Mustang (kingdom)

History

The dwellings troglodytes dug in many cliffs of the country preserve most of their mystery. One counts 29 cities of this type discovered and listed by Michel Peissel in 1964. A recent crumbling (1994) which has occurred in one of them put at the day of the bones and of the potteries which the Nepalese archaeological services go back more 3 000 years. Mustang is one of the greatest prehistoric sites of Asia.

From the historical point of view, it seems that the oldest reference to this kingdom is a written letter by a monk capuchin coming from Bétia in India and going back to 1759. The monk known as to have heard of Mustang, area independent of Lhassa but belonging to the Tibet.

The Râja makes go up its line with 1450 and Ame Stake, the warrior who created the kingdom Bouddhiste.

With Chhuksang, very close to the village, a temple dug in the rock contains ground statues dating, perhaps, of XIIIe century. Without counting a small stone stele which the specialists make go up at the end of Xe or the beginning of XIe century. By its nature, it does not seem to belong to this temple. This stele would indicate with certainty that Buddhism had penetrated these areas moved back well before the foundation of the kingdom of Lo, to the beginning of XVe century.

Geography

Mustang roughly measures 80 kilometers length of north in the south and 45 of kilometers in its greater width for a surface of approximately 1200 km ². Its altitude exceeds the 2500 m and, located behind a mountainous barrier, it is almost safe from the Mousson and largely arid, annual precipitations are in the fork from 250 to 400 millimetres. The riders are protected from the swirls of sand. Indeed, the gusts of wind which are engulfed between the Annapurna and the Dhaulagiri blow daily on Mustang. The complete absence of vegetation quickly transforms them into storms of the desert. Positive consequence of this dryness: in spite of altitude (4 000 meters), it snows little. Mustang is surrounded by the Nepalese provinces of Dolpo and Manan and borders Tibet to which it is connected by four collars all to more than 4.000 m: Kore (4 480 m), Phuphu (4 270 m), Sharba (4 420 m) and Chak (4 100 m).

The river Kâlî Gandhakî takes its source on the territory of Mustang at an altitude of 5.000 m and its valley develops to with it, dividing its territory in the direction of the North-East towards south-west and running out towards the Terai Nepalese. This valley was formerly trade route between the India and the Tibet, in particular for the salt. Part of the valley of Kâlî Gandhakî, the Thak Khola, is the deepest throat in the world.

For a kingdom of less than ten thousand inhabitants, to cross five centuries of history by safeguarding its autonomy is a true exploit. It must much with the geography. In the south, Nepal side, two access roads of which the vertiginous throat which separates Dhaulagiri (8 172 m) and Annapurna (8 078 m). In north, towards Tibet, the collar low is with 4 270 meters, in two months of walk of Lhassa. In the east and the west, the chains mountainous prohibit any passage… Today, the kingdom is protected by the Nepalese authorities on which it depends. They left to the king (Gyalpo) the majority of his prerogatives and preserve its country of the tourist invasion.

Tourism

A tax imposed by the Nepalese authorities requires to discharge an amount of 70 dollars per day and anybody to visit the area.

This tax founded in the Années 1990 would have, for at least 60%, to be used for the development of the area. In the best years, the Lowa S received just 10% of the taken amounts.

Population

The population Tibetan (or thakali ) rises with some 9.000 inhabitants called Lo-Ba and divided between the three smaller “cities” and thirty villages. The major part of the population lives on banks of the Kâlî Gandhakî, between 2.000 and 3.000 m of altitude, but, because of the rigorous climatic conditions, it operate an important seasonal migration towards the lower areas of Nepal.

Economy

The capital is Lo Mantang, it shelters some 1.000 inhabitants. The administrative center where 5.363 inhabitants live, is with Jomosom.

Transport

Jomosom is equipped with an airport since 1962, which makes of it the principal tourist center of Mustang, since the area was opened the abroads in the Années 1970.

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