2024 LCC River Karnali Trip – Nepal
Day 15 – Everest and Durbar Square
We had a very early start with a taxi collecting us at 5.20 am to take us to the airport for our Everest flight. It was a small aircraft with only window seats occupied, so everyone got the view. We were barely 15 minutes from take-off when the mountains came into view rising from the clouds. A spectacular mountain range opened up alongside us and the cabin crew helpfully pointed out different peaks. Finally, Everest itself came into view, although a little distant.
At this point, we circled back on ourselves and got a better view of the Himalayan mountain range from the other side of the plane as we were slightly closer and the haze had dropped lower in the valleys.
The flight only took an hour and we were back at our hotel in time for breakfast.
After breakfast, we headed to Durbar Square which is full of temples and shrines and on New Year’s Day it was also full of locals in beautiful dress. We explored the square and took loads of photos and went into the Kumari Ghar where we saw the living goddess, Kumari. She did not look particularly happy to be there!
Legend has it that the goddess Kumari used to appear in human form to the last king of Nepal each evening, but when she learnt he was having lustful thoughts about her, she stopped coming. He repented and she appeared to him in a dream and told him she would no longer appear in human form but that a pre-pubescent girl who represents all the principles of Kumari should be chosen to be worshipped as the embodiment of Kumari.
