Dhorpatan (Baglung), 2 March: The Patihalne area has been bustling since Saturday morning. Tourists have flocked to Patihalne to see the snow-covered forests, roads and bare hills and to play in the snow. The Patihalne area, which borders Baglung, Rolpa and East Rukum, has recently become a center of attraction for domestic tourists.
Domestic tourists have come from Baglung, Purvi Rukum, Rolpa, Jajarkot, Gulmi, Pyuthan and Butwal to play in the snow. Tourists had climbed Patihalne after it started snowing since Friday morning. Local Tham Bahadur Gharti said that around 1,200 tourists reached Patihalne, which is at an altitude of 3,100 meters above sea level, on Friday and Saturday to play in the snow. He said that large vehicles could not ply due to the heavy snowfall.
Gharti said that tourists have come to visit on motorcycles and jeeps. He informed that tourists who have reached Patihalne have reached Rigtal. Patihalne, which has received snowfall for the second time this year, has accumulated about one and a half feet of snow.
He said, “There has been a long drought, and when the snow falls at the beginning of summer, hundreds of domestic tourists have come here from far away to play in the snow. The snow will not melt for another four to five days. The pressure will remain the same until the snow melts. Tourists from all three districts are having a great time in Patihalne at this time.”
Due to heavy snowfall, tourists who have reached Patihalne have not been able to reach Tilachan Lake. The Tilachan Lake area, which can be reached in about half an hour by foot, has also been covered in snow. Bikash Chhetri, who went to visit Patihalne from Galkot, said that the snow-covered area looks very picturesque. He said that he had visited the area with his friend during the rainy season before this and that he had gone to play in the snow in a group of seven people on Saturday.
“Earlier, I thought the borders of Baglung, East Rukum and Rolpa would be very far, but it is close. You can reach here in two hours. It was very exciting to see the snow-covered mountains and the upper hills covered in snow,” he said. “We went on motorcycles, but there are problems with motorcycles slipping in the snow. Hundreds of people have come to play in the snow in one day.”
Patihalne, a national pride project that was unknown until a decade ago, is in the news after it was connected by the Mid-Hill Highway. Recently, settlements have started to be built in this area located in the high hills, and domestic tourists from different parts of the country have been visiting. Patihalne is located about 135 kilometers west of the district headquarters, Baglung Bazaar.
