To Go or Not To Go For Shivapuri Hike

Things are not going as I’d have wished. Not as enthusiastic both about hiking or writing as I was two weeks ago. Why take such a tiring walk in the wilderness after all? What do i want really?

It’s not that the walk is not enjoying…in fact i immensely enjoyed last two Saturdays hiking alone…but while sitting in front of the computer, and looking back on those trails for some memories & reflections, i feel utterly alone here in the middle of the city.

Some say ignorance breeds fear. But I’m a bit scared this time after my visits to Shivapri than my first visit. The wild cats are even sometime found in Kathmandu…so although I was cautious in my first hike upward a stream, I wasn’t quite afraid.

Rhododendrons! Nepal Natioanal Flower?!
i was thrilled to find a rhododendron bush on my first hike, n thought that perhaps I was near the top. Rhododendron is Nepal’s national flower…every school kid can tell you that…but few people from urban or terai area have seen the rhododendron flowers…hence, finding rhododendrons were special sight for me…of course I’d seen them while travelling along the Daman Road…but not discovered them naturally on wild settings... however i found the Rhododendron flower as a single bunch of many violet lilies...

The reason why I’m more scared this time is coz I was challenged by a wild monkey in my last hike…I think I was quite near to the top when I came at an open place…what we call in Nepali as chaur…there were plastics strewn here & there…a the trees were really massive & wild…I was also hungry, & a bit conscious of the wild settings. Besides, it was about 4 pm… it seems that wildnerness and the pale rays of setting sun heightens one’s sense of security. The water which I filled from the Nun House at Nangi Gumba had also finished.

Monkey Chase
As I was enjoying the wild surroundings, a sudden rush as that made by the chasing monkeys in the Pashupati Nath startled me…I looked at a big tree and saw that the leader of the pack was threatening me with his gestures…suddenly my instincts sensed some danger!

Big Foot Encouter with Shivapuri Baba
Another reason why I’m scared is the account that I found on the net today. This account describes the Shivapuri Baba and his Bigfoot wild guardian…i’m excerpting a part from the Bigfoot encounters that people have recorded:

… in Nepal's Shivapuri Forest there was an obscure (at the time) holy man known as the Shivapuri Baba. The old man lived in the forest and was seldom seen except for his irregular visits to a certain spot on the edge of the forest. It was customary for writers, philosophers and seekers from all over the world to gather at the place to hear the Shivapuri Baba speak. Vitachi told me he was present at one such meeting when something quite unexpected happened. As "the Baba" spoke, a giant, hair-covered manlike creature appeared on a cliff behind and above him. The creature just stood there looking down at the group. The old Baba smiled and said something to the effect, "Not to worry, he and his kind are the guardians of the forests all over the world."
http://www.bigfootencounters.com/sbs/shivapuri.htm

But I know that while I’m feeling a bit lethargic & also scared to take the hike again tomorrow, i’ll certainly enjoy it when on the field.