Khaptad National Park

Khaptad_Ava
INTRODUCTION
Khaptad National Park (KNP) covering an area of 225 sq. km is in the far western region of Nepal is at an air distance of 446 km from Kathmandu. The core area fixed at the cross point of Bajura, Bajhang, Doti and Achham districts of Seti zone shows Khaptad as a common pool for them. The name of this park comes from Late Khaptad Baba spent some 50 yrs leaving here for mediating and worshiping and became a renowned spiritual saint (AngelNepal, 2010). The park was established in 1984 (WWA, 2010) and consists of plateau with grassland. Khaptad national Park in has gained religious significance as the home of Khaptad Swami, the renowned hermit (Abbey Treks, 2010). Khaptad has a sub-alpine temperate climate and is generally cold. The monsoon starts from the month of June and ends in September. The average rainfall is 100 cm. The grassland around Khaptad is covered with snowfall in winter and resembles the environment of Europe as well as the climate of Kashmir. (Pradhananga, 2010). This park is special because it represents of a few remaining mid-mountain ecosystems in Nepal Himalaya.
Khaptad is a plateau of grassland and forest cover at an elevation of about 3000 meters. The mixed conifer and broad-leaf forests are an excellent example of the vegetation that once covered much of west Nepal’s middle hills. The forest consists of a mixture of tall fir, yew, rhododendron, oak, dense strands of bamboo, and smaller shrubs. This habitat provides good cover for bear, leopard, barking and musk deer, as well as birds like the Impeyan, koklas and kalij pheasants. (NVTIN, 2010)

Photo 2: Map Khaptad National Park (WWA, 2010)
Photo 3: A Bird at Khaptad National Park (NVTIN, 2010)
CONSERVATION
Conserved Biodiversity:
The Park with rolling hills of grasslands and forests of subtropical, temprate and sub alpine vegetation, is a rich natural habitat, The park boasts of 224 species of medicinal herbs (Abbey Treks, 2010). One flower, known as Bheeg and resembling a white rose, grows in several parts of the park. It is said to be so poisonous that single sniff from close up can be lethal! (Everest Excursion, 2005).
The park also offers excellent bird watching opportunities, with 270 species of birds, the flycatchers, bulbuls, cuckoos and eagles. Animals in the park are barking deer, wild boar, ghoral, Himalayan Black bear, yellow throated marten, rhesus monkey and langur monkey. (Abbey Treks, 2010). The different wild lives conserved in this park are Leopard, Himalayan yellow-throated Marten, Himalayan black Bear, Jackal, Musk Deer, Goral, Himalayan Tahr, Wolf, common Langur, Impeyan Pheasant, Nepal's national bird, Chukor Partridge, Kalij Pheasant, Munal, red and yellow-billed blue Magpie, Nutcracker, Flycatchers, Thrushes, Himalayan Griffin, Cuckoos, Forktails, Tits, Wagtails and Eagles (WWA, 2010). The park also has a number of butterfiles and moths (NewMedia, 2010).

Photo 4: Leopard in Khaptad National Park (MTT, 2010)

Besides its wildlife importance the park is rich for its natural beauty from where you can see the Api and Saipal Himalaya ranges. It has 22 open patches of grasslands, Khaptad daha (lake), flora consisting montane sal, pine and alder species, Fir, Oak, Birch and rhododendron are the major species found there as well 135 species of flowers are found in the Khaptad Grasslands, along with medicinal herbs. The park is reported to have 226 bird species among the common are Impeyan phesant (dhanphe), Nepal’s national bird and many types of partridges, flycatchers, bulbuls, cuckoos and eagles. The park also provides habitat for some 20 different species of animals, common ones including barking deer, wild boar, Goral, Leopard, Wild dog and jackal (AngelNepal, 2010).
Photo 5: Pilgrims
at Khaptad (Varuna, n.d.)

Photo 6: Langur Monkeys
at Khaptad (Varuna, n.d.)
Religious sites:
At the north-eastern corner of the park, a small serene lake and swampy area called Khaptad Daha is religious site where Hindu pilgrims come to worship Lord Shiva on the full moon of July-August each year (Pradhananga, 2010). Here lived the ascetic Khaptad Baba, who was known and revered throughout Nepal. Khaptad is best known as a holy site and is closely associated with a widely revert ascetic who lived here for Mandu years and who was known simply as the 'Khaptad Swami', among Nepalis. The origins and background of Khaptad Swami, who died in 1996 at the grand old reported age of 110, are shrouded in mystery. Some speculate that he was a doctor from India who renounced his worldly life in favor of a purely spiritual existence in a remote part if the holy Himalaya. In any event, he never divulged either his name or anything of his own life to anyone-including to King Birendra who went to consult him several occasions. He was undoubtedly a good, learned and widely read man who also had a good command of English. He lived in a cave on the eastern side of the park to where pilgrims traveled from far and wide to see him and receive his counsel and blessings (Everest Excursion, 2005).
It is said that Khaptad Swami was instrumental in persuading the King to give National Park status to Khaptad. About 1 km from the Swami's cave is the small Bhagawan Shanker Mandir with a Dharmaslala. Nearby is the small pond, or Pokhari, whose water is said to be lethally contaminated by the Bheeg and other toxic flowers growing around it. Symptoms of poisoning are believed to begin with joint pain, lethargy, nausea and vomiting. Some people carry lemons and chills with them as an antidote when walking through the area, through it is interesting to remember that strings of lemons and chills are also widely used elsewhere to ward off evil sprits. Fencing now surrounds the pond. The Khaptad Mela [Festival] attracts several thousand pilgrims from throughout Nepal for whom this pilgrimage is believed to be especially meritorious. Celebrations include the pouring of milk over the Linga of the Bhagawan Shanker Mandir and, reminiscent of Diwalii, the lighting of ghee lamps at night (Everest Excursion, 2005).

Photo 7: Khaptad Daha (Image Nepal, 2010)
Photo 8: Black Beer in Khaptad (NVTIN, 2010)
Khaptad National Park also offers religious sightseeing at Tribeni onthe way to its headquarters. At the center of the park, there is beautiful Ashram of Khaptad Swami. There are several historical temples surronounding this area and an annual celebration of Ganga Dahhara is held here every Jestha Purnima. Another religious site is Sahara Linga at 3,200 meters, the highest point ot hte park. Other religious areas in the park include Ganesh Temple, Nagdhunga, and Kedardhunga. These areas are ideal places for meditation. (Abbey Treks, 2010). A 5 km area inside the park has been separated for meditation and tranquility where consumption of meat, alcohol and tobacco is prohibited. Because the park has religious significance, drinking, smoking and violence in the park are prohibited (NepalMedia, 2010).
Accessing to Khaptad National Park:
The best season to visit Khaptad is March and April, and October and November. The best way to reach the park area is to fly to Nepalgunj or Dhangadhi. From there local buses can be taken to Silgadhi, Doti. The National Park entrance is a six-hour hike from the roadside area in Doti (Abbey Treks, 2010) and another 7-8 hours requires to reach the Park Headquarters. Other options are flight to Dipayal (Doti) followed by three day walk, or flight to Sanfebagar (Achham) or Chainpur (Bajhang) followed by two day walk or flight to Bajura followed by four day walk. However, Dipayal and Achham airports are rarely open (WWA, 2010) and the flights are irregular. There are no lodges or hotels in the park. Travellers should hike with camping equipment including tents, food, fuels, and guides, and all other supplies which can be arranged through trekking agents.
Entry Criteria:
Entry fee per person per entry for Nepalese Nationals is free, Rs 100 for SAARC nationals and Rs 1000 for other foreign nationals. Entrance fee is not required for children below 10. Park entrance fee is regulated by Department of national Park and wildlife Conservation (NVTIN, 2010). Trekkers and adventure seekers including village tourists can rightly savor the unique beauty and charm of Khaptad.

Photo 9: Map of Khaptad Area (Jungle Safari, 2009)
Photo 10: Khaptad National Park in Winter (Colourful Nepal, 2006)
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
Despite being beautiful with biodiversity and religious importance, Khaptad national Park has not got enough attention on conservation and identity. The economic condition of people residing in such a beautiful area is harshening. Nepal’s village tourism is a low-cost high yielding concept specifically prepared for the developing countries like Nepal (Pradhanang, 2010). Nepal’s village tourism as a conventional approach is an appropriate instrument to transfer wealth from the tourists or distribute tourist money to underdeveloped regions of the Third World.
Village tourists can participate in village activities in accordance with their interests and pleasure. Village tourism really lures the westerners who seek a break from the tiring materialistic world. Village tourism has its own enchantment where there is an epitome in the tourism literature. The villages and villagers can benefit to a greater extent from the application of the concept. The multiplier effect of village tourism can be wonderfully shown with positive results and can be a generator of economic development in villages. In fact, once it starts and never ends.
Khaptad is an area that holds promises in western Nepal in terms of tourism village destinations. It also means that village tourism development widens the bright prospects of sustainable development to Khaptad amidst the problems and constraints on the way of tourism growth in the far-west. Khaptad is a wonderland with virgin and unexplored tourism village destinations close to nature and indigenous unique culture of Nepal. Without exaggeration, it can be said that the area is a paradise on earth, where visitors can enjoy heavenly nature and nature’s bounty. It is an unbelievable heavenly flavored tourism destination which wonderfully treasures unparalleled scenic beauties and natural resources in Khaptad, where Nepal’s village tourism can flourish sustainably.
Khaptad, a superb and unique land of beauty and herbs, is a specific and rare potential tourism center for village tourism development. The area is home to a wide variety of distinct natural wonders and beauties strewn all around. It is the land where the gods secretly farm “Sanjebani” herb that can revive a dead person. In the holy Hindu epic Ramayana, Laxman, brother of Rama, was brought back to life with the help of sanjibani drops-the herbs supposedly transported from here by Hanuman. That Khaptad is a fertile land for herbs and aromatic plants is there for anyone to see.
The composition of rolling plateau sketched by nature is full of pleasure and wonder. The famous lakes namely Khaptad Daha, Suki Daha and Buki Daha are part of the wonderland that Khaptad area is. Khaptad is a holy religious place composed of the holy Tribeni River, Nagdhunga (serpent coated stone), Sahastralinga and Khaptad Baba’s hermitage. Khaptad Baba hermitage is a place for spiritualism and spiritual tourism development. Yoga or meditation can be developed in this site. Man, being a rational being has to get ‘Mokcchya’–salvation the ultimate goal in life. Through the cross-elasticity of tourism demand, Khaptad can become unparalleled destination for visitors both international and domestic, more than what it is at present. Tourism village can be possibly developed at Majhigaun and Miltadigaun in Khaptad. Professionally, the popular culture as ‘Tarwar dance’and ‘Bishu dance’ can be displayed to visitors by the local communities (Pradhanang, 2010).
There is no clear-cut provision for protection of endangered species of flora and fauna. Only limited resources have been allocated for conservation of Khaptad National Park. There is no proper arrangement of vehicles to reach Khaptad. Remoteness has created further problem to have access to the project area. No provision of hotels (food and lodging) around Khaptad National Park makes the life of tourists harder. Focus should be given to ecotourism including public and tourist awareness activities. Additional data should be generated.

Photo 11: Beautiful Grassland of Khaptad
(Media Consultancy Nepal, 2008)
Photo 12: A view of Trees and Himalayas in Khaptad Area (Media Consultancy Nepal, 2008)

CONCLUSION
Khaptad is often touted as the paradise in far-western Nepal. Khaptad is a land of grasslands and forests with diverse geographical features from high mountains to deep gorges and mid-elevation plateaus. The place inherits its name from Khaptad Swami, a Hindu sage who lived in the area for many years. Khaptad Lake is a place of religious significance and draws hundreds of people on the full moon day of July-August every year. The park is home to different wildlife species, including bear, leopard, common langur, musk deer and different species of birds. The area is a fertile land for different medicinal herbs and other rare vegetation. Khaptad can be reached by taking a flight to Dipayal, Chainpur in Bajhang, Kolti in Bajura and Sanfebagar in Achham. The government has gazetted 225 sq km of the area as Khaptad National Park to conserve wildlife and biodiversity in the area. The Khaptad National Park offers a challenging yet rewarding experience unlike any other protected area in Nepal, because of its remoteness has kept this area untouched by the tourist. This national park is well known for its its natural beauty connected with religious and spiritual values as well. It should be protected well and should be taken under focus of visitors that would contribute as the most effective means of conserving biological diversity in situ. In this respect, developing Khaptad area for village tourism holds bright prospects.