Breathe Dream Go: Palpa

Not in a million years, I would have been prepared for the majestic feelings I experienced after reaching Palpa. A visit to Palpa made me realize how lucky I was to be born in the country filled with such heavenly places.

We reached Tansen bazaar after eight hours of hectic bus ride. As it was already dawn, me and my friends decided to explore the Palpa the next day and spent the night at a local lodge which was affordable and classy at the same time.

The rays of the sun permeate the breezy atmosphere and woke me up for a day which was not going to be less than a dream. We got ready and after having breakfast, we were all set to start our trek to Rani Mahal. We started our trek at eight o’clock from Batase Dada. The rocky trails, slippery paths and the hills to climb, it was tiring but the pebbled trail with wooden Newar-style houses and the breathtaking views did not let us feel exhausted. We did not miss a single chance to capture such beauty with our cameras. Every now and then, we found time to chit chat and take snaps in the name of taking rest. After a long walk, we finally reached the Rani Mahal at around 1 PM. The ‘Mahal’ seemed nothing less than the ‘Taj Mahal’ of India in terms of architecture. The perfectly crafted building, sitting on the lap of mesmerizing hills and the amazingly calm Kali Gandaki River flowing beside the ‘Mahal’, gave us a sense of pleasure. Splashing water on each other and giggling together, we spent a good day. We were already getting late so by three o’clock we decided to move back. We took the short route which was filled with beautiful brooks, waterfalls and narrow cobblestone streets. We reached the hotel by 7:30 PM and crashed as soon as we had dinner.

The next day, we visited Srinagar Dada, a picturesque hill that offers a panoramic view of mighty Himalayans, including Dhaulagiri, Langtang, Ganesh, Mansiri, and Kanjirowa. The view was so mesmerizing that we did not even realize how quickly time flew. Around 1 PM, we had lunch in the local restaurant.

Our next station was Tansen Durbar. After roaming around for a while, we thought of shopping and went to Tansen Bazaar to buy local handcrafts. Since Palpa is renowned for the garments made by Dhaka, I bought Dhaka shawl and few other items. After surfing around the market for a while, we returned to the hotel. Next day, we returned to Kathmandu with a memory to cherish lifelong.

Palpa is the perfect getaway to the majestic Himalayas, mystical temples, ancient trails, and culture. The bewitching beauty of Palpa left me speechless and I found ‘heaven on earth.’