Nepal Keywords:, Mustang, thakali, tibetans, nyingmapa
N. A. LISTOPADOV
Doctor of Historical Sciences
In the north-central part of Nepal, on the border with Tibet, is the Mustang region, inhabited mainly by Tibetans. Mustang has long been considered an autonomous principality with its own ruler-the Raja. The dramatic events in Nepal that led to the abolition of the monarchy and the proclamation of a republic in May 2008 also affected the lost Mustang behind the Himalayas. The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal abolished the title of raja, which was held by the nominal rulers of Mustang. The Mustang rajah is now a simple citizen of the fledgling Himalayan republic. Nevertheless, as far as is known, he retained a palace in the settlement of Lomontang (Lo Montang), hidden behind the Himalayan ridge.
Lomontang is located in inner Mustang, closer to Tibet. In the 60s - first half of the 70s of the last century, the area was restless. Armed detachments of Tibetans who opposed the Chinese authorities were based here. Now Lomontang is an open-air museum. To get there, you need a special permit, for which you have to pay a decent amount. Yes, and such a journey can take a lot of time. Unfortunately, I didn't get to Lomontang, but I did visit Mustang, which left an unforgettable impression.
ENTERPRISING THAKALI
Since the 70s of the last century, the remote, sparsely populated Mustang has been calm. The area, one of the few in Nepal, has not even been affected by the armed Maoist insurgency that has rocked the Himalayan state for more than a decade. Getting to the Mustang is not easy. You can, of course, make a multi-day trek through the mountains. Unfortunately, I didn't have that much time. I had to take a plane. First, a half-hour flight from the capital Kathmandu to the resort town of Pokhara, located in a narrow valley on the shore of the beautiful Phewa Lake.
Pokhara is framed by snowy peaks that are reflected on the lake surface. Especially impressiv ...
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