“When the horizon blurs, what remains of Pokhara?”
Pokhara is fading
Pokhara is considered as a city of escape.
A place where thousands of travelers come for clear views, calm water, and the panorama view of the mountain range from the city.
However, the reality of Pokhara I experienced slightly changed my perspective on this image. Boating on Phewa Lake, I could see the horizon of the lake merging with the muted shade of grey sky making it difficult to notice where one ends and the other begins. Mountain ranges like Annapurna and Machhapuchhre that are usually visible during clear days were absent, hiding behind the soft haze of air pollution. This was not just a result of seasonal weather or cloudy sky.
The presence of air pollutants in that atmosphere resulted in water, sky, and mountains slowly blending into one continuous haze.
There I realised that pollution was not just affecting the air I was breathing, but also threatening the natural beauty I had come to witness. The question remains: Would Pokhara still feel like a tourist’s paradise if the landscapes continue to fade behind the layers of air pollution?
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