AN earthquake on April 25, 2015, in Nepal killed 9,000 people and damaged millions of homes.
On June 5, 2015, an earthquake that struck Ranau, Sabah, killed 18, including mountain guides on Mount Kinabalu. This prompted the need to have an earthquake warning system and guidelines to build earthquake-resistant buildings fitted with shock absorbers, such as those implemented in Japan, and modify structures using locally-sourced materials like tyres, straws and bamboos to withstand earthquakes.
The task of rebuilding Nepal and restoring its buildings is painfully slow. Hundreds of thousands of civilians still live in temporary shelters.
The poor were hit the most, with access to clean water and sanitation a concern. In addition to the humanitarian plight, the rebuilding of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) heritage sites, including Durbar Square, Bungamati village and the medieval city of Bhaktapur, is equally difficult.
The earthquake may have temporarily halted activities, but the spirit to conquer the world’s tallest peak continues, as the English mountain climber George Leigh Mallory put it: “because it is there”.
I dedicate this write-up to the Sherpas and tourist guides who take up the challenge daily and assist visitors from around the globe. The Nepalese are resilient, especially the younger generation, who have sprung into action to welcome tourists as their country’s economy is largely dependent on tourism.
Pokhara, situated 200km west of Kathmandu, and the entry point to Annapurna, remains unaffected by the earthquake.
The Annapurna trekking region, which suffered little from the earthquake, attracts trek-kers from all over the world and hosts mountain-biking events. Our day in Pokhara started early at 5.30am, as we joined the sunrise tour group from the hilltop of Sarangkot to view the Annapurna range.
The rising sun’s rays hit the Annapurna range, producing an enchanting golden hue, just before the sun made its full appearance in the skyline.
Glittering like gold, it was a beautiful and breathtaking sight! A total transformation took place right before our eyes; a dull-looking range suddenly came alive. It was worth rising early in the cold to catch this phenomenal occurrence.
Capturing the panoramic view of the Annapurna range and the mystic Fishtail summit (known to locals as Machhapuchhre), one could feel the splendid power of nature.
My memories of the golden hues of Annapurna is something I will cherish for a long time, along with the poem titled Fishtail,
written by our tour guide,
HemRaj Bastola:
Golden morning
To the silvery day
And with clouds she play
Sometime so shy, she hide
Silver smile, Ornated high,
Mined from the sky on winter
Clapping joy, eying-awe
On a clear day, she is crowned,
Embellished on a throne
Untouched, Unmoved,
Royal queen is seen
In the lap of Annapurna.
The Everest base camp also attracts trekkers, including Malay-sians, who go there for recreation and film shoots. However, the earthquake has affected mountain flights in Nepal.
Mountain flights from Kathmandu airport takes passengers to the eastern Himalaya, where one can get a close-up view of the raw rocks, passing cotton-like clouds, Himalayan range and snow-capped mountains, including Langtang Lirung (7,234m), Dorje Lhakpa (6,966m), the pointed Gaurishankar (7,134m) and the enigmatic, triangular pyramid-shaped Mount Everest, also known locally as Sagarmatha (8,848m).
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first conquered Everest’s peak more than half a century ago, on May 29, 1953. Over the years, time may have changed everything, but these mystic mountains remain guardians of
nature, and drive humans to push physical and mental boundaries.
HemRaj wrote to me that the people of Nepal are joining hands in solidarity in this time of difficulty. The resilience and tenacity of the people, coupled with the unique blend of geographical landscapes, culture and spirituality, will continue to draw visitors to Nepal.
Dr S. Mathana Amaris, Puchong, Selangor