CANVANS OF HIMAL

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Himalayan gold rush (Yarsagumgu)

Yarsagumba - the gold rush

Yarsagumba with its Latin name cordyceps sinesis literally means summer plant and winter insect in Tibetan. Before the rainy season begins, spores of the cordyceps mushroom settle on the heads of caterpillars’ that lives underground. The fungus gets so much into the body of the caterpillars’ that it grows out through its head and drains all the energy from the insect and ultimately it dies.

Yarsagumba, Yarshagumba or Yarchagumba is a rare and unique herb that grows in the meadows above 3,500 meters (11,483 feet) in the Himalayan region of Nepal. There are various types of famous medicinal plants found in Nepal but the popularity of yarsagumba is simply overwhelming. For the last couple of years, the trade of yarsagumba is increasing and it has been regarded as an expensive life saving tonic. Headache, toothache or any other disease - yarsagumba is the remedy. And not only that, it is also believed to be a cure for sexual impotency – a Himalayan Herbal Viagra.

Every year during May and June, thousands of villagers from remote areas risking their own lives head for high mountains to collect yarsagumba. It is estimated that one villager can earn up to Rs. 2,500 approximately to $35 a day by collecting yarsagumba which is beyond the monthly salary of many Nepalese households. Dolpa – a remote district in western Nepal with high steep valleys and dry climate is one of the foremost areas for collecting yarsagumba. Almost 50% of the annual supply of yarsagumba comes from Dolpa alone. Here, not only the adults but school goers also take unofficial holidays in search of the gold rush.

Collection of yarsagumba was illegal until 2001 but following its popularity and the lobbying from various organizations, the Government lifted the ban but imposed a royalty rate of Rs. 20,000 (US$ 280) per kilogram (2.2lbs). One kilo of yarsagumba that costs about Rs. 315 (US$ 5/6) in 1992 increased to Rs. 105,000 (US$ 1,435) by the year 2002 and the price has been shooting up so as the international interest on the mysterious half-caterpillar-half-mushroom known as yarsagumba.

We would you like to provide information about the Cordyceps sinesis fungus on this page to help others learn more about this plant. Send us your comments or information via Email. Please note that VisitNepal.com is not involved in the business with Cordyceps sinesis (Yarsagumba) products.

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Travel

The second photo of one of the best fotress I ever seen. The fortress of Jarkoth is situated near the caravan route which links Neapl with Tibet. Beautiful landscape of Mustang, Dhaulagiri and remote area of Himalaya is all around the fotress.

Jarkhot is small village in Kali Gandhaki Valley (Lower Mustang) where impressive fortress is situated. The landscape is wonderful there - the brown canyon of Kali Gandhaki and Dhaulagiri Massif in the horizon creates impressive atmospere. For sure it is one of the best place during whole Annapurna Circuit Trekking.

We met those child high in the mountain during our Annapurna Circuit trekking. Despite of young age, children in Nepal have to help their parents in everyday work

It is himalaya vilage on the annapurna cirucit trekking in lower mustang - in the horizon there is dhaulagiri massif. PEople in Himalaya must be very happy to live in such tremendous landscape.

Flat roofs of the houses are built only in the dry region as mustang. Normally there is snowing and raining there very often. But when we were there, small snow layer hasn't melted after heavy snowing in Thorung La region

Aswell as the tilicho lake being one of the most worthwhile offshoots of the Annapurna treck the days treck to reach the remote lodge is also one of the most scenic and a little daring as the mountainside here is constantly eroding and is very dry.I found myself constantly walking upwards as the ground that I walked on was sliding back down

Aswell as the tilicho lake being one of the most worthwhile offshoots of the Annapurna treck the days treck to reach the remote lodge is also one of the most scenic and a little daring as the mountainside here is constantly eroding and is very dry.I found myself constantly walking upwards as the ground that I walked on was sliding back down the slope.At this angle I found it a bit daunting in places but certainly worthwhile.There are three ways to go here-the lower the middle and the top route which is perched on the top of the triangular peak at the end.

Ok this is my last post for a while as tomorow I leave for Thailand for a month.As requested I will leave you with one of my favourites from my annapurna treck taken from a field that has a large drop of at the other side.I cannot say precisely where as I am still looking for my map!

Montée au camp avancé du Singu Chuli (5900m). Le sommet en arrière plan est le fameux Machapuchare. Son nom signifie queue de poisson, même si sous cet angle il n'a pas la forme d'une queue de poisson. Il culmine à 6997m d'altitude et son ascension est interdite depuis 1964 afin de respecter les croyance locale et le caractère sacré de cette montagne.

Le sommet est a priori vierge, D.Cox et W.Noyce auraient du rebrousser chemin a quelques dizaines de mètres du sommet en 1957 les conditions de neige n'étant pas bonnes.

south annapurna from Annapurna Base Camp.

The offshoot treck to tilicho lake is about two days treck from the annapurna main circuit.It can be reached in one day ,however,it is better to stay at the remote lodge and spend more time on the way there as the treck has some of the most beautiful scapes in the region and also it is nice to see the lake with clear skies and spend some time exploring at this isolated spot.I took a photo of this dead tree because I liked the way the light fell on the forms to create a highlight

This is the first part of the final walk to tilicho lake.To the right and close to the snow covered part of that mountain brings you over the top of the ridge and to the huge lake.

The girl lives in the mountinas in the small village in the Annapurna Circuit trekking route. She was playing with cat during we drank some tea and had small rest during our way dwon from Throrung La pass to Pokhara. of the ridge and to the huge lake.

There are plenty of diffrent tribes and group of people who live in Nepal. Some are living in the mountian, some on plain, some are Hinduist some are Buddhist, some are farmers - some have own shops, some live in Nepal for ages - some are refugges from Tibet. But most of them are rather poor and live with constant fear about situation in Nepal

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Himalaya Honey Hunters

Himalaya Honey Hunters Cling to Cliffside Tradition
John Roach
for National Geographic News
April 14, 2004

Twice a year high in the Himalayan foothills of central Nepal teams of men gather around cliffs that are home to the world's largest honeybee, Apis laboriosa. As they have for generations, the men come to harvest the Himalayan cliff bee's honey.

The harvest ritual, which varies slightly from community to community, begins with a prayer and sacrifice of flowers, fruits, and rice. Then a fire is lit at the base of the cliff to smoke the bees from their honeycombs.

From above, a honey hunter descends the cliff harnessed to a ladder by ropes. As his mates secure the rope and ladder from the top and ferry tools up down as required, the honey hunter fights territorial bees as he cuts out chunks of honey from the comb.

For hundreds of years, the skills required to perform this treacherous task have been passed down through the generations. But now both the bees and traditional honey hunters are in short supply, according to scientists.

Farooq Ahmad, coordinator of the Himalayan Honeybees project for the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Katmandu, Nepal, said the shortages stem from the overzealous harvests of non-traditional honey hunters and downbeat conditions for honey production.

"Our studies show that during the last 20 years, the number of bee nests and bee cliffs substantially decreased," Ahmad said.

Well adapted to the harsh climate of Nepal Himalayas, the honeybee serves as the prime pollinator for the eco-region. The bee's decline is thought to have devastating consequences for the native, high-altitude plants that rely on the honeybee for their reproduction.

Stephen Buchmann, a bee expert and entomologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson, said loss of key pollinators such the Himalayan cliff bees is "really ripping away at the fabric of the ecosystem."

Honeybees, Buchmann says, pollinate about 25 percent of the wild plants within their 3 to 9 mile (5 to 14 kilometer) flight range. When the bees are lost, this vital ecosystem service is lost too, threatening the food base for the entire region.

With funding from the Austrian government, Ahmad and his ICIMOD colleagues are documenting the causes and consequences of the A. laboriosa decline and working with traditional honey hunters to preserve their sustainable harvesting techniques.

Since 2001, the bee populations have stabilized. Now Ahmad and his team hope that an increase in tourism to traditional honey hunting communities will provide incentive for a new generation of hunters to learn the ways of their elders.

Threatened Tradition

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Official Name:
Sanghiya Loktāntrik Ganatantra Nepāl
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
short form: Nepal
formerly: Kingdom of Nepal (Nepal Adhirajya)

ISO Country Code: np

Time:
Local Time = UTC + 5:45h
Actual Time: Tue-Aug-9 15:29

Country Calling Code: +977

Capital City: Kathmandu (pop 1.5 million)

Other Cities:
Biratnagar, Patan, Pokhara, Birganj, Dharan, Nepalganj.

Government:
Type: Republic

Geography:
Location: Southern Asia, between China and India
Area: 147 181 sq. km
Terrain: Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north.

Climate: The climate in Nepal varies with elevation, tropical in the lower southern part Tarai, mid-hills alpine and the high mountains polar; elevation ranges from 90 to 8848 meters.

People:
Nationality: noun: Nepalese (singular and plural), adjective: Nepalese or Nepali.
Population: 25 million.
Refugee Population: Bhutanese (94 000), Tibetans (20 000 approx.)
Ethnic Groups: sixty ethnic groups, major groups are Sherpas, Kirats or Limbus, Rais, Magars, Newars, Tamangs, Gurungs, the Bahuns and Chhetries and the Tharus the inhabitants of the Tarai.
Religions: Hinduism (predominant 86%), Buddhism 8%, Tibetan Lamaism (Bon)
Languages: Nepali (official and lingua franca of the country), sixty ethnic groups, who speak seventy different dialects and eleven major languages like Tibeto-Burman, Lhotsamkha, Nepalbhasa, Tamang languages.
Literacy: 40%

Natural resources: Quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore.

Agriculture products: Rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat.

Industries: Tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production.

Currency: Nepalese Rupee (NPR)

(Source: Nepal Embassy and others)

Nepal in Figures
Nepal key statistical data.

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Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल
Sanghiya Loktāntrik Ganatantra Nepāl

Nepal Statistics
Capital: Kathmandu
Population: 28,951,852
GDP: $33,250,000,000 (USD)
Total Area:
54,363 (sq miles)
140,800 (sq kilometers)
Currency: Nepalese rupee

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