Shivapuri Peak

Yesterday the Stephens School boarders and I trekked up to Shivapuri Peak, just north of Kathmandu, seeking the sacred source of the Bagmati River. On our way, we stopped at an ancient and highly revered Hindu temple. After the sixteen of us piled out of a microbus, we walked a short distance to the Budanilkantha Temple (buda--old man, nil--blue, kantha--throat.) Here lies the largest and most important of three ancient stone sculptures of Vishnu Narayan. It may be over 2,000 years old, according to some.

In Hinduism, Vishnu has many forms, but the reclining Vishnu Narayan is the source of all things. While laying on a sea of serpents, a lotus sprung from the supine figure's navel. In that lotus was Brahma, the creator of all things. Since this temple is important to Hindus, it is difficult to get close to the revered recliner and we had a mountain to climb, so we only stayed for a few minutes to bask in one of Kathmandu Valley's four Mandalas which honor Lord Vishnu.

Next stop, Baghdwar, a quick 7-kilometer hike up about 1,000 meters. Have you ever been hiking with 14 children?

Nepalese parents have a saying they use when talking to one another about their children and when they are feeling particularly exasperated. It goes something like this: "If I throw my kids in the river, I'm going upstream to look for them."

Fortunately for the Stephens kids we were looking for the source of a river, so "downstream" was all that existed from where we were. Where we were was Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park, a wonderful escape from polluted Kathmandu. The forest boasts beasts such as Himalayan bear, Indian leopards, and rhesus monkeys. However, our own stampede of loud and complaining children ensured that none of those beasts got remotely close to us.

Half of our stampede, which included the stray canine 

Apart from a lot of complaining and several instances of Shyam (sixth grade) and I carrying a couple of especially whiny 4th graders up the steepest sections, the kids did very well. I'm really proud of them. They are an amazing group of kids. I am not hiking with a group of young children ever again.

I like them better on my camera, not
my back... looking at you, Aaditi

I am a solitary trekker. Exhales and footfalls are the only noises I don't mind giving the forest. Yelling back and forth, telling the fast kids to stop before they leave the slower ones for good, locating the bag with the only water in it (bad planning), and hearing "Sir! My legs are paining, I can't walk," over and over again is not peaceful hiking for me. We had also picked up a stray dog I had warned the students not to feed noodles to. They didn't listen and he became a member of our pack immediately. At first I was dismayed, but the dog seemed loyal and stuck with us and seemed to even show us the way sometimes. Perhaps he was our spirit guide. Perhaps he just wanted more pizza flavored noodles. Either way we all missed him when we left.

Shyam carrying Heath. Heath: small frame, big complainer

Bibek and Ajay made a vine-leash for our kukur for a bit

I even grew to like our faithful companion

The hike was demanding, however, and I can't blame the kids for being kids (short legs and all.) We reached Baghdwar (Bagh--tiger, dwar--gate) in about 2.5 hours. Baghdwar is the source of the sacred Bagmati River which flows through the capital, separating the Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts. Unlike the Bagmati in the city, the water at 2,732 meters was clean and refreshing.

Ajay giving the Bagh a big, wet kiss

And taking a drink from this river

After the team posed for me at Baghdwar with their biggest and brightest smiles...

...we began our journey back, but rested for quite a while on the sunny Shivapuri peak (2732m). The kids were beat. In fact, they looked dead, so I had to check to make sure each was alive with a good stick prod. Trust me, it was necessary and in no way payback for making me yell at and carry them.

OK kids, who's ready to head back down?

... anyone...? 

... Kids?

We have to go home! Stick to the plan!

In the end, though they moaned and groaned, they made it down like the true champs I know they are. It was a long day for them but they were rewarded when they got back to the school: homemade momos for dinner. And you know what? With this group of kids, I would look downstream for them if I threw them in the river. And I mean that.