Trekking From Phulchowki to Godavari or Vice Versa

Siddhi B. Ranjitkar

Nepal has been known for a trekkers’ paradise but most visitors think that they must trek in remote areas for weeks for enjoying the country’s natural beauty and the hospitality of the Nepalis. This is not necessarily true. Day treks around the Kathmandu Valley can be rewarding experience for both the seasoned trekkers and the tourists whose time is limited.

One of the nicest treks around the Valley is the hike from the top of the Phulchowki Mountain down to Godavari or vice versa. Phulchowki at about 9,000 ft (about 2, 800 meters) above sea level is the highest peak in the Valley. Godavari is at about 4,500 ft (about 1, 400 meters) above sea level. So, the difference in altitude between Phulchoki and Godavari is about 4,500 ft.

You have a choice of trekking up from Godavari to Phulchowki or from Phulchowki down to Godavari. If you want to trek up you may drive up to Godavari and then take the direct climb from Godavari to Phulchowki. It may be a hard trek for the senior people as the climbing from Godavari at about 4,500 ft to Phulchowki at 9,000 ft will not be so easy. However, for the smart and physically sound people willing to have a challenging trek in a short time, this trekking route serves their purpose. The trek from Phulchowki down to Godavari is easy, charming and enjoyable and physically less strenuous.

If you plan to trek from Godavari to Phulchowki then you may take a bus to Godavari with the trekking gear and some food and drinks to eat on the way to Phulchowki. Starting off early in the morning for the trekking up is advisable as the morning climate is more conducive to walking up than at any time of a day. In addition, you might see different birds and even some small wild animals on the way in the early morning.

Once you are at Godavari, you may chose one of the traditional walking route or simply walk along the road to By KTM Metro Reporter in Kathmandu

. Walking along the road may be tedious or as pleasant as walking along the traditional route depending on how you think it. However, the traditional route is a steep climb and arduous one. When you climb along the traditional route you need to cross the road at several places so if you feel tired of climbing the hill through the narrow route then you may walk along the road but it will take much longer time than passing through the route or you may call your car over to you on the road and then take you to the peak of Phulchowki. Choice is yours.

While climbing up you may stop at several places from where you can watch the majestic Himalayan mountain range spreading from the east to west of the northern part of the country. Relaxing for a few minutes at each of such places and moving on to climb up will be more enjoyable than just trying to complete the trekking as soon as possible.

The trekking time is about three hours but you may like to spend some time on watching the mountains and eating and drinking at some places. So, you may plan for five hours for reaching the top of Phulchowki.

On the way you will not find any human settlements, as it is a preserved forest area. So, don’t anticipate having tea-stalls and resting places as on other trekking routes. Carry everything you want to eat and drink on the way.

Once you are at Phulchowki you can see three towns such as Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur from there. You will see Goddess Phulchowki at her open shrine, a small office of the air control tower and TV antennae on the top of the Phulchowki Mountain. You will not find a large flat area there.

At 9,000 ft above sea level some people may even get altitude sickness. Symptoms of an altitude sickness are strong headache and even vomiting.  In such a case you need to climb down as soon as possible, as the only remedy for an altitude sickness is to get to low altitude. Once you are at the lower altitude then the sickness disappears immediately.

Phulchowki is the name of goddess residing at the sacred top of the mountain. She is one of the Tantric incarnations of Sastriya Goddess Parbati, the consort of Lord Shiva. She dwells in a simple open shrine made of stone. Several metal tridents, bronze bells and vermillion-smeared stones are the symbols of the presence of the goddess.

The most thrilling time for trekking in this area is a spring season. Some northern part of the Phulchowki Mountain may be still covered with snow but the southern part will be blooming with the red and white rhododendrons at the altitude of 7,000 ft (about 2, 300 meters) and above. Some parts of the mountain will be seen red because of the rhododendrons blooming all over the area.

Local people hold religious festivals at the Phulchowki Shrine twice in a spring season. So, if you happen to visit this area during a spring season you may have a chance to meet some of the pilgrims coming from various parts of the Valley. Many Nepalese pilgrims visit Goddess Phulchowki seeking blessing from her.

Once, you have completed the trekking from Godavari to Phulchowki, you have a choice of trekking down from Phulchowki to Godavari or simply take a car you have hired for taking you down from Phulchowki to Godavari. After the comparatively arduous trekking up you will find trekking down from Phulchowki is much more simple and easy. It will take you less than the half of the time you have taken for trekking up.

If you choose to trek one way from Phulchowki down to Godavari, you need to drive up to the Phulchowki peak and then trek down from there. It is the easiest thing to do for anybody who wants to have trekking experience but does not like to go a hard way. Take a traditional route rather than the road route you have traveled up in a car to enjoy the pristine nature and meet some wild animals and birds on the way down. If you feel you cannot walk any more on the traditional route you have always the choice of walking down along the road or even ask your car driver to pick you up on the way.

Senior people may even venture to trek down. You can do, too, but you better keep your car not very far away from you, as you may feel that you better ride down than walking down. It is possible as you trek not very far from the road and you often cross the road on the way down.

Once you are at Godavari you are back to the regular civilization. You will see the Godavari Marble Factory churning marble sheets out of block marbles. The marble factory has consumed almost a half of the marble hill causing a large scar on the hill. Pollution in this area is visible.

Also nearby is a three-tiered Nepalese style temple to Goddess Phulchowki. The forest extending down from the mountainside camouflages the temple and its nine stone waterspouts; a keen eye is needed not to miss this religious site.

On the opposite side of the marble hill, you will find a number of old building former rulers of Nepal have built for their summer residence. Now, they are the homes of St. Xavier School run by Jesuits.

Then, you will find a once beautiful botanical garden on the northern side. Once it has raised orchids, ferns, and many varieties of cactus, plants and flowers. It also has bred and grown local and foreign plants in greenhouses. It has a lotus pond. A cool water stream passes through the garden. The botanical garden has been once famous for picnickers.

Past the botanical garden you will find the holy pond called ‘Godavari Kunda’. A month-long religious festival is held here once every twelve year in July-August. People come from all over the country to bathe in this small pond believing it will washed away their sins committed knowingly or unknowingly and worship God Sapteswor Mahadev.

A legend has it that a rishi or a holy man has lived here and revered God Sapteswor Mahadev. One day, it so happened that he accidentally killed a cow. Killing a cow means committing a great sin for Hindus. The holy man knows that if he can go to the South India where Godavari River flows and take a bath in the holy Godavari River, he can atone for the sin. So, to atone for the sin caused by killing a cow, the holy man visited there, and meditated on Goddess Godavari.

The holy man’s dedication to and reverence for Goddess Godavari for a number of years has pleased the goddess. So, one day she appeared before him and said to him, “I am very pleased with you and am here to meet the wish you have in your mind.” The holy man prostrated at the feet of the goddess and said, “I accidentally killed a cow; so, I am here to atone for the sin.” The goddess said, “You go back to your place and I will appear there for you to take a holy dip and wash away the sin.” The holy man said, “How can I know that Goddess Godavari will be there?” The goddess said, “ Leave your holy water pot called ‘kamandalu’ here and it will appear in your place means I am there.”

Then, the holy man returned back to Nepal and after twelve years, he saw his holy pot floating on the waters of the pond. He immediately jumped into the water and took a wash atoning for his sin of killing a cow.

Since then, Nepalis have been emulating the holy man at taking the bathe in the waters of the small pond once every twelve year believing that Goddess Godavari appears in it.

On your way back to Kathmandu, you may stop at the town called Harisiddhi that takes you back to the medieval times despite this Nevah settlement being right on the road, the people have preserved the traditional way of living.

The trek from Phulchowki to Godavari or vice versa is a fascinating way to spend a day at a nominal cost to enjoy the local culture, mountain vistas, flora and fauna in short all the elements of a longer trek, with the convenience of being in the Valley.

June 11, 2009.