I live here in Dapashi and it’s been such a wonderful sight these days to witness some tourists coming to this quiet hillside, which is just a miles away from the busy places like Baharajgunj and Chakrapath.

Some just walk, some ride the regular bikes and some even on a motorbike. I met a couple of them, some were from a five star hotel that is located in Dapashi. The hotel is named “Shahinshah Hotel” which offers world-class facilities; there is photo here that shows you more of what this sentence tells you.

A few months ago, I wrote an article about it but had no camera with me to show you the pictures. But in this post I will show you some of the snaps. And please come back as I will be adding more photos to this post (not creating another post for Dapashi, please….)

Before I show you the photos, I am writing these for those who haven’t strolled to this area and proving to you why you why you should do it.

• First, it’s very easy to get to, and also provides you with a taste of pleasure walk without the pollution that you get around in the heart of crowded Kathmandu.
• Evening walking/cycling is recommended if the daytime temperate is extreme for you. Even so, a cap and a cycle would be enough to discover this place.
• There are 6 important spots here that you can view without going far away from the Capital. They are; The main base of Dapashi (Bashundhara which has the typical atmosphere of city and also has a temple there called Bashundhara temple), The Ram Mandhir, Krishna Mandhir and a school that comes to you on your way to Krishna mandhir, Shahinsha Hotel and the Nature Park or also called as the Nature Club.
• You can view some open shops, and even houses that don’t look like the Nepali houses. Here there are huge bungalows, something that will make your head spin. How on earth could some Nepalese earn so much to have a luxurious life while others can’t even afford at all like those kids who sleep on the streets with name that they never wished for - homeless kids would have been better but they are called the street beggars. You peek at one house and then turn your eyes towards another angle, you might just see a small tiny home, may be colors are all fainted, walls rotten. Your mind starts to spin even more. You won’t see any street kids here. Well, it’s the truth that if you walk even for a few minutes in Kathmandu, you can see the diversity of Rich and Poor to such an extreme level that you simply keep wondering why? why ? why? But that is not the reason you will be coming here anyways and if you did, well there you have it. Most of you will surely want to go to the places that I talked about; the temples and others.
• Shahinsha lies on the leftside of the Bashundahara Toll; the base and the most popular entry point for Dapashi and Dapashi height. Bashundhara lies on the side of hte Ringroad and can be reached just by walking from the the main Bashundhara bus stop. It’s about 7 minutes walk from there. See the picture of Shahinsha for the facilities it provides.
• If you take the road from Shahinsha towards the hill, you are coming to the Dapashi height. The second small road takes you to the Ram Mandhir. If you need help getting there, just ask the first shop keeper on the hill there and he will point you to the direction. This Ram Mandhir was built with whatever money this Dapashi community could afford, they donated and built this Temple and has been maintained very well. Many worship here early in the morning, and accounts of marriage ceremonies and other Hindu ceremonies conducted in the temple have been reported. The fact that the Dapashi height is very quiet makes you feel like you are really in a temple of peace here. Take some photos and make your way towards the Krishna Mandhir which lies on the opposite side of the Hill. The photos below will show you how to get there.
• Before passing Krishna Mandhir, there is a Public school, you can go inside, watch class room and see how Nepali kids study. School facilities might make you feel like crying but when you are told here that the school was built by the Dapashi community will make you feel stronger! Although no matter where you live in this world, Rich send their kids to Rich schools, but the potential of a Kid’s mind doesn’t depend on money. This school breeds great students for Highschool and there is also a proof that a Kid who once used to be a student here is now a proud Doctor in a Tribhuvan Hospital. Well, no more about education stuff, lets carry on… Oh yes, Dapashi Village Office is there, you can visit and see how small it is yet how well they are do in managing this area. It’s called Village Development Office or something like that where a person is elected annually as the Chairperson who handles social issues such as marriage papers, divorce papers, authorizing to build homes in Dapashi area. A visit to the office would give you a glimpse of what goes inside a Village Office similar to else where in Nepal.
• Krishna Mandhir (Temple) is a few walks from there. The Temple is currently being renovated and hence I couldn’t get inside the building; the constructor told me to stay away. I guess I will have to wait. Be sure to bookmark this post, more photos will be added when I get them.
• Nepal’s highly respected Actor/Director/Producer also lives on the right-hand side there on the path, if you get lucky you might just meet him. His name is Santosh Pant and there aren’t many Nepalese who don’t know that name! So getting a picture with him or even an autograph might as well be in your itinerary if you want to impress your Nepali friends back home, and hey and good luck to you!!
• There is a nature club which offers facilities not just limited to restaurants, bars, swimming pools but much more. If you have time, a package with this Club is worth the visit of Dapashi height.
• Some of the Doctors also live up here. You will probably be looking some of their lavish homes, and a nice looking car sitting in front of their yard, as you stroll up and down here.
• You can continue walking the road keeping yourself right, you will come down to the Dapashi base (Dapashi Bus Park) where you will witness open markets, hard working people at work, and some open market. There is a supermarket here too, hop-in and grab yourself some Nepali music CDs if you like. Yes, if you fancy candy, there are sneaker bars if you want one. Someone used to tell me, there is nothing you can’t buy in Nepal. That’s absolutely true, my friend. Now if you took the other route, you can arrive about less than half a mile away from the Chakrapath (Narayan Gopal Chok). You will be just be amazed how short and sweet experience this has been from a peaceful journey to a beep beep one! I am laughing out loud just because how all this happens and it’s all real. Not laughing because the drivers are using horns to save lives as traffic laws aren’t working in our country, but I am laughing because from just one single journey of peace, from one point to another makes you feel like you have been on a roller coaster; it started slowly and then you went up to that highest point and then again you were thrown down just like a roller coaster. Yeah, the belt is holding you tight - you won’t fall; for there are taxis, buses here, you can get back to your hotel easily. So the beep beeps are the ones that will take you back to your hotel, if you were walking instead of cycling then it would be nice to have a cycle with a horn; multiple ones!! LOL !!
• Well, hope you got some reasons why Dapashi is another Destination For Travelers and perhaps that is why I now see more and more here walking, taking pictures, and some just having a great time of feeling peace, away from the populated, polluted, noise and crazy Kathmandu.

Dapashi Photos For You

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self-explanatory to you.

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Thank you and see you in Dapashi / Bashundhara

Namastay!