The Himalayan Quiz

Hippie at Heart

I am starting this thread on a subject pretty close to my heart and hope to share with like minded IMers few things about Himalaya. Starting with very basic questions we may move onto little specifics and region based questions in due time. There is no stress to get the answer right but to bring the IMers nearer Himalaya. I will post the correct answer in due time if anyone cares to look back in but I plead to be excused from debating over the 'correctness' of my answer since many times I will be relying upon other sources. So lets get rolling on this:-

1) What is the meaning of the word 'Himalaya' ?
2) Why is the English usage of 'the Himalayas' wrong ?
3) What is the approximate length of the Himalayan range ?

crvlvr

1) Himalaya means "abode of snow" in Sanskrit ( from hima "snow", and aalaya "abode"
2)The correct name for the range is Himalaya, though the plural Himalayas is often used.
3) 2,414km/1,500mi

All of the above answers were found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalaya

Hippie at Heart

crvlrv you got it correct.
4) Name the peak that marks the easternmost limit.
5) Name the peak that marks the westernmost limit.

crvlvr

Nanga Parbat in the west to Namche Barwa in the east

Hippie at Heart

6) Name the two rivers that demarcate the length of the Himalaya.
7) Where do they rise?
8) Which is the larger of the two?
9) What are their names in the higher reaches in Tibet?

torryquine

6) The Brahmaputra to the north and the Ganges to the south. Both reach the sea at the Bay of Bengal
7) They both form near Mt Kailash.
8) I'm guessing that the Brahmaputra is longer.
9) I would have to look this one up, but don't they both change name at various stages along their routes?

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SeentheLight

Name the deepest gorge, not only in the Himalayas, but the world!

Which mountain ranges does it cut through?

AvidTrekker

Is it the Tsangpo gorge?

See this link abt Ian Baker's discovery of the hidden waterfall in the deepest gorge.....

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babuchand

sorry torryquine, its right that bhramhaputra demarcates the eastern end of himalaya just east of namche barwa... (arunachal-India)but to the north western side its the sindhu (indus) river, flowing north west of nanga parvat (in POK), that marks the end of himalaya.

those to rivers are pre-himalayan rivers, originating from high plateu of tibet near manas sarovar. on contrary, ganga has its source in himalaya from a 23km long (now receeded to some extent may be 2--3 km) Gangotri glacier. it is feeded by some other small glaciers.

and the name of bhramhaputra in tibet is SANGPO...right???
forgot the name of sindhu there.....

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babuchand

is it grand canyon in the river colorado in US???

vistet

Indus is Sengge (Lion) River in Tibetan/Ladakhi.

The tourist brochure answer to the worlds deepest gorge is Kali Gandaki ; river bottom at 3500 , flanked by the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri at 8000+. But the pictures of the Tsangpo gorge seems at least more poetically true. (and I would agree on the Tsangpo spelling, to distinguish between Tsang and sang )

SeentheLight

Yes, Vistet! It's the Kali Gandaki Gorge which separates two of the world's largest mountain massifs - Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, each of which has a main peak of over 26,000ft. The distance between them is 22 miles, and the bed of the river at its central point lies at 18,500ft below.

Quote: "The word gorge needs some qualification: it suggests a narrow slit cut by a river between vertical rock walls. The Kali Gandaki certainly has its dramatic passages, but much of its uper course, carved by glaciers in the remote past, is a mile wide and its banks, though sometimes extremely precipitous, are more often gently inclined. No road runs along it, but there is a path that can be followed from village to village by men and pack-animals, and it has been known for centuries to pilgrims (going to Muktinath), traders and migrant families as one of the easiest breaches of the Himalayan chain."

I've walked from Jomosom to Kagbeni then up to Muktinath and I'll be going back in Spring 06 to walk up to Lo Manthang, Upper Mustang. Can't wait

SeentheLight

Forgot to say, I'll now be buying Ian Baker's The Heart of the World - great to know about it.

vistet

Hence my hesitation ; but gradual inclines or not , it is still one oof the most dramatic settings you can find. I did the Annapurna Circuit in another century, would love to do the Lo Manthang route.

I spoke with a Nepali guide on the first leg Kathmandu-Lhasa a month ago , he mentioned roadworks along the Kali Gandaki, but I don`t remember how far he said it had progressed.

SeentheLight

Vistet, I know about the roadworks. This is why I feel I must go up there as soon as possible before it becomes intolerable. I have been told that the road construction isnt everywhere yet so we'll be able to get away from the sight of it. If I leave the trek any longer then it won't be worth doing!
I also know that a road or track has been constructed though tibet to Lo Manthang itself. Trucks along this route have caused some of the city walls to collapse. So quick quick, we must go there...

We (2 of us plus guide/porters) plan to start our trek in april in time to arrive at Lo Manthang for the Man Rimi (?) Buddhist festival, not sure of date since it depends on the full moon.
Perhaps you'd like to join us?
cheers,