Pokhara

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Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal. It is located on Phewa Lake. It is close to the high mountains of the Annapurna Range, with some of the highest mountains in Nepal. The highest, Annapurna I is 8,091 m (26,545 ft) high. The Annapurna Ranges is a spectacular backdrop for Pokhara.

Pokhara is on Phewa Lake, the second largest lake in Nepal. On an island in Phewa Lake is the Barahi Temple, a very important center of worship for the Hindu devotees. This Hindu temple in Nepal is dedicated to Ajima in the boar manifestation, representative of the force of Shakti. Shakti is the Hindu mother goddess who is the origin of universal creativity and power. Shakti as a feminine power assumes several roles. In the form of Durga, Shakti protects the gods from demons. Durga takes on the manifestation of Ajima in the form of a boar called Barahi to pierce her evil enemies with her pointed tusks. Barahi is pictured with the face of a boar with a cup in one hand and fish in the other.

On the mountain above Phewa Lake is one the World Peace Pagodas. Most (though not all) peace pagodas built since World War II have been built under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii (1885-1985), a Buddhist monk from Japan and founder of the Nipponzan-Myōhōji Buddhist Order.

I crossed Phewa Lake on s small row boat, and then walked up to the pagoda. It took not quite one hour. From there I walked down to Pokhara to see the Davis Falls and the Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave. Davis Falls is named after Mrs Davis who fell in the falls in 1961 and drowned.

The small mountain on the northwest side of Pokhara, Sarangkot, is a popular spot to watch the sunrise over the Annapurna Range. It was quite spectacular. I drove up part of the way, and then walked about 40 minutes to the summit. The walk back down to Pokhara took almost three hours.

All pictures are © Dr. Günther Eichhorn, unless otherwise noted.