A Travel Beyond the Himalayas: Mustang # 3!

d':tf¨ efu —­#

A view of Himalayas as seen from the Pokhara Airport

I got to capture these stunning Himalayas from Plane

hf]d;f]d} ahf/df !@ ah] xfjf ;// .

P xh'/ 3/ xfd|f] kf]v/f, cEfm} ;Dd ef’5}g 3/af/ ..

Click here to download this song....

(Jomsome, air blows 12.00 noon;

Hey, we are from Pokhara and still unmarried!!) 

This is a rhyme of one famous Nepali song (by Nepathya) echoing on and striking me when I was about to step down from Sita Airlines’ Twin Otter (spell?) plane for the first time in Jomsome Bazzar. As in song, it was extremely windy. The wind blowing from south to north was such a strong that it was very difficult for everyone to handle their bags and move smoothlyL. But walking along the air current was super easy and effortless!

Landed Safely :)... Jomsome Airport and Mt. Nilgiri on the background

The journey was highly remarkable for me! I had to struggle to fly. Due to the fluctuating weather flights were cancelled for two days. Even in third day weather was not so good but the captain dared to fly, and thanks GOD for safe landingJ. That was the only flight taken that day. If I would not have gotten chance to fly on that plane I would have to wait for another day. So, I must thank a guy (I’m sorry, I forget his name) from SITA Air who was highly generous to provide me room on first flight even there was a long queue of foreign tourist who were paying way more in US$ for the ticket.

See the arid landscapes of Mustang and a suspension bridge above  Kaligandaki River

Although very dry and arid, landscapes were carved in such a way that everyone could easily lost within the beauty of Mustang. And, I was super excited to travel beyond the Himalayas. The only problem I had was being late by 2 days to conduct research. My research partner Mr. Gabe Stutman (from Washington DC, USA), who was already in Muktinath temple, was counting every minute for my arrival. And, It is totally understandable that how terrible time everyone finds to wait someone not even for a couple of hours but for three days! I am sorry my friend (d]/f] ;fyL u]j dnfO{ dfkm ug'{xf];\ .) ! 

Though it was super windy I decided to leave for Jharkot where everyone was waiting me. We had a team of 8 students (4 Nepali and 4 Americans) from CNSP (Cornell Nepal Study Program) looking at four different aspects in Mustang. As a part of regular courses of CNSP our American friends were there for their research and we (Nepali students) were assisting them.

The Jharkot Village

When I got into Hotel Plazza in Jharkot around 6:00 pm I was completely exhausted. I didn’t see anything on the store but just the Fanta! Wow J I didn’t have to wait for second round to finish half liter fanta. Now I could see who were there; almost all except Paul and Gabe! I came to know that Paul is staying with Amchi and Gabe is in Ranipauwa - Muktinath.

 

Winter season; Mustang region; evening time; very tired; how would you feel if you take shower using freezing water? Though shivering with almost frozen fingers, I was feeling refreshed! Cold but clean! Great time for coffee.

See few more snaps on the way to Jharkot:

Mustang valley: Kaligandaki River gorge

Plants coping with aridity

Salix were the only trees I saw with leaves

The Destruction of Divas by Paul Atkinson

The following is a piece written by Paul Atkinson and relates to our sciSCREENing of The Black Swan last Thursday.

I do not intend to talk a great deal about the film itself – we are not here to be amateur film critics, but to sketch a few points of cultural comparison, in order to put the film in a particular kind of context. My remarks are derived from opera and ballet, two performance genres that share many mythological characteristics. I do so because it seems to me that Black Swan works – insofar as it does work – by weaving together some well-worn narrative themes.

Opera and ballet share a common characteristic in that they are often portrayed as excessive. They transcend the bounds of normality, and can become not merely unusual forms of expression, but abnormal and unnatural as well. Their characters and their performers alike can be portrayed as monstrous – albeit as ‘sacred monsters’. So too can their presiding geniuses (such as Diaghilev).

The leading lady, the prima donna or the prima donna assoluta, is especially susceptible to monstrosity. One needs to think, for instance, only of the mythologised life of someone like Maria Callas. Exceeding the bounds of normal performance and normal behaviour, they are transformed into something ‘other’. At the same time, they are readily portrayed as victims, usually victims of a manipulative and potentially malevolent male figure. Think of Trilby and Svengali, or Christine and the Phantom of the Opera. These fictional narrative depend on the image of the (female) performer achieving perfection as a kind of hypnotically-induced hysteria.

These divas can, therefore, be consumed in the perfection of their art, and are destroyed in the very act of performing. Let us return to film. The film antecedent of Black Swan is Red Shoes (Powell and Pressburger). In many ways this was the better film. By casting Moira Shearer, a dancer, in the lead, the directors were able to make dance itself a more vivid part of the narrative. They had fragments of a ballet, based on the Andersen story of the Red Shows, created for the film. (By contrast Black Swan has some pretty jejune shots of what actually seems to be a very traditional version of Swan Lake). The ballet and the film’s characters’ lives are intertwined. The ballerina is driven (by the red shoes themselves, by the impasse of her emotional life) to throw herself to a death.

This is a sort of Liebestod – a consummation of oblivion. The self-immolation of the dancer or the singer thus parallels the mythical, sacrificial destruction of the heroine in opera and ballet’s tragedies. Interestingly, there is an interesting parallel her in another of the Powell and Pressburger films – their version of Offenbach’s opera The Tales of Hoffmann (which had performers in common with Red Shoes, including Moira Shearer and Robert Helpman). In a series of episodes, a series of failed loves are recounted. In the first, the hero encounters Olympia, who turns out to be a mechanical doll, created and then destroyed as she dances, by Dr Coppelius. In the second, he finds Antonina, who (the reasons need not detain us) must not sing, but under the influence of Dr Miracle, she sings herself to death.

To return to Black Swan, then, it draws on all of these, and other recurrent themes. It is thus part of a mythology of the performing arts, in which obsession, hysteria and excess drive the (female) performer, in which the (male) manipulator leads towards a destructive impulse, and in which there can be a sort of resolution in art-death.

Black Swan sciSCREEN - Thursday 14th April

The next Cardiff sciSCREEN is Black Swan on Thursday the 14th April at 6.15pm at Chapter.

Black Swan is a psychological thriller from Darren Aronofsky, director of Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and The Wrestler. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, with Natalie Portman winning the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Nina. The film takes viewers on a journey through Nina’s mental disintegration as she competes with a rival dancer during a production of Swan Lake. This screening will be followed by a sciSCREEN event, sponsored by the MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics. After the film there will be a wine reception and panel discussion in which academics and other experts - including a member of Ballet Cymru - will use this film to explore ideas such as the causes of psychosis and the nature of experience, the subjection of women’s bodies, the portrayal of the world of ballet, and the mythology of the 'diva'.


Apologies: as this is the official trailer, it is, in turn, preceeded by a mini-trailer.

As this film is being screened in the smaller of the Chapter cinemas, advance booking is advised. Tickets can be booked over the phone (029 2030 4400) or via the Chapter website. Entry to the post-film sciSCREEN event is free, though space is limited.

The speakers for the event are:

• Professor Paul Atkinson, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University
  
• Dr James Walters, MRC CNGG and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University
  
• Dr Michael Arribas-Ayllon, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University
  
• Michele Ryan, Ex TV director, film/media lecturer, and counsellor
  
• Amy Doughty, Ballet Cymru
  

Recognising the relationships between donors and their recipients: The missing ‘others’ in Never Let Me Go.

The following is a personal piece written by BD, a member of Cesagen, which relates to our sciSCREENing of Never Let Me Go.

Never Let Me Go followed the lives of a group of ‘donors’ as they carried out their everyday, routine and mundane existence. Whether one thought the film dull or harrowing, it certainly prompted reflection of one’s own mortality and for me this meant thinking about my personal experience of being a recipient of a transplanted organ. From this position, my main criticism of the film was that it ignored any relationship between donor and recipient, and the value that this relationship might have for both parties.

One issue raised during the sciSCREEN discussion was why the children/young adults did not question their fate or attempt to run away (this is explored by Dr Mellor in his commentary on voluntary servitude). The discussion considered the possibilities of social conditioning, drugs that made the donors compliant, isolation and reduced possibilities for collective rebellion. Yet their lack of rebellion might also be explained by their implicit relationships, based on promise and expectation, with the potential recipients.

I was born with Cystic Fibrosis and during my teenage years my health had deteriorated to such an extent that I was on oxygen 24 hours a day and had to be fed through a tube in my stomach. My heart and lung transplant in 1996 (at the age of 23) brought with it a new life and I continued my studies, moved out of my family home and began living independently. Relationships between the recipient and the donor or donor family were not encouraged within my clinic but I was able to make contact, and therefore my experience might be very different to most. I have met and kept in touch with the family of the young boy who lost his life and from whom I received my new heart and lungs, as well as the man who received my own heart.

Although my heart was healthy, the heart and lungs were easier to transplant as a package rather than negotiate the complex web of nerves that links the two. I was therefore involved in a ‘domino transplant’ which meant that as I received my new heart and lungs, my own heart was given to someone else. While I was in theatre, my family began talking to another family in the waiting room whose relative was having a heart transplant. It soon became apparent that this was the wife and two sons of the recipient of my heart. During recuperation, my family brought me news of this stranger’s progress, and when I was well enough to leave my room I went to meet him and we stayed in touch until he passed away 10 years later.

In contrast to the opportunistic meeting with my ‘heart man’, it was my mother who had purposefully sought contact with my donor family in the desire to thank them and to provide them with news of my good health. She was told that she could write an anonymous letter that would be sent to the donor’s family if and when they requested contact. Despite these rules, my mother included her own address and within days had received a response. Through this letter I found out that my donor was a 15 year old boy who had been knocked down while crossing the road on his way to school. His mother sent me a photograph of a handsome and strong boy who was good at sport and had many friends. His mother and father visited some months later, and we even appeared on Richard and Judy together (Judy was ill on the day so Caron Keating took her place).

For a recipient, the relationship between donor or donor family can be extremely difficult. I have known people refuse to have a transplant because they cannot cope with the fact that they might benefit from another person’s death. In fact, very few people I know who have had a transplant have met their donor families or even know anything about their donor. Every milestone, such as surviving the first month and celebrating the first, fifth and tenth years, were a reminder of the different fortunes of our two families, yet the contact with my donor family has been really important in making sense of my new life. If a transplant is considered a ‘gift’ (Richard Titmus, 1970) then for my family and I it was important to say thank you.

Developments in medical technology might lead to an increasingly significant relationship between donor and recipient. Saviour siblings (where embryos are selected to be a genetically identical match for an ill child) and living donors (where relatives or even strangers might agree to donate an organ such as a kidney or part of their lung) have the potential to transform existing relationships. Yet the invisibility of the donor recipients in this film is not surprising. Never Let Me Go could be characterised by a distinct lack of ‘others’. Hospital wards were empty, the bleak countryside was unpopulated and even a normally bustling sea front appeared deserted. While this served to emphasise the isolation felt by this group, an opportunity to explore this unique relationship has, in my opinion, been missed.

A Travel Beyond the Himalayas: Mustang # 2!

Major Routes:

Mustang is one of the major tourist destinations of Nepal. Many people visit the area not only to experience local culture and enjoy scenic beauty but also to understand the religious mutualism – which is being exemplified by the Holy Muktinath Temple. Thousands of National as well as foreign (mainly Indians) Hindu people visits this temple as a pilgrim. There are many things to talk about the Mythology, beliefs and other important aspects of Mustang and Muktinath Temple as well. Which I think is better if it is dealt details of each site separately. So, for now let’s starts with Major Route to Mustang in an order of shortest to Longest:-

Map showing the Route 1: the green line

 Route 1: Pokhara – Jomsome – Muktinath (the shortest one!)

Area: Mustang, Nepal

Type of tour: Eco-cultural/Pilgrimage

Difficulty: Easy

Hotel Facility: Available; Average - Standard

Trip Costs: US$50 - 150 per day per persons (foreign tourists) + Flight charge: US$ 160 - 200

NRs.1500 – NRs.3500 per day per persons (national tourists) + Flight Charge: NRs. 4000/7000

Maximum Elevation: 3850 meter average sea level

Season: Almost every season

Duration: 4 days

Day 1: Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom (15 minutes flight) and trek to Kegbeni (2 hrs.)

Day 2: Kagbeni to Muktinath (4 hrs.)

Day 3: Muktinath to Jomsom (5 hrs.)

Day 4: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara (15 minutes flight)

Route 2: Pokhara – Beni – Tatopani – Jomsome – Muktinath

Area: Mustang, Nepal

Type of tour: Eco-cultural/Geographical/Pilgrimage

Difficulty: Medium

Hotel Facility: Available; Average - Standard

Trip Costs: US$50 - 150 per day per persons (foreign tourists) + Flight charge: US$ 80 - 100

NRs.1500 – NRs.3500 per day per persons (national tourists) + Flight Charge: NRs. 2000/3500

Maximum Elevation: 3850 meter average sea level

Season: September – October

Duration: 8 days

Day 1: Drive from Pokhara to Beni

Day 2: Beni to Tatopani

Day 3: Tatopani to Kalopani

Day 4: Kalopani to Jomsom via. Marpha (the delightful apple kingdom of Nepal)

Day 5: Jomsom to Kagbeni

Day 6: Kagbeni to Muktinath

Day 7: Muktinath to Jomsom

Day 8: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara

Map Showing Route 2 (the green line) and Route 3 (the red + green then after): I apologies for poor quality oblique map!

Route 3: Pokhara – Ghorepani – Tatopani – Jomsome – Muktinath

Area: Mustang, Nepal

Type of tour: Eco-cultural/Pilgrimage

Difficulty: Strenuous

Hotel Facility: Available; Average - Standard

Trip Costs: US$50 - 150 per day per persons (foreign tourists) + Flight charge: US$ 80 - 100

NRs.1500 – 3500 per day per persons (national tourists) + Flight Charge: NRs. 2000/3500

Maximum Elevation: 3850 meter average sea level

Season: March – April and September – October

Duration: 10 days

Day 1: Drive from Pokhara to Birethanti

Day 2: Birethanti to Ulleri

Day 3: Ulleri to Ghorapani (to Pun Hill as well)

Day 4: Ghorapani to Tatopani

Day 5: Tatopani to Kalopani

Day 6: Kalopani to Jomsom

Day 7: Jomsom to Kagbeni

Day 8: Kagbeni to Muktinath

Day 9: Muktinath to Jomsom

Day 10: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara

Route 4: Pokhara – Dumre (Tanahu) – Besisahar (Lamjung) – Chame – Manang – Thorang Phedi – Thorang-La – Muktinath: The Annapurna Circuit trek - longest one! This takes 2 weeks to get back to Pokhara after a complete circle, but it is still worthy to enjoy the vastness of Himalayas.

Area: Manang and Mustang, Nepal

Type of tour: Ecological – Cultural – Geographical

Difficulty: Strenuous /Tough

Hotel Facility: Available; Average - Standard

Trip Costs: US$75 - 200 per day per persons (foreign tourists) + Flight charge: US$ 80 - 100

NRs.1500 – NRs.3500 per day per persons (national tourists) + Flight Charge: NRs. 2000/3500

Maximum Elevation: 5416 meter average sea level

Temperature: Goes below freezing during Thorang-La cross

Season: March – April and September – October

Duration: 10 days

Day 1: Drive from Pokhara to Beshisahar (5 hrs.)

Day 2: Beshisahar to Bahaundanda (5.75 hrs.)

Day 3: Bahaundanda to Jagat (4.5 hrs.)

Day 4: Jagat to Dharapani (5 hrs.)

Day 5: Dharapani to Chame (4.75 hrs.)

Day 6: Chame to Pisang (4. 5 hrs.)

Day 7: Pisang to Braga/Manang (3.5/4 hrs.)

Day 8: Manang Rest day (Hike to Icelake)

Day 9: Manang to Ledar (3.5 hrs.)

Day 10: Ledar to Thorangla Phedi/High Camp (3/4.5 hrs.)

Day 11: Thorangla Phedi/High Camp to Muktinath (8 to 10 hrs.)

Day 12: Muktinath to Kagbeni via Jhong (3 hrs.)

Day 13: Kagbeni to Jomsom (2 hrs.)

Day 14: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara (15 minutes)