently (Nov '06) "The Brigade of Gurkhas" in the British Army has the following regiments:

2 Infantry Battalions -

1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles (1RGR)
2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles (2RGR)

Queen's Gurkha Signals which includes -

250 Gurkha Signal Squadron
246 Gurkha Signal Squadron
248 Gurkha Signal Squadron

Queen's own Gurkha Logistics Regiment

Queen's Gurkha Engineers -

69th Gurkha Field Squadron
70th Gurkha Field Squadron

In addition to these Regiments The Brigade of Gurkhas has its own Clerks and Chefs who are posted among the above mentioned units.

Gurkhas in Hong Kong -

26th Gurkha Brigade (1948–1950)
51st Infantry Brigade (disbanded 1976)
48th Gurkha Infantry Brigade (1957-1976; renamed Gurkha Field Force 1976-97; returned to old title 1987-ca.1992)

Indian Army Gorkhas

The 1st Battalion of 1 Gurkha Rifles of the Indian Army take position outside a simulated combat town during a training exercise.

Upon independence in 1947, the spelling was changed to Gorkha and six Gurkha regiments remained with the Indian Army:

Additionally, a further regiment, 11 Gorkha Rifles, was raised. All royal titles were dropped when India became a republic in 1950.

In 1999 5/8 Gorkha Rifles were sent as part of the Indian Army UN contingent of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to secure the diamond fields against the Revolutionary United Front.

Singapore Gurkhas Contingent

Two Singapore Police Force's Gurkha Contingent troopers guarding a car park entrance to Raffles City where the 117th IOC Session was held in Singapore in July 2005. Dressed in their combat uniform, but with elements borrowed from the no. 3 dress, armed with a shotgun while the other handles a Heckler & Koch MP5.

The Gurkha Contingent (GC) of the Singapore Police Force was formed on 9 April 1949 from selected ex-British Army Gurkhas. It was raised to replace a Sikh unit which had existed prior to the Japanese occupation during the Second World War and is an integral part of the Police Force.

The GC is a well trained, dedicated and disciplined body whose principal role is as a specialist guard force. In times of crisis it can be deployed as a reaction force. During the turbulent years before and after independence, the GC acquitted itself well a number of times during outbreaks of civil disorder. The Gurkhas displayed the courage, self restraint and professionalism for which they are famous and earned the respect of the society at large^{[citation needed]}.

Recently the GC can be seen patrolling the streets and have replaced local policemen to guard key installations. Before the 9/11 attacks, they were seldom seen in public.

The most recent deployment of the GC was to provide additional security for the Singapore Airshow, Asia's largest airshow and the hunt for the escaped terrorist, Mas Selamat.

Brunei Gurkha Reserve Unit

The Gurkha Reserve Unit is a special guard force in the Sultanate of Brunei. The 2,000 strong Gurkha unit is made up of British Army veterans. The unit functioned primarily as a praetorian guard that protected the sultan, the Royal Family and oil installations.

Other

Gurkha soldiers have been awarded 13 Victoria Crosses, all but one (Rambahadur Limbu) were awarded when all Gurkha regiments were still part of the Indian Army. An additional 13 VCs have been awarded to British Officers in Gurkha regiments. Since Indian independence, Gurkhas have also been awarded 3 Param Vir Chakras.

Ethnically, Gurkhas who are presently serving in the British armed forces are Indo-Tibeto-Mongolians. Gurkhas serving in the Indian Armed Forces are of both groups, Indo-Tibeto-Mongolian and ethnic Rajput. Gurkhas of Indo-Tibeto-Mongolian origin mostly belong to the Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Khasa and Kiranti origin, many of whom are adherents of Tibetan Buddhism and Shamanism, however still with a strong Hindu influence.^[9]

All Gurkhas, regardless of ethnic origin, speak Nepali, an Indo-Aryan language. They are also famous for their large knife called the khukuri, which is featured in an X shaped configuration on their emblem.

In the mid-1980s some Nepali speaking groups in West Bengal began to organize under the Gorkhaland National Liberation Front, calling for their own Gurkha state. In 1988 they were given broader autonomy as the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.

Treatment of Gurkhas in the United Kingdom

The treatment of Gurkhas and their families has been the subject of controversy in the United Kingdom following revelations that Gurkhas received smaller pensions than their British equivalents. On 8 March 2007, it was announced by the British Government that all Gurkhas who signed up after July 1, 1997 would receive a pension equivalent to that of their British counterparts. In addition, Gurkhas would, for the first time, be able to transfer to another army unit after five years service to broaden their experience. It was also stated that, for the first time in the history of the Gurkhas, women would be allowed to join - although not in infantry units, in line with general British Army policy. [2]

Despite this, many Gurkhas who had not served long enough to entitle them to a pension faced hardship on their return to Nepal, and some critics have derided the Government's decision to only award the new pension to those joining after the 1 July 1997, claiming that this left many ex-Gurkhas still facing a financially uncertain retirement. A charity, the Gurkha Welfare Trust, provides aid to alleviate hardship and distress among Gurkha ex-servicemen.

The nationality status of Gurkhas and their families was also previously an area of dispute, with claims that some ex-army Nepalese families were being denied residency and forced to leave Britain. The new policy on Gurkhas (announced by the British Government on 8 March 2007) guarantees residency rights in Britain for retired Gurkhas and their families. In a landmark ruling on 30 September 2008 the High Court in London decided that Gurkhas who left the Army before 1997 did have an automatic right of residency in the United Kingdom. Before this ruling only Gurkhas who left the British Army after 1997 were granted automatic residency benefits. In line with the ruling of the High Court the Home Office is to review all cases affected by this decision.

There is a campaign currently running to support Gurkhas and pressure the UK government into giving more help and equal treatment to Gurkhas, called Gurkha Justice [3]. The site features an online petition, and supportive merchandise.

Hong Kong

A considerable number of ex-Gurkhas and their families live in Hong Kong, where they are particularly well represented in the private security profession (G4S Gurkha Services, Pacific Crown Security Service, Sunkoshi Gurkha Security) and among labourers. Ex-Gurkhas left barracks and moved into surrounding urban area. There are considerable Nepalese communities in Yuen Long and Kwun Chung.

British citizenship

In July 2006, British authorities granted the right to full British citizenship to all Nepalese and their dependants serving the British army during its stays in Britain's former colonial territories, among them Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, which entitles them to stay and work in the United Kingdom. According to the press secretary there are approximately 140,000 eligible to apply. Similar rights were notably not granted to those Hong Kong citizens, with British Dependent Territory passports, serving in the Hong Kong Military Service Corps (although a limited number of those applying were granted residency) or to the Sikh detachment of the ASD guard, many of whom were left stateless in 1997, nor have they been granted to Commonwealth citizens previously or currently serving in the British Army. A recent High Court decision on a test case in London, however, has acknowledged the 'Debt of honour' of Gurkhas discharged before 1997, and that immigration cases be reviewed, which could set a precedent for citizenship privileges^[10]

Malaysian Armed Forces and citizenship

After the Federation of Malaya became independent from the United Kingdom in August 1957, many Gurkhas became soldiers in the Malayan armed forces, especially in the Royal Ranger Regiment. Others became security guards, mainly in Kuala Lumpur.

United States Navy

The United States Navy employs Gurkha guards as sentries at its base in Naval Support Activity Bahrain. The Gurkhas work alongside Navy members in day-to-day operations. Gurkhas are also sometimes employed to provide security for ships in foreign ports.

BHAKTAPUR NEPAL

2009-01-14T03:59:00.000-08:00

Country	Nepal
Bhaktapur
A street of Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur Location in Nepal
Coordinates: 27°40′N 85°25′E / 27.667, 85.417
Zone	Bagmati Zone
District	Bhaktapur District
Population (1991)
- Total	61,405
- Religions	Hindu
Time zone	Nepal Time (UTC+5:45)

Bhaktapur (Nepali: भक्तपुर जिल्ला Bhaktapur Jillā), also Bhadgaon or Khwopa (Nepal Bhasa: ख्वप Khvapa) is an ancient Newar town in the east corner of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It is located in Bhaktapur District in the Bagmati Zone. It is the third largest city in Kathmandu valley and was once the capital of Nepal during the great Malla Kingdom until the second half of the 15th century.

Etymology

The term "Bhaktapur" in Sanskrit Language(i.e. the source of Nepali language and Hindu language) refers to "The Town Of Devotees". This Bhaktapur City is also known as "Khwopa" or "Bhadgaon" or "Ancient Newari Town" through out the Kathmandu valley.

History

It is the home of traditional art and architecture, historical monuments and craft works, magnificent windows, pottery and weaving industries, excellent temples, beautiful ponds, rich local customs, culture, religion, festivals, musical mystic and so on. Bhaktapur is still an untouched as well as preserved ancient city, which in fact, is itself a world to explore for tourist.

From time immemorial it lay on the trade route between Tibet/China and India. This position on the main caravan route made the town rich and prosperous: each autumn the traders from Tibet came with sheep ("changra"), fitting nicely with the main Hindu holidays, 'Mohni' (Parbatiya: Dashain; Hindi: Dussehra), when nearly everyone in Nepal sacrificed male animals to the goddess Durga. On the return trek the traders brought back to Tibet grains, sugar or Buddhist scriptures.

This prosperity fueled the cultural life: ie. the temple builders developed a Pagoda-style, spreading it through Tibet all the way to Japan. Finest of all is the five-tiered, heaven piercing Nyatapole.

The rivalry between the 3 kingdoms of the Kathmandu valley extended to include arts and architecture. Some of the fabulous pieces of work can be found in the Durbar square area which is surrounded by temples and palaces. Most of the buildings were constructed during the 15^th century^[1].

Geography

Bhaktapur is around 13 Km outside Kathmandu (i.e. the capital city of Nepal) and lies on the eastern side of the Tibetan trade route. It occupies around 4 square miles of land at an altitude of 1,401 meter above sea-level.

Demographics

At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 61405 and had 9187 houses in it.^[2] The male inhabitants of this city wear a special type of cap called the Bhaad-gaaule topi. This city is famous for its yoghurt or curd ju-ju Dhau.

Tourism

Bhaktapur is a popular day-trip destination for tourists visiting Kathmandu. Lately, with more air-pollution in Kathmandu, more and more tourists are staying in Bhaktapur for a few days, before arrangements for trekking are finished. For foreign tourists the entry fee is NPR 750/$10; for nationals of SAARC-countries and China the fee is NPR 50.

A trip to Bhaktapur City is a popular tourist itinerary and so make it yours soon! In addition, although Mount Everest (i.e. Sagarmatha) is breathtaking and the landscape of Lord Buddha(i.e. Founder of Peace) mysterious, tourists visiting Nepal still don't feel their sojourn complete unless they have experienced Bhaktapur, Nepal's ancient "City of Culture".

Main Attraction of Bhaktapur City

Five Squares - Darbar Square(World Heritage Site), Taumadhi Square, Dattatreya Square, Pottery Square First, Pottery Square Second
Popular Places - Changu Narayan(World Heritage Site), Nagarkot, Surya Vinayak, Kamal Vinayak, Siddha Pokhari, Chonga Ganesh etc.
Devine Miracolus Vision - Largest Shiva lingum, Golden Spout and Gate, Magnificent windows etc.

Durbar square

Bhaktapur's main square, Durbar Square, houses the 55-window Palace which was constructed by King Bhupatindra Malla and was home to royalty until 1769. It is now a National Gallery. Close by is the Golden Gate which leads into Mulchok Court which is home to the Taleju Temple. This temple, like others in the main towns of the Kathmandu Valley, is dedicated to the goddess Taleju Bhawani and includes shrines to both the Taleju Bhawani and Kumari. Entrance to the temple is restricted to Hindus and the living goddess strictly cannot be photographed.

The Durbar square is surrounded by spectacular architecture and vividly showcases the skills of the Newari artists and craftsmen over several centuries. The royal palace was originally situated at Dattaraya square and was only later moved to the Durbar sqaure location^[3].

The Durbar square at Bhaktapur was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1934 and hence appears very spacious than the other ones located at Kathmandu and Pathan^[3].

Gallery

A statue in the main square of Bhaktapur

View of a typical square

Peacock Window

Temple courtyard in Bhaktapur

KATHMANDU NEPAL

2009-01-14T03:51:00.000-08:00

Kathmandu (Nepali: काठमांडौ, Nepal Bhasa: येँ) is the capital and the largest city of Nepal. The city is situated in Kathmandu Valley that also contains two other cities - Patan and Bhaktapur. Nepali is the lingua franca of the valley and is the most widely spoken language. Nepal Bhasa/Newari is the language spoken by native people, the Newars. English is understood by most of the educated population of the city. The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1400 m and is inhabited by about 700,000 people. Kathmandu is the most developed city in Nepal.

History

Kathmandu is situated in the heart of the Himalaya mountains, and has a rich history. Considered by some to be among the most beautiful cities in the world, the earliest known inscription in the Kathmandu Valley is dated 185 AD. The oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley is almost 1,992 years old. Four stupas around the city of Patan said to have been erected by Charumati, attest to the ancient history present within the valley. The Kirats are the first documented rulers of Kathmandu Valley, the remains of their palace are in Patan near kendra Hiranyavarna Mahavihara (called "Patukodon"). The Licchavi Dynasty whose earliest inscriptions date back to 464 AD were the next rulers of the valley. The Malla Dynasty consisted of Newar rulers, who ruled Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding area from the 12^th century till the 17^th century when the Shah Dynasty founder Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered the valley as he created present-day Nepal. Most of ancient Nepali Architecture present in Nepal today is from the Malla/Newar era.

The city of Kathmandu is named after a structure in Durbar Square called Kaasthamandap. In Sanskrit, Kaasth (काष्ठ) is "wood" and Mandap (मंडप/मण्डप) is "covered shelter." This unique temple, also known as Maru Sattal, was built in 1596 A.D. by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla. The entire structure contains no iron nails or supports and is made entirely from wood. Legend has it that the timber used for this two story pagoda was obtained from a single tree.

Kathmandu is also sometimes called "Kantipur". Kanti is an alternate name of the Goddess Laxmi, and Pur means the place where such a goddess resides; thus, the name Kantipur demonstrates the ancient belief that it is the place where Laxmi dwells. Newars, the native people of the Kathmandu valley use the original term from Nepal Bhasa, Yne.

Present

Pashupatinath temple

Boudhanath

Being the capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu is home to most of the government offices, embassies, corporate houses, and the palace. A golden heaven to the most famous artists in the world, it has the old palace of Newar kings, Kathmandu Durbar Square, which is listed as UNESCO world heritage site, is in Basantapur, next to Freak Street, which was the popular hippie spot during the seventies. The Shah King's Palace stands right next to Thamel - the tourist hub of the country. A small world within itself, Thamel is famous for the most attractive hotels and shopping centers in the world. It consists of two parallel streets just to the west of the palace. It is home to world famous hotels, ranging from different stars. The palace is at the head of Durbar Marg, a street lined with various shops. Most of the streets in Kathmandu are named from Nepal Bhasa, owing its origin to the rich Newari Culture and heritage. In a sense, Kathmandu is the most read text in the field of culture, history and Newari civilization in South Asia.

The "old" city is noted for its many Buddhist and Hindu temples and palaces, most dating to the 17^th century. Many of these landmarks have been damaged by earthquakes and pollution. This valley hosts an UNESCO World Heritage Sites composed by seven different Monument Zones: The centers of the three primary cities, Kathmandu Hanuman Dhoka, Patan and Bhaktapur, the two most important Buddhist stupas, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath and two famous Hindu shrines, Pashupatinath temple and Changu Narayan. Since 2003 the site has been inscribed in the World Heritage List as being "in danger" out of concern for the ongoing loss of authenticity and the outstanding universal value of the cultural property.

Kathmandu has been popular with western tourists since the 1960's when it became a key stop on the Hippy Trail, when Jho: Chheen (Nepal Bhasa, continuous house)(Freak Street) was the one of the main location. It is also the subject of a popular Bob Seger song for the same reason. It is rumoured that many rock singers used to visit Jho: Cheen and downtown Kathmandu in search of tranquility and Nirvana.

Tribhuvan International Airport is located about 25 km from the city center, offering domestic and international flights.

Geography

The city is located in the northwestern part of Kathmandu Valley. The Kathmandu Valley covers an area of 565 sq. kilometres. It is situated at 1336 m above the sea level. Bagmati, Bishnumati, Dhobikhola, and Tukucha rivers wind through the city.

Administrative divisions

A crowded street (Jamal) in Kathmandu.

The metropolitan has been divided into around 5 sectors by metropolitan authorities as follows^[2]

Central sector

The central sector consists of wards 1, 5, 11, 31, 32 and 33.

East sector

The east sector consists of wards 6, 7, 8, 9, 10(Baneshwor), 34 and 35.

North sector

The north sector consists of wards 2, 3, 4, 16, 29.

City core

This is the most densely populated part of the city. This part consists of most of the historical and cultural monuments of the city.

West sector

The west sector consists of wards 13, 14 and 15.

Demographics

According to 2001 census, there are 235,387 households in the metropolitan city^[3]. Kathmandu metropolitan authorities estimate the number of people living in the city to be around 1,081,845 people ^[4] The largest ethnic groups are Newars, Brahmins and Kshetris. The major languages are Nepali and Nepal Bhasa. The major religions are Hinduism and Buddhism.

Government

The city is looked after by Kathmandu metropolitan office located at Bagdarbar. The city hosts Singhadarbar, the government seat of Nepal (with office of Prime Minister, Supreme Court and Senate). Most of the ministries are present in the Singha Darbar premises. The Royal Palace is located in central part of city in ward number 1.

Economy

Tourism, sometimes said to be the 'third religion' of Nepal, is the country's most important industry, and plays a large role in the economic activity of Kathmandu. The neighborhood of Thamel is Kathmandu's primary 'traveler's ghetto,' packed with guest houses, restaurants, shops and bookstores catering to tourists from abroad. Freak Street, Kathmandu's original traveler's haunt made popular by the hippies of the 1970's, remains a popular alternative to Thamel.^[5]

In addition, Kathmandu houses most of the banks, business houses, offices, organizations and share market of Nepal. The busiest economic centers are New Road of Kathmandu, Ason, Putalisadak and Darbar Marg. New Road is regarded as financial hub with presence of most of the banks in this street.

Notable landmarks

Cultural impact

The city has been referenced in numerous songs, including works by Cat Stevens "Katmandu", Mona Bone Jakon (1970)), Bob Seger ("Katmandu", Beautiful Loser (1975)), Krematorij ("Kathmandu", Three Springs (2000)), Fito Páez ("Tráfico por Katmandú" -- "Traffic through Kathmandu"); Will Ackerman ("A Happy Home in Kathmandu", The Opening of Doors (1993)); Tantra ("The Hills of Katmandu", early 1980s); and Godiego ("Coming Together in Kathmandu" (1980).

Numerous works of literature have been set in Kathmandu, including Kim Stanley Robinson's 1989 work, Escape from Kathmandu. Recently, the book ("Arresting God in Kathmandu") by Samrat Upadhyay has got international acclaim.

In some travelogues, the Kathmandu valley has been referred to as the "Emerald Valley".

The location is mentioned in the film Bewitched as the title of a fictional movie Will Ferrell's character stars in prior to his role in the Bewitched remake.

Gallery

The palace in the Kathmandu Durbar Square.	Bhairava sculpture, Durbar Square market place 1972.	A view of Kathmandu Durbar Square from 1920. Bhairava in the background.	Same as the picture to the left but from 2007, shot for comparison.
Small stupa in Kathmandu	Stone carving in Kathmandu street	View over Kathmandu	A seller warming himself up in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal (pre-prohibition)
Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal	Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal	Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal	Rickshaw driver in Kathmandu near Durbar Square

Kathmandu in Popular Music

Kathmandu, mostly due to its popularity among Hippies, has been represented in various albums and songs including:

Kathmandu, a song by Bob Seger.
"Dum Maro Dum", a song in the movie, Hare Rama Hare Krishna by Asha Bhosle.
"Our Shangrila", a song by Mark Knopfler.
"Shangrila", a song by The Kinks.
Kathmandu, a song by Cat Stevens.
Tráfico por Kathmandú by Fito Páez.
Kathmandu, an American heavy metal band featuring Dave King and Mandy Meyer.
Nobody Told Me, a 1984 song by John Lennon with the line "There's a little yellow idol to the north of Kathmandu". This is a quotation from the 1911 poem "The Green Eye of the Yellow God" by John Milton Hayes.
"A Passage to Bangkok", a song by Rush from the album 2112. "...Pulling into Kathmandu, smoke rings fill the air. Perfumed by a Nepal night, the Express gets you there..."
"Sayonara", a song by The Pogues.