Barun Valley(बरुण उपत्यका) is a Himalayan valley situated at the base ofMt. Makaluin theSankhuwasabha districtof Nepal. This valley rests entirely inside theMakalu Barun National Park.
| Barun valley | |
|---|---|
 A place called Nghe within Barun Valley. Nghe in local Sherpa language means a 'Sacred place'. | |
| Length | 46 km (29 mi) |
| Naming | |
| Native name | Chukchuwa Upatyaka(Nepali) |
| Geography | |
| Country | Nepal |
| State | Province No. 1 |
| District | Sankhuwasabha, |
History
editThe valley was created by theBarun Riverwhich becomes a glacier in winter. The river is known as Chukchuwa in the localLimbu language.The study has shown that this place was originally inhabited byYakkhaandLimbucenturies ago.
Beyul
editIn the ancient religious Buddhist books,[which?]sevenBeyul( Nghe-Beyul Khimpalung) situated in the Himalayan region are described as mystical and spectacularly beautiful evergreen places where no one gets old. It is told that, in case of great cataclysm, life will remain only in these seven areas of the world. In those books, one of the Beyul is mentioned to be situated somewhere at this Makalu-Barun region.[1]
Places
edit
All of this valley is uninhabited. It is mostly covered by grassland (Kharka). In the summer, some temporary camps are made. Listed below are the names of these camping regions.
Flora and fauna
editThe Barun Valley climbs fromEastern Himalayan broadleaf forestsat low elevations throughEastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forestsand intoEastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows.
Recognized for its tremendous diversity of plants, animals, and people, the area contains over 3,000 species of flowering plants, including 25 species of rhododendron, 47 types of orchids, and 56 rare plants. 440 species of birds, and 75 species of mammals, including the endangered clouded leopard (snow leopard), red panda, musk deer, wild boar, have been recorded.
This remarkable biodiversity is considered to be of global significance and provides a living laboratory for international scientific research. The Barun Valley is part of a huge international protected area under an agreement between Nepal and China.
Plants like Swertia Barunensis (4200m) andPotentilla Makaluensis(4000 m) nomenclature under the name of river Barun and Mt. Makalu are found only in this area in the entire world. 87 Himalayan medical herbs includingYasrha GumbaandPanch Auleare found here. Panch Aule is a fingered root plant (five fingers max) where fingers indicate the age of the plant in a year.
The trek
editThis valley lies along the trekking route toMakalu Base Camp.This somewhat difficult yet extremely rewarding trek offers a true wilderness experience in the rugged uninhabited terrain of Makalu-Barun National Park. These days there are lodges above Tashigaon till the Base Camp, so one does not need to take camping gear, food and fuel further on. However, the lodges may not have enough blankets for visitors, so it is advisable to take a sleeping bag along. The use of a local guide is strongly recommended, as the trails are difficult to follow in some places.
Other Attractions
editShiva Dhara (शिव धारा)
editThis domelike cave, about 500 feet high, has a large waterfall coming out of its stone roof. The waterfall is considered a sacredtapof Lord Shiva. To get to this place one has to climb an extremely dangerous cliff with the help of locals, which will take about three to four hours.
Tadasho
editThis is a large stone cliff with a hole in its face, through which a waterfall cascades. Local legend has it that a dark lake lay atop the cliff, which mysteriously caused the deaths of many Tibetan refugees after nightfall. A Buddhist monk named Rinpoche broke the cliff with his Tadasho[further explanation needed],to destroy the lake and save the lives of the Tibetan refugees.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^MBNP Brochure|The Makalu-Barun National Park & Buffer Zone Brochure published by MBNP July 2009