The YETI: A Mythical Creature?

The Yeti, the mystical creature sometimes referred to as the Abominable snowman in western countries, is said to have a body like an Ape, hair as long as that of a yak, roars like a lion and as powerful as Hercules, that lurks in the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet and haunts the locals in dreams if not in reality. The locals believe that it descends to the valleys at night to look for an easy meal. There has been numerous claims of its sightings, sound of it growling and sometimes blame the Yeti for the disappearance of their livestock.



According to the Tibetan and Hindu scripts, there are three species: the Raksi-Bombo (1.5m), the Rimi (some 2.5 m) and the Nyalmot (4.5 m). Although they differ in size but these species resemble each other. It is yet to be confirmed, but most believers deem its hair color to be light brown or reddish. It is rumored that it is fond of alcohols and carries with it an aura of horrible smells which was how the trekkers felt its presence at night camps.

In early 1950s, Sir Edmund Hillary funded an expedition set out to find the Yeti to cement his claims that he had seen footprints of a Yeti on his previous expedition along with his guide Tenzing Norgay Sherpa. As the entire Yeti hunt expeditions before him, his mission too was unsuccessful. But during his expedition, he came across a 300 years old artifact which was believed (at least by the monks of the Khumjung Gumba where is it kept as a Relic) to be the upper half of the skull of a Yeti. Unfortunately, after vigorous analysis the scientists came to a conclusion that it belonged to a Serow (mountain goat) which lives in Eastern Asia.

In 1951, footprints were discovered by an expedition on the Menlung Glacier in Nepal, at an altitude of 6000 meters. The photographs they took clearly showed that the imprints were 5 toed foot with the size of 33 cm by 45 cm. The heels were flat and broad, unlike humans or any animal. There were no doubts about the uniqueness of the footprints but the authenticity of the photographs was suspicious. The recent Japanese expedition in 2006 led by Yoshiteru Takahashi, has brought back photographs of similar footprints which he alleges to be of a species not known till date.

Some argues that the Yeti is a descendant of giant apes called the ‘gigantophitecus’. They came to Himalayas around 500.000 years ago. Another theory states that the Yetis are descendant of an ancient people called the ‘A-o-re’ that took refuse in the mountain in order to hide from their enemies. Due to the climate and vegetation, they changed to creature like what we now call Yeti.

No matter what skeptics say or what the outcome of these types of Expeditions may be, it is very hard to decimate the very idea of Yeti which is embedded in the cultures, religions and the way of life in these parts of the world. No scientist, no non-believers could stop the government of Nepal on declaring in 1961, the Yeti to be existent. Mothers around these regions still scare their children before tucking them to bed, saying, “Sleep or the Yeti will come”.