Where Beauty Meets Danger - The Changing Face of Our Mountains

Looking at Langtang Lirung

Whenever I travel, especially to the mountains, I feel like I have reached the root of life. The clean air, cool breeze, flowing water, and peaceful surroundings give a deep sense of calm and energy.

But this time, something felt different.

As I stood there looking at the beautiful mountains, I also saw deep scars from landslides, melting snow, and dried patches where there used to be glaciers. Behind the beauty, there was danger. I couldn’t help but think, are we heading towards another GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood)? Are these signs of what’s coming?

I am not writing this blog with facts or data. This is about what I felt. A mix of peace and fear. Joy and concern. As someone who works in the development field, I have seen how climate change is quietly but strongly affecting our mountains.

These mountains are more than just pretty sights. They are lifelines for the people who live there and for all of us. They give us fresh water, herbs, food, and clean air and are home to tourism and local products. They used to be our pride, symbols of our nation. But now, slowly, they are becoming symbols of danger.

Still, the mountains are not our enemies. 

The problem is how we act. When nature gives and we take, everything feels fine. But when nature reacts to our actions through floods, landslides, or melting glaciers, we call it a problem. But nature is only responding to us.

We must stop blaming the mountains and start respecting them. Not just in words, but in how we live and act. The time to act is now, not for the next generation, not for “next time.”

If we don’t, all this beauty might one day just be a memory, photos, videos, and stories of what once was.

Langtang Lirung Glacier Lake

Thank you for taking the time to read those lines. 

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