While I was on the way to the Gosaikund-famous lake in Hindu mythoogy- from Dunche-the headquarters of Rasuwa, I found settlements in Dhimsa, Sing Gompa, Cholang Pati, Lauribina Yak and Gosaikund lake area. The settlement areas are situated inside the Langtang National Park Area. The sole purpose of the persons residing there is Hotel business. The houses are fine built with stones and woods. Roofs covered with the zink coated tin plates. The hospitality was appreciable. The first picture was taken at Cholangpati and the second one shows Mr. Dikh holding the uprooted plant of Rheum australe- Rhubarb (Eng), Padamchal (Nepali). Mr. Ramkrishna is behind Dikh.
I was accompanied with three ather members, one chemist friend and two assistants. Our main job was to survey and collect the known as well as potential medicinal plants from the area. While documenting such job, it would be wise if we collect some ethnic knowledge regarding the use of plants. I asked the senior people of the areas about the plants. Most of them were either reluctant or ignorant. In most cases, they declined me just saying, “I don’t know about all these.” Some of them also coutered me saying “If you have some information, let us know.” Childrens and youths simply said “We don’t know. May be our parents say something about these.”I have come with some postulations then onwards
1. The persons are really ignorant about the utilisation pattern of the medicinal plants found in the area because their main purpose is hotel business. They engage all the time in prividing service. If they become ill, they use allopathic drugs which are more potent than herbal drugs and easily available in Dunche, about one to two hour descent from the places.
2. The persons might have become afraid of us. The area falls under the National Park boundaries. Use of such resorces without permission from the park authority is illegal by the acts and rules of the Nepal Government. They simply declined us because they suspected us as park authority.
3. We travelled and surveyed across the famous trek route only. We could not reach the Tamang Gaun– the original villages of Tamangs-one of the ethnic tribes of Nepal. We could have had information if we had really gone there.
4. The traditional knowledge seems to deteriorate with time in most cases. This also applies to the young generations of the area. Small children to teenagers didn’t seem concerned about these matters. The protected status of the area migh have some effects on this.