INTRODUCTION
There is a place where a mountain grows. It sits cushioned between its sisters; 10 out of the 14 highest peaks in the world. Together they form a thick wall of stone. The buffeting winds of the oceans rise up against them in the spring and each year the mountains turn them away and transform the wind to rain. It is a place of invention, imagination and discovery.This is the magic of the Himalayan mountain range, and the story of the mountain that is tallest of them all...
LIFE AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN
The forests of the Himalayas form the habitat for hundreds of different species of birds, mammals, fish and insects. A habitat is the natural home for a living creature. The mountain helps create an environment that is completely unique. There are many animals and plants that are endemic to the region. This means they are only found in certain areas.
TEMPLES
The village of Tengboche, in the Khumbu valley, is home to the largest Gompa in the region. This is a Buddhist monastery where climbers must pay their respect to the mountain. There are no roads to the monastery, so visitors must trek across the Dudh Kosi river and up the stony ridges to reach its holy steps.
THE SHERPA PEOPLE OF KHUMBU VALLEY
In the mountain passes under the icy watch of Everest, the Sherpa people have lived for years in the Khumbu Valley. The word ‘sherpa’ means ‘easterner’. It refers to the Sherpa migration, moving from Tibet and further east in around the 12th century. They were once nomads travelling across the higher Himalayas.Traditionally, Sherpas farm the meadows, moving their herds of animals up and down as the seasons get colder and warmer. They trade in wool, salt and seeds.
THE LEGEND OF SHAMBHALA
There are many legends surrounding the mountains, but none as mysterious and exciting as the legend of Shambhala... Folded into the unknown corners of the Himalayas, there is rumored to be a kingdom called Shambhala. It lies between eight snow-capped peaks, with the ‘near lake’ to the east and the ‘white lotus lakes’ to the west. Each of the lakes is filled with glimmering jewels that tease travelers that have come to find the city. But greed and fortune have no place in Shambhala. Only the pure of heart can enter, and those looking to steal from the lakes will never be granted entry. Its people are healthy and peaceful under the reign of the Kalki, the kings of Shambhala. For centuries the Kalki rule fairly, each leading for 100 years. But the day will soon come when Shambhala will be disrupted. There will be an age when men and women of the world will be overcome by darkness and greed. They will raise up their flags and march across the lands, spreading the darkness to all they come across. When this happens, when the world is at its feet, the mists around Shambhala will rise. The armies of the Kalki will come forward and fight to restore balance and goodness where once the darkness fell.
Copyright © 2023 by Sangma Francis. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
