The International Mountain Museum (IMM) is a one of a kind museum, which is located at the gateway of mountain range in Ratna Paira, Gairi Patan Pokhara. It is spread in an area of 100 Ropanies (5.10 Hectares, 12.58 Acres) where collection, documentation and display of the natural history and culture of the Himalayas and the world mountains are orchestrated in a pristine way.Currently, it is run under the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) with the theme to raise awareness about mountains and its overall habitat.
The museum was first opened in May 29, 2002 by the famous climbers Junko Tabei and Appa Sherpa, graced by the then Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur K.C. where as the Grand Opening was done in February 05, 2004 by the present Prime Minister of the time Surya Bahadur Thapa.
Basically, the museum is categorized in four sections.
1. Mountain People Gallery: This gallery gives brief introduction of the customs, traditions, heritage, culture and life style of mountain people. It is divided into two sub sections Mountain people of Nepal and Mountain People of the world. A. The mountain people of Nepal section: This segment focuses on the customs, traditions and cultures of the mountain people of Nepal. Similarly, it’s also focuses on their dresses, ornaments, musical instruments, household utilities and other cultural activities.
B: The Mountain people of the world section: This segment focuses on the cultural and traditional aspect of people living in countries like Taiwan, Slovenia, and Japan. Moreover, this section also exhibits photographs of people living in the Alpine Mountains of Europe from the past 50yrs.
2. World Mountain Gallery: This gallery holds the geological facts about the origin of world mountain system, highest summits, geological information, flora and fauna of the Himalayan region, research on mountain etc. This section is also divided into fours sub section like Mountain section, Geological section, Flora and fauna section and Corner of dedication
3. Mountain Activities Gallery: This section is dedicated to mountaineers as it holds the presences of equipment of different world famous mountaineers, their cloths and photographs of the different expedition at different intervals of times. It also displays the development of the climbing gears and required equipments for mountaineering, climbing and other mountain activities.
4. Associates' Gallery: Focusing developments of the different local NGOS and INGOS at the Himalayan region, this section focuses on the development work performed by different agencies like ACAP, ICIMOD, IUCN, WWF etc.
The museum is equipped with various amenities of modern day technology in facilitating the need of the work group; like such it encompasses a conference hall with a capacity of 150 people, an Audio Visual hall, mountain viewing platform, ramps and other necessary equipments.
The IMM is an educational center for research on anthropology, sociology, mountaineers, ecology for the researchers, tourists, students and general public which serves in giving knowledge for people where it gives a new perspective to see the growing trend of mountaineering and the civilization.
Compiled by Shreedeep Rayamajhi
Canyoning, the new adventure sport is famous among foreigners for its vertex image of drop off and maneuvering techniques of climbing. Perhaps, looking at pragmatic ground, it endows the sport from the exhilaration to the thrill, outreaching the human boundary of courage and strength. Moreover, defining it technically, Canyoning is an adventure activity that consists of walking or trekking up the head of canyon and abseiling down the canyon with the help of a rope. The fascinating aspect of this sport highlights passing along the torrent stream by stepping across the canyon’s blocks sliding or diving into the pool or swimming using equipments such as harness, jumper, carbineer, figure 8 etc. There are basically two aspect of the sport, one is experiencing it and the other is just the spectators’ watch. Like such, devoured with the excitement to see the canyoneers jumping off the 45 meters Hadi Khola currently known as the Jumbo Canyon was a spectacular view. The experience was so overwhelming that seeing such a deed one could be tainted with the adrenal rush. I was invited to report on the workshop and demonstration of Canyoning organized by the Nepal Canyoning Association (NCA) on February 2, 2008. The canyon is located around 100 KM from the Kathmandu situated in the extreme rouged terrain at the Bhote Koshi Valley. After the demonstration and pick up note, my enthusiasm grew its toll, till the time the organizers announced a trial Canyoning experience to the guests in a small feasible canyon. Soon catching the words, it naturally grasped me and I immediately raised my hand to get the taste of the wild sport. Like such, waiting in the queue to face the angst, I had a chance to change my words with one of the French Canyoneers about the sport and when asked about the thrill. He replied me in bold words, “The sport Canyoning is all about freedom that creates enthusiasm to feel the nature as well as to see the scenic views from the top angle but it also challenge you through its drops and slippery rough edges. Once you do this sport there is nothing like such.” Though, I had doubts about my senses of excitement but to some extent, his word literally motivated me to seek a new horizon. I picked up my fear and embraced it to enroll myself in the safety harness, which was strapped below my abdomen. Briefing me, one of the guides told me that the safety harnesses for the first time users makes it feel uneasy but there is nothing to worry, as the rope would certainly hold up. Highlighting more, he stated the rope and other accessory like dry suit, shoe and helmet used in the sport are made from a high density material which can stand violent situation. After the last check up, I was hooked in a safety harness line. Before jumping down, I remembered it was the sense of excitement that forwarded me but at the same time on the back of my mind thinking about the inevitable, I was hesitant. However, putting an end to my fear and dodging it, I jumped in the air. The feeling or the excitement to feel the thin air was awesome and as guided. I reclined on the wall of the canyon forcing my back in the empty air to support my legs on an up right position standing on the wall and the experience was simply enthralling. While descending down, I controlled my speed by the help of the figure eight equipment which hovered my speed where loosing the rope from one side controlled my pace. At that moment, one could really feel the adrenal rush mounting up where on contrary the cold breeze hitting on the face made me feel tempted to drive my enthusiasm to newer heights. It was going perfect when suddenly; I faced a break on the wall which pulled me to the safety rope. Then, I circled in the empty air hanging no where. For a second I got stilled in the air which increased my anxiety. Subsequently, I realized and let the figure eight go and the rope literally slide me down with comfort. Thus, by my experience of the demo and trail, I can beat that Canyoning is a wild product of tourism which is not only safe and sound, if proper measure are taken in but at the same time its fun and exciting. It is the combination of trekking, rafting and mountaineering that gives a chilling feeling of exhilaration, which would not only gives you the taste of an adrenal rush but at the same hand gives you a different angle to see the landscape from the top angel.
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