The roads leading to Rasuwa’s Dhunche and Gosainkund are currently packed with both urban and rural commuters.
Gosainkunda, which is believed to be the abode of Hindu god Shiva and Guru Rinpoche, who is worshiped by Buddhists, holds a big fair every year during the full moon.
Therefore, Pemasingi Tamang of Nagum village across the Trishuli River in Dhunche Bazar east has migrated to Gosainkund with his wife Yangji and his step-son Norbusingi 10 days before Janai Purnima.
They have made a tarpu covered with plastic by cutting bushes on the Bethankhor hill above Ghatekhola, an hour east of Dhunche.
As in other tharpuma, their tharpuma features village-grown apples, mushrooms, and greens among various urban snacks. Around 20 passengers have been made temporary arrangements to eat and sleep there.
I reached there on Thursday 23rd of July in the evening and slept sweetly in that thurpa.
‘Give me one thousand rupees for sitting and eating in the evening,’ said Pemasingi when he was leaving the next morning.
Like them, hundreds of other Rasuvali Tamangs have moved up from villages like Bharku and Syabru with their families to provide accommodation for the travelers. They do this every May during Ganga/Dussehra Mela and Janai Purnima in August.
Just like the locals who run the tharpu, Rasuwa’s Chief District Magistrate Vedanidhi Khanal is also involved in managing the Gosainkunda Mela. He says, ‘We have made 13 sub-committees. That sub-committee is monitoring issues such as health, safety, and rural population rates.’
The reason for the increase in traffic in Dhunche during Janai Purnima is that during the 15-day period of the fair, around 15,000 travelers from all directions are expected to visit Gosaikund.
‘Not all people come on the day of the full moon,’ said Prajia Khanal of Rasuwa, ‘they come to Gosainkund from all four roads during this 15-day period.’
They are the four paths — uphill starting from Rasuwa’s Dhunche through Ghattekhola; A horse climbing through the Big Syabru from Rasuwa’s Syabru or Langtang area; Kutumsang on the border of Sindhupalchok and Nuwakot, Ghopte Goreto passing through Thadepati; and Shikhar Bensi in Nuwakot, a new ascent leading up from Dupcheswar.
No matter which way you go, it is not easy to go to Gosainkund.
As you have to reach the lake which is about 4400 meters above the sea level, the breath-taking steep climb is not easy. Therefore, if you are going to Gosainkund or any other Himalayan lake during the full moon, you must be careful about these 5 things.
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