After the sight of the Panch Pokhari Map and a few tiny settlements just a few meters away, I ran with excitement. On my way, I could clearly see two of the five pokharis—Bhairav Kunda and Saraswati Kunda.
In terms of appearance, they were a bit disappointing. They were mostly frozen, with some parts even covered in white snow. But since I had reached such a holy place, even that felt special to me. I realized I was witnessing another form of Bhairav Kunda and Saraswati Kunda, which, frozen or not, held the same significance. In fact, I had fallen in love with them just the way they were.
After taking some pictures, I proceeded toward Bhim Lama’s hotel—the only one open in Panch Pokhari, as I had been informed. The snowfall was getting heavier, and the fog made it nearly impossible to see anything.
Still, I started shouting, “Ko hununcha?” while checking three hotels thoroughly. At one point, my legs sank deep into the snow when I was trying to reach to one of the hotels. It was terrifying, but more than that, I was frustrated.
It felt like none of the hotels were open. Since I was new to the area, I had no idea where the viewpoint was either. Should I continue forward in search of more hotels or stay put and hope someone would come to my rescue? Going back wasn’t an option.
I decided to move forward and see if there were more hotels. As it turns out, the thick fog had hidden an entire row of hotels just a little higher up. Finally, I spotted a man clearing snow all alone (Bhim Lama himself).
Relieved, I approached him and asked if he had a room for the night. Of course, I had to be polite even though the entire place was empty.
It was only around 1:30 PM—I had reached surprisingly fast. I also asked if it was possible to visit the viewpoint. He said I could, but the snow-covered path was risky. I was unsure whether to take the chance, but I knew moving forward would mean even more danger. So, I decided to stay at his hotel.
Even Lama dai seemed surprised that I was alone. I mentioned that five other guys were coming, though it might take them a while to reach. He led me to the little room (just like I got in Rato Mato).
I realized my shoes were completely covered in snow. What a mess. Even my socks were soaking wet. Lama dai asked me to leave my wet belongings at the entrance to avoid dirtying the hotel. These included my shoes, socks, trekking pole, raincoat, and bag cover.
I was already hungry but didn’t want to bother Lama dai to cook anything, so I just asked for black tea. I took out my own pack of chowchow, which helped curb my hunger a little.
Meanwhile, I warmed myself by the firewood. Lama dai soon stepped out to take care of some work with three other locals who were also in Panch Pokhari. That meant the hotel was all mine. I kept feeding the firewood and soaking in the warmth until my energy returned.
Despite my wet socks and shoes, I couldn’t resist stepping out again. I took another glance at the two ponds before heading in the opposite direction toward the Shiva Temple. It looked stunning from the Panch Pokhari stays—it was visible from the hotel itself.
As I stepped out, I noticed a memorial dedicated to Bumba Ruwa Waiba, right in the middle of the Panch Pokhari hotel area. He was the man who discovered Panch Pokhari and also inaugurated the Shiva Temple. His story is fascinating, so let me share it with you.
Waiba was actually a hunter who had come to this area with his dog. While wandering, he stumbled upon Panch Pokhari. As he stood there, mesmerized by its beauty, he noticed something unusual—a group of men farming crops in the snow. Impossible, right?
As he stared in disbelief, their leader noticed him, and in an instant, everything vanished before his eyes. Shocked, he rushed to check the area but found nothing. He pondered for a while and concluded that this had to be Lord Mahadev himself.
Believing it was a divine calling, he decided to build a temple in the area. He removed the bell tied around his dog’s neck and used it to establish the Shiva Temple. This very story is carved into the memorial. Ironically, I didn’t read it when I was there—I only learned about it later from the photos I had taken.
I continued my way to the temple. With the path buried under snow, I had to carve my own way. As I walked, I felt the spiritual significance of the place. The first sight of the trident and prayer flags filled me with anticipation. I hurried toward the temple, and when I finally saw it up close, it was even more beautiful than in pictures.
I prayed for just one thing—that my journey would be successful and that I would return home safely! That was all that mattered to me at the time, and looking back, I’m glad I made that prayer. They say you shouldn’t ask anything from Bholenath, and now that I think about it, I unintentionally followed that belief.
After capturing a few videos, I got to see the source of the Indrawati River, as mentioned on the earlier map board. Unlike the Panch Pokhari ponds, it wasn’t frozen. Surrounded by snow on all sides, a small stream flowed gently through the landscape—a breathtaking sight of natural beauty in this sacred place.
After offering my prayers and taking a final look at the temple, I decided to head back. I had taken plenty of videos, but I didn’t step inside the temple…
According to Hindu tradition, if a close relative passes away, we must observe a mourning period of at least one year. Since my grandfather had passed away this year, I refrained from entering. I simply took blessings from Mahadev.
Maybe on my next trip (which I want to do during monsoon), I’ll be able to experience it fully. Not a vakkal, just me seeking opportunities (and potential sponsors) to create more engaging blogs and videos. I know this journey will take time, but I trust the process, and I believe this will be something special for me and Travel Nepal Today!
As soon as I returned from the Shiva Temple, my plan was to take a round trip of all five ponds. Unfortunately, that couldn’t happen. The snowfall returned, this time accompanied by strong winds and fog. I could barely even see Bhairav Kunda and Saraswati Kunda right in front of me. So, I decided to stay inside, warming myself again.
Lama dai was there but eventually went out to search for the five guys and Sherpa dai, who still hadn’t arrived. Once again, I was left alone, lost in my thoughts. I kept peeking out the window, hoping the weather would clear up so I could go out again. But by the time it did, it was already 6 PM.
Turns out, the guys and Sherpa dai had continued toward the viewpoint, as expected. I just hoped none of them would fall sick at the altitude of 4,300 m. I myself was at 4,100 m, and I knew better than to underestimate the dangers of high-altitude sickness.
I had learned a lot from my first-ever trek to Tsho Rolpa and Dudhkunda, where I received valuable advice from a mountaineer. Even three years later, I still remember his words.
So, I kept myself hydrated and took deep breaths through my nose. I had even chewed cloves on my way to Panch Pokhari. I was careful and had brought Diamox (Zolamide) for altitude sickness, though I never had to take it. I prefer to let my body adjust naturally unless absolutely necessary.
As the darkness was settling in, I decided to finally freshen up and change into dry clothes. My plan was to explore the ponds the next morning after visiting the viewpoint.
Later, I chatted with Lama dai about my travel experiences, Nepal’s politics, and my plans for making travel videos. He was excited about being part of my content but somehow forgot about it the next day.
After dinner, he went off to drink local raksi with his friends and invited me to join. I declined. If I had a few friends with me, I probably would have, but alone at this altitude? Not a good idea. Alcohol usually makes me sick the next day, and I didn’t want to take any risks.
Instead, I spent the night drying my wet clothes and boots by the firewood. The only disappointment? My phone’s battery was draining fast, and Lama dai’s generator was broken, meaning I had to rely on my power bank yet again today. I even placed my phone under my blanket to keep it warm and preserve the battery.
With everything done, I finally went to sleep, determined to wake up early tomorrow and reach the viewpoint before heading back to Chhimti.
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