People of Nepal Robert Eckhardt People of N Epal R Obert Eckhardt

People of Nepal people of nepal Nepal has the most remarkable mosaic of ethnic groups in all of the Himalayan countries. It is home to more than 60 different peoples with their own culture and often their own language. Their lifestyle, their economy and the construction styles of their houses are tailored to suit the altitude and the climate zone. People of Nepal is a cross-section of Nepal. In photographing the people, Robert Eckhardt follows the geography and the vegetation zones from low to high: from the semi-tropical Terai to the cold Tibetan Plateau that lies to the north of the main range of the Himalayas. From the Tharu people, originally from India, to the Tibetan Bothiya in the northern regions – from Hinduism to Buddhism. It is with deep respect that Eckhardt has portrayed the many faces of all these different communities. The result is a stunning, sometimes moving book. from the foreword by peter habeler ‘In April 2015, when I wrote the foreword for Robert’s book, we had no way of knowing that Nepal would soon be hit by a terrible earthquake. I now realise that this book has become Eckhardt Robert enormously important, because People of Nepal is probably the last photo book of Nepal just before the earthquake. It includes photos of places that no longer exist. But the book also shows many places that were not destroyed by this catastrophe. With his stunning, sometimes moving portraits, you just feel how signiﬁ cantly Robert is involved with the fate of the Nepalese people’. robert eckhardt is a photographer and one of the most experienced alpinists in the Netherlands. He climbed more than a thousand mountain peaks; nine of which can be found in the Himalayan range. During his travels and trekkings through Nepal he quickly discovered that the Himalayas are more than just mountains. The region is also home to many people. Eckhardt gradually became captivated by a world from which he could no longer escape. Every time he goes back to Nepal, he returns to areas where he can still photograph the authentic people, with their roots in the distant past. He has published four books. The most important are Passie voor een Berg (Passion for a Mountain), his alpine biography, and Grenzeloos Verlangen – tweehonderd jaar alpinisme (Limitless Longing – two hundred years of alpinism; with co-author Mark van Hattem), a research into the history of two centuries of alpinism. Eckhardt also writes for national and international magazines and gives multimedia presentations.

I SBN 978-94-62261-594 People of Nepal Robert Eckhardt 9 789462 261594

Lecturis Lecturis People of Nepal Robert Eckhardt Contents Foreword 16 The earthquake on 25 April 2015 17 A journey through Nepal 19 Map of Nepal 24 Contents Foreword Terai Kathmandu Valley Foothills 16 26 64 102 The earthquake on 25 April 2015 17 A journey through Nepal 19 Map of Nepal 24

Juguda 28 Bodnath 66 Bandipur and Tansen 104 Gola 34 Svajambunath 72 Myagdi and Rukum 108 Thakurdwara 46 Kathmandu 78 Okhaldhunga 116 Megauli 52 Kirtipur and Bungamati 84 Salyan 124 Barwa 58 Patan 88 Namobuddha and Bhaktapur 96

Himalaya Tibetan Plateau 136 188

Dhaulagiri Himal 138 Thuli Bheri Khola Valley 190 Annapurna Himal 142 Barbung Khola Valley 196 Ganesh Himal 156 Charkabot 204 Tama Koshi Valley 166 Nar and Phu 212 Rolwaling Himal 182

15 Foreword

In April 2015, when I wrote the foreword for Robert’s Our group consisted of a number of Viennese climbers book, we had no way of knowing that Nepal would soon and friends of mine from Tirol. Robert and I were the be hit by a terrible earthquake. I now realise that this only ones able to climb to the summit of this stunning book has become enormously important, because People mountain. Other climbers in our group also made an of Nepal is probably the last photo book of Nepal just attempt, but were forced to abort when they found the before the earthquake. It includes photos of places that rock passages above camp 2 too difficult and dangerous. no longer exist. But the book also shows many places I got to know Robert much better on Ama Dablam. that are not destroyed by this catastrophe. With his He was an excellent, passionate mountain climber who stunning, sometimes moving portraits, you just feel could focus very well on the objective. He reached the how significantly Robert is involved with the fate of the top solo, under unfavourable conditions. He was also Nepalese people. the first Dutchman on Ama Dablam. With this climb, Robert’s boyhood dream came true. However, it should When you open People of Nepal and look at the impressive also be mentioned that his long climbing career has photos taken by Robert Eckhardt in Nepal of the land- included many famous, often steep and challenging scape, the mountains and especially the people, you alpine climbs throughout the Alps and beyond. immediately understand his great love for this incredibly Dear reader, you will see two different sides of Robert beautiful country and its friendly people. Robert has Eckhardt. On Ama Dablam he was the ‘hard’ man, a travelled to Nepal many times, he has lived with the person dedicated to the alpine goal for who no route was people there and learned their customs. Nepal has too steep or too difficult. But in his book People of Nepal become his second homeland. When you read his texts, we primarily see his ‘soft’ side, the man who has come to written with a great depth of knowledge, his considera- love Nepal and its inhabitants with great warmth and ble respect for Nepalese culture is particularly evident. emotion. The land of many eight-thousanders has also become a second home for me. I have travelled to Nepal more Look at these photos properly, time and again. Luckily than fifty times. The Himalayas and the wonderful vil- not all of the old Nepal was destroyed and many places lages with their welcoming people, ensured me every were not even touched by the earthquakes. The book time a beautiful trekking. also communicates an invitation; travelling to Nepal, I can still clearly remember the things I experienced especially now, is of great support to the Nepalese during the approach routes to the eight-thousanders people. It may take a while, but from the ruined houses I climbed, such as Mount Everest, Cho Oyu and we will eventually hear the laughter of children again Kangchenjunga. Particularly vivid are of course my and the invitations to come in. We must not forget memories of the time that Reinhold Messner and I were Nepal, it will need a lot of help in the years to come. on the way to Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth. Messner and I were, in 1978, the first to climb the mountain without supplementary oxygen. Peter Habeler, Finkenberg, 25 June 2015 On route to the eight-thousanders I regularly travelled through striking landscapes. I often thought: ‘Will I ever come back here?’, in the knowledge that fate could quite easily decide that I would lose my life on a steep mountain face or a narrow ridge. My friend Robert understands this perfectly, because two decades ago we travelled to the ‘world’s most beautiful mountain’, the Ama Dablam, in the same region as Mount Everest.

16 Foreword The earthquake on 25 April 2015

In April 2015, when I wrote the foreword for Robert’s Our group consisted of a number of Viennese climbers On Saturday 25 April 2015, at 11:56 am, the earth in Nepal Nepali Times of 1-7 May 2015, which was dedicated to the book, we had no way of knowing that Nepal would soon and friends of mine from Tirol. Robert and I were the shook with a force of 7.8 on the Richter Scale. The epi- earthquake. be hit by a terrible earthquake. I now realise that this only ones able to climb to the summit of this stunning centre was in the district of Gorkha. The earthquake book has become enormously important, because People mountain. Other climbers in our group also made an mainly hit the Kathmandu Valley, the surrounding hills sahina shrestha The avalanche of ice and rocks fell of Nepal is probably the last photo book of Nepal just attempt, but were forced to abort when they found the and the Himalayan districts from Gorkha to Solu Khumbu. on the village of Langtang just after the ground started before the earthquake. It includes photos of places that rock passages above camp 2 too difficult and dangerous. On 12 May, Nepal was once again hit by an earthquake shaking. Before the debris had engulfed them, the family of no longer exist. But the book also shows many places I got to know Robert much better on Ama Dablam. with a magnitude of 7.3. The epicentre this time was in Dawa Tamang could run for safety. This family was lucky; that are not destroyed by this catastrophe. With his He was an excellent, passionate mountain climber who the district of Dolakha. The earthquakes claimed more nearly all the 200 inhabitants of this tiny village are pre- stunning, sometimes moving portraits, you just feel could focus very well on the objective. He reached the than 9000 victims, the biggest humanitarian disaster ever sumed to have perished. ‘The entire village is gone, our how significantly Robert is involved with the fate of the top solo, under unfavourable conditions. He was also to hit a Himalayan country. In the monsoon – the wet house is gone, where can I go once this is over?’, asks Dawa. Nepalese people. the first Dutchman on Ama Dablam. With this climb, season – this number has increased due to dangerous Robert’s boyhood dream came true. However, it should infectious diseases and landslides. In some districts, min ratna bajracharya When the earth started When you open People of Nepal and look at the impressive also be mentioned that his long climbing career has dozens of people are still missing. On June 29 a new shaking, the family of the Living Goddess of Patan star- photos taken by Robert Eckhardt in Nepal of the land- included many famous, often steep and challenging aftershock measuring 5.1 on the Richter Scale was felt ted screaming and wanted to run out in panic. But the scape, the mountains and especially the people, you alpine climbs throughout the Alps and beyond. in the Ramechhap district. This takes the number of Living Goddess, Yunika Bajracharya told them to calm immediately understand his great love for this incredibly Dear reader, you will see two different sides of Robert aftershocks measuring 4 or more to a total of 332. down and not to rush out of the building. ‘She had her beautiful country and its friendly people. Robert has Eckhardt. On Ama Dablam he was the ‘hard’ man, a Only the affected Nepalese people can describe what eyes closed as if she was in a trance, told us nothing would travelled to Nepal many times, he has lived with the person dedicated to the alpine goal for who no route was happened. I therefore quote several authors from the happen to us,’ the Goddess’ father Ramesh Bajracharya people there and learned their customs. Nepal has too steep or too difficult. But in his book People of Nepal become his second homeland. When you read his texts, we primarily see his ‘soft’ side, the man who has come to written with a great depth of knowledge, his considera- love Nepal and its inhabitants with great warmth and ble respect for Nepalese culture is particularly evident. emotion. The land of many eight-thousanders has also become a second home for me. I have travelled to Nepal more Look at these photos properly, time and again. Luckily than fifty times. The Himalayas and the wonderful vil- not all of the old Nepal was destroyed and many places lages with their welcoming people, ensured me every were not even touched by the earthquakes. The book time a beautiful trekking. also communicates an invitation; travelling to Nepal, I can still clearly remember the things I experienced especially now, is of great support to the Nepalese during the approach routes to the eight-thousanders people. It may take a while, but from the ruined houses I climbed, such as Mount Everest, Cho Oyu and we will eventually hear the laughter of children again Kangchenjunga. Particularly vivid are of course my and the invitations to come in. We must not forget memories of the time that Reinhold Messner and I were Nepal, it will need a lot of help in the years to come. on the way to Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth. Messner and I were, in 1978, the first to climb the mountain without supplementary oxygen. Peter Habeler, Finkenberg, 25 June 2015 On route to the eight-thousanders I regularly travelled through striking landscapes. I often thought: ‘Will I ever come back here?’, in the knowledge that fate could quite easily decide that I would lose my life on a steep mountain face or a narrow ridge. My friend Robert understands this perfectly, because two decades ago we travelled to the ‘world’s most beautiful mountain’, the Ama Dablam, in the same region as Mount Everest. After the first earthquake. Photo Nepali Times.

16 17

In the flat landscape of the Terai live the Tharu. Ethnically of housing is not only better, but also much more healthy speaking, the Tharu are an Indian people with a Hindu than the concrete houses that are now being built. culture. The caste system is strictly adhered to, but their In the winter of 2014 my wife Noes and I visited a pantheon of gods is also animistic. Before the Tharu ven- special group of the Tharu, the Rana Tharu. From an ture into the woods, they ask the ‘forest gods’ for help. ethnically point of view they belong to the Rajput, mem- These people lived an isolated existence for centuries, bers of a high caste in Rajasthan (India). They originate because marshes kept outsiders away and the Terai was from the Thar Desert. Some say that their descendants full of tigers and snakes. Furthermore, the Tharu devel- can be traced back to the Shakya, the royal caste to which oped a resistance to malaria, which meant that their Gautama Buddha belonged. Rana means ‘royal’. unique culture was able to survive for so long, and they People say that, when the Islamic Mogul emperors never looked for work outside their own land. conquered the Indian subcontinent in the 16th century, This isolation ended in the fifties when many marshes one of them wanted to marry a Rajput woman. The were drained. This, together with the intensive use of women and children fled and settled in the forested ddt, meant that malaria could successfully be combat- lowlands, close to the Nepalese mountains. Their men ted. There was also large-scale deforestation. Half of the stayed behind to fight the Mogul. When the women Nepalese population now live in the Terai. heard that all their men had been killed, they married For a long time the Tharu lived in a position of ‘slavery’, their humble servants and slaves, who had accompanied landless peasants working as land-based labourers. They them. They settled permanently in the western part of were freed from this servitude in 2000 by the Nepalese the Terai, in the area now known as the districts of Kailali government – but many still have neither land, work, nor and Kanchanpur. income. Selling their daughters as kamalari, ‘hard working And so it was that the Rana Tharu women founded women’, is common practice – especially in western Terai, a community that would continue to exist for 400 years. although it has been forbidden since 2000. They have never forgotten their origins; their self- In the Kathmandu Post I read that more and more farm- awareness is clearly palpable in the photos I have taken ers in the Terai (mainly in the Bara district) are growing of them. Only the Rana Tharu women are permitted to the opium poppies. The harvest, pure opium, is sold wear jewellery, not the men. And there are also stories mainly to Indian dealers. Open borders and widespread that some of these proud women still use their feet to slide police corruption make this easy for the farmers. plates of food over to their husbands, a great humiliation In the far west of the Terai many Tharu still live in in Nepal. There are hardly any men there, as many of them longhouses with large families. All share equally in the work in India, or – under even more difficult circum- work, income and expenses, and one kitchen is some- stances – in the Gulf States. times shared by 40 to 50 people. Also situated in the west of Nepal, close to Bardiya Among the most striking aspects of the Tharu culture National Park, are the Dangaura Tharu villages of Gola are the beautifully decorated rice containers in their and Thakurdwara. The women there have a natural grace houses. It is funny to see that the traditional symbols they equal to that of the Rana Tharu. depict are sometimes interspersed with modern decora- In Mid-Nepal lies the district Chitwan with Nepal’s tions, such as the image of a helicopter. most famous national park. Other sub-groups of the The walls of the houses are constructed by setting Tharu live here, such as the Mahato Tharu in Barwa. Just up two rows of bamboo stakes. Elephant grass is put in like the other Tharu people in the Terai, they call them- between the bamboo and then the gaps are filled with a selves the ‘people of the forest’, because they have lived mixture of clay and manure. Tharu houses are warm in in the forest for hundreds of years. winter and – enormously important in the semi-tropical summer climate – cool in summer. This traditional style ◂ Sita Kumari Rana Tharu, 20 years old, Juguda.

100 In front of the Muni Vihar, the principal Buddhist monastery in Bhaktapur. 100 In front of the Muni Vihar, the principal Buddhist monastery in Bhaktapur. Monk in the Muni Vihar monastery. 101 The Siwaliks rise first from the Terai, then the hills of the cook, cook, assistant sirdar to sirdar. His stories paint Mahabharat Lekh. These long chains of hills are followed an interesting picture of the relationships within a team by the Nepalese Midlands, hills that ultimately lead to that accompanies a trek. Our small community was the Himalayas. These three zones together form the subject to a strict hierarchy, which was not always reason- Foothills. able in our eyes, and which was accepted as established The Midlands are intensively exploited by the people by the ‘boys’. As a westerner you really shouldn’t try – no who live there. The climate is sub-tropical to moderate matter how well-meaning – to change anything about and the risk of earthquake is greater here than elsewhere these relationships. in Nepal. It is the transition zone between the Indian and There are two trekking seasons, spring and autumn. Tibetan cultures. Mainly Magar, Pahari, Rai and Limbu Outside these seasons Kumar is a farmer. He has two people live here, but you can also find Tamang and Sherpa. water buffalos, two oxen for ploughing, a pig and chick- In the Mahabharat Lekh are two interesting cities, ens. He makes a living by cultivating buckwheat, rice and Tansen and Bandipur. They lie like ethnic enclaves in the millet, a grain that is used, among other things, to make hills, because just here Newari have settled as traders and rakshi, a strong alcoholic beverage. Kumar’s marriage craftsmen. In contrast to all other ethnic groups in Nepal, was arranged; his sister and parents chose his bride. Some the Newari live almost exclusively in several urban areas Nepalese marry for love but most have arranged mar- and in the Kathmandu Valley from where they originate. riages. When asked whether the Nepalese practice family In 2009 we trekked through the villages of Rato- planning, Kumar answered that he is home only in the dhunga and Dharapani in the Myagdi district, and through winter months and during the monsoon. What a diplo- Yamakhar in Rukum. These districts, south of the matic answer! In one swift blow he dodged this delicate Dhaula giri Himal, are predominantly inhabited by the subject and you can even indeed call it family planning. Magar. In 2006 we set out on a journey of discovery in Nepal. In one of the houses in Yamakhar I was able to take With 10 ‘boys’ – cook, kitchen boys and porters – we both traditional family photos and portrait shots. They departed from Jiri, the starting point of the classic Everest provide a lovely insight into the way of life within such Trek, but on the second day we entered unfamiliar terri- a community. tory on the way to Kumar’s village. Okhaldhunga and the southern part of Solu Khumbu The most wonderful moment during the journey form the homeland of the Rai. Rai means ‘royal’, which was our welcome in Kumar’s village. The whole area was term perfectly describes this people’s strong desire for full of people dressed in their finest clothes, who adorned independence and the remarkable fact that the majority us with garlands of fragrant, bright orange marigolds. of the Rai have never accepted the caste system. There was singing and dancing. Villagers had walked an Since 2001 Ram Kumar Rai has been sirdar on all our hour and a half just to see us. The tents were a great source treks and on two of my expeditions, ‘leader of the porters’ of wonder and teenage girls giggled at a demonstration or ‘trekking leader’ you could say. The word sirdar makes of deodorant. Kumar’s respect within the village increased you think of a Sherpa, but that is not necessarily the case. ten-fold. Kumar is a Rai. He lives in Salyan, a village in the district In November 2014 we returned to Salyan. Mainly Solu Khumbu, a three day-walk from the Everest Trek. Sherpa and Rai live in Kumar’s surroundings and a small There had never been a westerner there until we arrived number of Magar. All Rai in Salyan appeared to be related in 2006. to Kumar; it was through them that we truly learned In the evenings Kumar likes to tell stories about his about the way of life here. life as a farmer and porter, cook and sirdar. It takes a hard apprenticeship, to become a sirdar. Kumar completed ◂ Kamala Basnet Rai, Salyan. the whole process, from porter, kitchen boy, assistant

Foothills Bandipur and Tansen | Myagdi and Rukum | Okhaldhunga | Salyan 103 The Siwaliks rise first from the Terai, then the hills of the cook, cook, assistant sirdar to sirdar. His stories paint Mahabharat Lekh. These long chains of hills are followed an interesting picture of the relationships within a team by the Nepalese Midlands, hills that ultimately lead to that accompanies a trek. Our small community was the Himalayas. These three zones together form the subject to a strict hierarchy, which was not always reason- Foothills. able in our eyes, and which was accepted as established The Midlands are intensively exploited by the people by the ‘boys’. As a westerner you really shouldn’t try – no who live there. The climate is sub-tropical to moderate matter how well-meaning – to change anything about and the risk of earthquake is greater here than elsewhere these relationships. in Nepal. It is the transition zone between the Indian and There are two trekking seasons, spring and autumn. Tibetan cultures. Mainly Magar, Pahari, Rai and Limbu Outside these seasons Kumar is a farmer. He has two people live here, but you can also find Tamang and Sherpa. water buffalos, two oxen for ploughing, a pig and chick- In the Mahabharat Lekh are two interesting cities, ens. He makes a living by cultivating buckwheat, rice and Tansen and Bandipur. They lie like ethnic enclaves in the millet, a grain that is used, among other things, to make hills, because just here Newari have settled as traders and rakshi, a strong alcoholic beverage. Kumar’s marriage craftsmen. In contrast to all other ethnic groups in Nepal, was arranged; his sister and parents chose his bride. Some the Newari live almost exclusively in several urban areas Nepalese marry for love but most have arranged mar- and in the Kathmandu Valley from where they originate. riages. When asked whether the Nepalese practice family In 2009 we trekked through the villages of Rato- planning, Kumar answered that he is home only in the dhunga and Dharapani in the Myagdi district, and through winter months and during the monsoon. What a diplo- Yamakhar in Rukum. These districts, south of the matic answer! In one swift blow he dodged this delicate Dhaula giri Himal, are predominantly inhabited by the subject and you can even indeed call it family planning. Magar. In 2006 we set out on a journey of discovery in Nepal. In one of the houses in Yamakhar I was able to take With 10 ‘boys’ – cook, kitchen boys and porters – we both traditional family photos and portrait shots. They departed from Jiri, the starting point of the classic Everest provide a lovely insight into the way of life within such Trek, but on the second day we entered unfamiliar terri- a community. tory on the way to Kumar’s village. Okhaldhunga and the southern part of Solu Khumbu The most wonderful moment during the journey form the homeland of the Rai. Rai means ‘royal’, which was our welcome in Kumar’s village. The whole area was term perfectly describes this people’s strong desire for full of people dressed in their finest clothes, who adorned independence and the remarkable fact that the majority us with garlands of fragrant, bright orange marigolds. of the Rai have never accepted the caste system. There was singing and dancing. Villagers had walked an Since 2001 Ram Kumar Rai has been sirdar on all our hour and a half just to see us. The tents were a great source treks and on two of my expeditions, ‘leader of the porters’ of wonder and teenage girls giggled at a demonstration or ‘trekking leader’ you could say. The word sirdar makes of deodorant. Kumar’s respect within the village increased you think of a Sherpa, but that is not necessarily the case. ten-fold. Kumar is a Rai. He lives in Salyan, a village in the district In November 2014 we returned to Salyan. Mainly Solu Khumbu, a three day-walk from the Everest Trek. Sherpa and Rai live in Kumar’s surroundings and a small There had never been a westerner there until we arrived number of Magar. All Rai in Salyan appeared to be related in 2006. to Kumar; it was through them that we truly learned In the evenings Kumar likes to tell stories about his about the way of life here. life as a farmer and porter, cook and sirdar. It takes a hard apprenticeship, to become a sirdar. Kumar completed ◂ Kamala Basnet Rai, Salyan. the whole process, from porter, kitchen boy, assistant

Foothills Bandipur and Tansen | Myagdi and Rukum | Okhaldhunga | Salyan 103 Bandipur and Tansen Bandipur is one of the loveliest towns in Nepal. The old Newari centre is beautifully paved and only accessible for pedestrians. | 105 Bandipur is one of the loveliest towns in Nepal. The old Newari centre is beautifully paved and only accessible for pedestrians. | 105 106 Brahmin wedding in the Shivalaya temple, Tansen. Lal Bahadur Chhetri from Bandipur is a 92-year-old Ghurkha. He fought in Burma during the Second World War. 107 Lal Bahadur Chhetri from Bandipur is a 92-year-old Ghurkha. He fought in Burma during the Second World War. 107 Myagdi and Rukum Between Ratodhunga and Dharapani, in the district of Myagdi. | 109 Between Ratodhunga and Dharapani, in the district of Myagdi. | 109 114 Yamakhar. Yamakhar. 115 Yamakhar. 115 Okhaldhunga Thiri Sherpa and Chhokee Sherpa with their daughter Chhokee, Mamkha. | 117 Thiri Sherpa and Chhokee Sherpa with their daughter Chhokee, Mamkha. | 117 126 | Sabitra Basnat Rai, 93 years old, Salyan.

from the foreword by peter habeler ‘In April 2015, when I wrote the foreword for Robert’s book, we had no way of knowing that Nepal would soon be hit by a terrible earthquake. I now realise that this book has become Eckhardt Robert enormously important, because People of Nepal is probably the last photo book of Nepal just before the earthquake. It includes photos of places that no longer exist. But the book also shows many places that were not destroyed by this catastrophe. With his stunning, sometimes moving portraits, you just feel how signiﬁ cantly Robert is involved with the fate of the Nepalese people’.

robert eckhardt is a photographer and one of the most experienced alpinists in the Netherlands. He climbed more than a thousand mountain peaks; nine of which can be found in the Himalayan range. During his travels and trekkings through Nepal he quickly discovered that the Himalayas are more than just mountains. The region is also home to many people. Eckhardt gradually became captivated by a world from which he could no longer escape. Every time he goes back to Nepal, he returns to areas where he can still photograph the authentic people, with their roots in the distant past. He has published four books. The most important are Passie voor een Berg (Passion for a Mountain), his alpine biography, and Grenzeloos Verlangen – tweehonderd jaar alpinisme (Limitless Longing – two hundred years of alpinism; with co-author Mark van Hattem), a research into the history of two centuries of alpinism. Eckhardt also writes for national and international magazines and gives multimedia presentations.

I SBN 978-94-62261-594 People of Nepal Robert Eckhardt 9 789462 261594