Bagaman Kulung Email: kulung_4@hotmail.com
I was born in Chhemsing village (1500
m.) lies in Chheskam VDC of Solukhumbu Nepal. In front of my village there is
Bhukur peak of 4000 m. high; bellow in 1200 m. there is Hungu River and other
parts surrounded by the green forests. In my childhood I used to think that the
sky is carried by the Bhukur peak and I could touch if I could submit the top
of Bhukur peak.
When I was studying in Class
Seven my father jointed me to work his official works of community forest
management. He was the president of local forest management committee and the
Bhukur peak was under his working area. He used to encourage me to write
application letters of user people, meeting minutes of his committee and other
as well. In collaboration with local community forest, Makalu Barun National
Park use to monitor the forest. One day Makalu Barun National park office sent
official letter to my father for sending a representative for travelling Bhukur
peak area, meanwhile my school was holiday. I really wanted to go up to that
peak. I hided the letter until a day before of walking. When I show the letter
before a day of walking nobody wanted to go. So I proposed myself. My father
and mother become worried of altitude sickness. But finally I went with them.
Suppose the team of National Park were searching hunter in the forest but I used to shout in my
mother language for running far, if somebody were hunting and could understand
my language. The staff member of Makalu Barun did not understand Kulung
language. We travelled not only around Bhukur peak but majorly we traveled towards Khongmadingma valley from Kenpa and Bhukur peak. It was really pleasure
program for me.
After two years of this event I
passed my SLC examination by sublime try but not direct. In this time it was
discriminatory policy of government that a person who pass only in sublime try
was not allowed to joint collage at the same year. So when I pass my SLC, I was
free and I decided to go to trekking. I was of 16 years at that time. But when
I was preparing to go to trekking, I heard from another room to my senior
friends and they were saying "Bagaman cannon go to trekking". Then I
entered in their room and asked the most difficulties and dangerous trekking in
Solukhumbu. They said the most dangerous part is Amphulapcha pass (5800m.) through
Naulekh Merala. Then I decided to go there. It was not easy work but I was very
happy to go there. When we entered Setopokhari valley though Merala Pass (5415
m), we had to collect firewood for cooking and lighting for warm. But when I was
searching firewood there I found a big root of tree. When I called my friends
to bring it they said that it was a death body of porter. They added that a
person who cannot cross this valley in snowing have to die there, if the
trekking office do not send helicopter from Kathmandu. They also said that porters
have no access of helicopter so normally they die, if they become sick in this
valley. I become serious of this notice. Meanwhile I saw a place we arrived
from Bhukur when I came with the staffs of Makalu Barun National park.
Then I started to think
seriously. In Setopokhari valley there was a big pond and water from this pond
was going towards Hungu valley. The pond was the origin Point of Hungu River.
The geographical situation was saying that if somebody follows the Hungga River
they do not have to pass any peaks and it will be the best idea to save
trekkers who have to face altitude in the snowing weather in Setopokhari
valley. But my friends was saying there is not any peaks but rocks and River
blocks way. I was only thinking why people cannot broke rock to save trekkers
of Setopokhari.
Luckily I got opportunity to work
as a program assistant after my Bachelor of Business Study of Trivuwan
University in Hill Development and Conservation Group Nepal a local NGO. The organization
has a program related to tourism promotional funded by Poverty Alleviation/
World Bank in Bung. But in actually the promotional program was for the Lukla
to Tumlingtar but not for the Setopokhari valley. But I used to ask in the
village if somebody went from Setopokhari valley to Muddi of Chheskam through
the bank of Hungu River. And I came to know some persons who pet sheep and goes
to Setopokhari valley in the summer season and familiar with the geographical situation
of this area very well. I met them; I asked them and prepared a concept not for
the Phaplu to Setopokhari valley tourism promotional possibilities. Nobody did
not understand the important of this trail. I was trying to publish it in any publication
but I was not getting any publication too. Finally the local NGO Bung Welfare
Society allowed me to publish it in there publication and I published first
time about this important of trail. I did not get any responses after this
publication. I guessed it may be unrealistic concept and may be readers were laughing.
So I was not encouraged. But when somebody started to advocate to allocate VDC
fund for that tourism trail then I came to know the published concept note were
working.
In this connection once Namgel
Sherpa the famous mountain climber in Nepal called me to know the details
progress of Phaplu to Setopokhari valley tourism trail possibilities. I really
surprised because only I heard about him by the national media of Nepal. It was
great opportunity for me to meet him. When we met and discussed I came to know that
he went this area to know the geographical condition for the new rescue way
from Setopokhari and somebody recommended my name and gave my contact no. to him.
Then I was fully confident that I have been doing good job.
In this situation, in February
2012, I met Ramsharan Majhi and Ananda Paudel a dedicated team of Samas Media
(P) L.td. in Kathmandu. They are a tourism promotional program producer for Avenues national television. I shared my concept with them.
They interested to go there. But it was challengeable work for fund raising. We
had to collect at least NRs. one million budgets to go for the survey,
preparing documentary and dissemination in television. The meeting of stockholders
in Kathmandu selected me as the local program coordinator for fund raising. Finally
we prepared this video documentary and disseminated in Avenues television after
36 days filed visit of this area. In our team the technician person of district
technical office Salleri was involved and he prepared the technical and
financial budget report with its possibilities in the future. As the program
impact The Great Himalayan Trail Project has funded of 0.8 million fund for the
construction of this tourism way. But it is not enough budget for the full
construction.