Annapurna. Siân Pritchard-Jones

1947, a Congress Party was formed in Kathmandu. The powerless king became a symbol for freedom from the Ranas’ rule. For those who dared to confront the Ranas, there was a terrible price to pay; many suffered the death penalty. King Tribhuvan finally ousted the Ranas in 1951.

      A coalition government was installed, with a fledgling democracy. The country opened to visitors and Mount Everest was climbed in May 1953. King Tribhuvan died in 1955 and his son Mahendra assumed power. In 1960 Mahendra ended the brief experiment with democracy, introducing the party-less panchayat system, based on local councils of elders with a tiered system of representatives up to the central parliament. In 1972 King Birendra became the new king, but his coronation did not take place until the spring of 1975, on an auspicious date. In 1980 a referendum was held and the panchayat system was retained. After 1985, rapid expansion brought many changes; the population grew astonishingly, and the traditional rural lifestyle of the valley began to disappear under a wave of construction.

      In April 1990 full-scale rioting and demonstrations broke out, forcing the king to allow a form of democracy to be introduced. But political corruption and infighting did little to enhance the democratic ideals, and in the late nineties a grass roots Maoist rebellion developed. Many had genuine sympathy with the need for greater social equality, but violence and demands for a leftist dictatorship met with resistance. In a tragic shooting spree in June 2001 King Birendra and almost his entire family were wiped out by his son, Crown Prince Dipendra. King Birendra’s brother Gyanendra became king, but in October 2002 he dissolved parliament and appointed his own government until elections could be held. Meanwhile the Maoist rebellion continued to threaten all parts of the country. Coercion and intimidation were rife in the countryside and no solutions were in sight.

      King Gyanendra relinquished power in April 2006 and the Maoist leaders entered mainstream politics after winning a majority of votes in the election. Since then, the government of Nepal has been in freefall, with a political stalemate and paralysis derailing development. A new constitution was finally promulgated in September 2015, but it remains to be seen where the ruling elite will take the country. Tourism is still one of the main foreign exchange earners, but an increasing number of young Nepalese are seeking work outside the country, particularly in the Arabian Gulf. Despite the political uncertainty, tourists are still made to feel very welcome in the country.

People of Nepal

      Children in Bhaktapur

      At the latest estimate there are around 32 million people living in Nepal. (In 1974 there were a mere eight million.) There are at least 26 major ethnic groups, with the majority of these living in the middle hills. In general, the people in the southern zones are Hindu followers while those from the high Himalayan valleys are Buddhist. However, there is no clear traditional divide in the major valley of Kathmandu, and many thousands of villagers ‘escaped’ from the effects of the Maoist insurgency to the safety of Kathmandu.

      The Newaris – a mix of Hindus and Buddhists – are the traditional inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley. The Tharu are a major group from the lowland Terai, with their ancestry probably linked to Rajasthan in India. Other people of the Terai, also related to Indian Hindu clans, are collectively known as the Madhesi. The first President of Nepal, Dr Ram Baran Yadav, comes from this ethnic group.

      The rural hills of the Annapurna region are home to Magars, Chhetris, Gurungs and Brahmins (technically high caste). Gurung men are particularly noted for their service to the Gurkhas. Thakalis live along the Kali Gandaki. Manangis inhabit the higher reaches of the Marsyangdi.

Religion

      Holy places never had any beginning. They have been holy from the time they were discovered, strongly alive because of the invisible presences breathing through them.

      The Land of Snows, Giuseppe Tucci

      Paintings in Jhong Gompa (Trek 1)

      Religious beliefs and practices are an integral part of life in Nepal. To comprehend the country’s culture would be impossible without a basic understanding of the religious concepts.

      Hinduism

      Hinduism is the main faith of Nepal; until recently the country was a Hindu kingdom. Evidence of the Hindu faith in the Annapurnas manifests itself mainly through the festivals and celebrations of the people, rather than in an abundance of elaborate temples; it is as much a way of life as a religion. A very definite attitude of fatalism is conveyed to the visitor meandering along the populated trails. The monsoon often brings the destruction of a hillside or village by a giant mudslide, for example; these are seen traditionally not so much as resulting from the uncontrollable actions of nature but from the vengeance of the gods. Your own bad actions might be the cause of such misfortune.

      Many Hindu religious ideals have come from the ancient Indian Sanskrit texts, the four Vedas. In essence, the ideas of Hinduism are based on the notion that everything in the universe is connected through Karma. This means that your deeds in this life will have a bearing on the next.

      Despite the apparent plethora of Hindu gods, they are in essence one, worshipped in many different aspects. The trinity of Hindu gods are Brahma, the god of creation; Shiva, the god of destruction; and Vishnu, the god of preservation. They manifest in many forms, both male and female. Brahma is rarely seen – his work is done. Shiva is the god of destruction but has special powers for regeneration. Shiva can manifest as Mahadev the supreme lord, or as dancing Nataraj, representing the rhythm of the cosmos. As Pashupati he is the Lord of Beasts. Bhairab is Shiva in his most destructive form, black and angry. In his white form he is so terrible that he must be hidden from view, daring only to be seen once a year during the Indra Jatra festival. (He lurks in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square behind a gilded wooden screen.)

      Parvati is Shiva’s wife, with many aspects. As Kali and Durga she is destructive. The festival of Durga takes place during the trekking high season of the autumn, so don’t offend her or you may not get your trekking permit on time. Taleju is another image of Parvati.

      Other popular gods and goddesses include Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and the humorous elephant god Ganesh, worshipped for good luck and happiness.

      The third God, Vishnu, is also worshipped in Nepal as Narayan, the preserver of life. Vishnu has 10 other aspects. The eighth avatar, the blue Krishna, plays a flute and chases after the cowgirls. Other notable avatars are Rama, of the Indian epic Ramayana, and the ninth avatar, the Buddha.

      Hanuman is the monkey god, sometimes appearing as a rather shapeless stone and often sheltering under an umbrella. Machhendranath is a curious deity, the rain god, hailed as the compassionate one, and has two forms: White (Seto) and Red (Rato).

      THE LEGEND OF GANESH

      Ganesh is Shiva and Parvati’s son. But why does he have the head of an elephant? Parvati gave birth to Ganesh while Shiva was away on trek. When he returned, he saw the child and assumed that Parvati had been unfaithful. In a furious rage, he chopped off Ganesh’s head and threw it away. After Parvati explained, Shiva vowed to give Ganesh the head of the first living being that passed their home – it was an elephant.

      Buddhism

      Buddhist gompa in upper Pisang (Trek 1)

      Buddhists are found in the Kathmandu Valley and in the northern regions of the country. Buddhist monasteries (gompas) and culture are encountered on the Annapurna Circuit beyond Tal, around Muktinath and south along the Kali Gandaki River as far as Ghasa. Mustang and Nar-Phu are also Buddhist.

      Buddhism is a philosophy for living, aiming to bring an inner peace of mind and a cessation of worldly suffering to its adherents. Reincarnation is a central theme; the essence of the soul is developed through successive lives until a state of perfect enlightenment is attained. Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the earthly Buddha, was born to riches