![Yak caravan leaving saldang](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Yak_caravan_leaving_saldang.jpg)
Dolpo ( bo, དོལ་པོ ) is a high-altitude
culturally Tibetan region in the upper part of the
Dolpa District
Dolpa District ( ne, डोल्पा जिल्ला), is a district, located in Karnali Province of Nepal, It is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal and one of ten district of Karnali. The district, with Dunai as its district he ...
of western
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
, bordered in the north by
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
.
[.] Part of the region lies in
Shey Phoksundo National Park
Shey Phoksundo National Park is the largest and only trans- Himalayan national park in Nepal. It was established in 1984 and covers an area of in the districts of Dolpa and Mugu in the Mid-Western Region, Nepal. The protected area ranges in el ...
. The sparse,
agro-pastoral population, known as Dolpo in standard
Tibetan
Tibetan may mean:
* of, from, or related to Tibet
* Tibetan people, an ethnic group
* Tibetan language:
** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard
** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...
and ''Dhol-wa'' in the local dialect, is connected to the rest of Nepal via
Jufal airport, which can be reached in three days by horse.
[ There are no precise population numbers for the region, with estimates including less than 5,000][ and 18,000][
The Dolpo are generally adherents of ]Bon
''Bon'', also spelled Bön () and also known as Yungdrung Bon (, "eternal Bon"), is a Tibetan religious tradition with many similarities to Tibetan Buddhism and also many unique features.Samuel 2012, pp. 220-221. Bon initially developed in t ...
, a religion whose origins predate Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
but whose modern form is officially accepted as a fifth school of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
. The remote region has preserved its Tibetan culture in relatively pure form, making it attractive to Westerners. Dolpa was the location for the 1999 Oscar-nominated film ''Himalaya
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
'' and more recently for the German documentary Dolpo Tulku
Dolpo ( bo, དོལ་པོ ) is a high-altitude culturally Tibetan region in the upper part of the Dolpa District of western Nepal, bordered in the north by China.. Part of the region lies in Shey Phoksundo National Park. The sparse, ag ...
.
In spite of the near inaccessibility of the region and tourism restrictions for the more remote parts, Dolpa is a popular destination for trekking
Backpacking is the outdoor recreation of carrying gear on one's back, while hiking for more than a day. It is often an extended journey, and may involve camping outdoors. In North America tenting is common, where simple shelters and mountain h ...
tourism.
Geography
Dolpo is geologically part of the sedimentary Tibetan-Tethys zone. It is surrounded by Himalayan mountain chains including the Dhaulagiri
Dhaulagiri is the seventh highest mountain in the world at above sea level, and the highest mountain within the borders of a single country (Nepal). It was first climbed on 13 May 1960 by a Swiss-Austrian-Nepali expedition.
Annapurna I () is ...
(). These cloud barriers cause a semi-arid climate, with reported annual precipitations of less than .[
]
The region is historically divided into four valleys: Tsharka ("good growing-place"), Tarap ("auspicious excellent"), Panzang ("abode of monks"), and Nangkhong ("innermost place").[ They constitute four of the seven village development committees (VDCs) that were created in 1975.][ The valleys south of the watershed drain into the ]Bheri River
The Bheri River is a major tributary of the ''Karnali River'' draining the western Dhaulagiri range in western Nepal. It has three important upper tributaries. Sani Bheri River drains southern slopes of this range while Thuli Bheri River drains ...
. The VDCs in this area are (roughly from east to west):
* Chharka
Chharka is a village development committee in Dolpa District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 552 persons living in 101 individual households.
In the 2001 Nepal census it wa ...
(Tsharka Valley)
* Mukot
Kakot is a village development committee in Dolpa District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statist ...
* Dho
Dho Tarap is a village in located in the Dolpo Buddha Rural Municipality of Dolpa District of Karnali Province (previously Karnali Zone of Mid-Western Development Regionl) of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census
Nepal cond ...
(Tarap Valley)
* Phoksundo
Phoksundo is a village development committee located at the village of Ringmo in the Dolpa District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted ...
.
The northern valleys between the watershed and Tibet drain westward by the ''Langu River'', a tributary of the Karnali River Karnali may refer to:
Places in Nepal
*Karnali Bridge, a bridge over the Karnali River in Nepal
*Karnali Highway, a vital transport link in Nepal
*Karnali Province, a federal province in Nepal
*Karnali River, a river in Nepal and India originatin ...
via the ''Mugu Karnali''. The VDCs in this area are:
* Tinje
Tinje is a village development committee in Dolpa District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statisti ...
(Panzang Valley)
* Saldang
Saldang is a village in Dolpa District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. Saldang lies at an altitude of in the Nankhang Valley, in the historic Tibetan region of Dolpo. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census, Saldang had a population of 1, ...
(Nangkhong Valley)
* Bhijer
Bhijer is a small village which is in the north-west part of Nepal, located in She Phoksundo Rural Municipality ward no.5 in Dolpa district at the altitude of 3800m high from the sea level.
In ancient times, the local name for Bhijer was "Jicher"( ...
.
Dolpo can be roughly divided into four valleys, each of which is represented since 1975 by a village development committee (VDC): Dho
Dho Tarap is a village in located in the Dolpo Buddha Rural Municipality of Dolpa District of Karnali Province (previously Karnali Zone of Mid-Western Development Regionl) of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census
Nepal cond ...
(Tarap Valley), Saldang
Saldang is a village in Dolpa District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. Saldang lies at an altitude of in the Nankhang Valley, in the historic Tibetan region of Dolpo. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census, Saldang had a population of 1, ...
(Nankhong Valley, the most populous[), ]Tinje
Tinje is a village development committee in Dolpa District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statisti ...
(Panzang Valley), and Chharka
Chharka is a village development committee in Dolpa District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 552 persons living in 101 individual households.
In the 2001 Nepal census it wa ...
(Tsharka Valley).[ There are also smaller VDCs at ]Bhijer
Bhijer is a small village which is in the north-west part of Nepal, located in She Phoksundo Rural Municipality ward no.5 in Dolpa district at the altitude of 3800m high from the sea level.
In ancient times, the local name for Bhijer was "Jicher"( ...
, Mukot
Kakot is a village development committee in Dolpa District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statist ...
and Phoksundo
Phoksundo is a village development committee located at the village of Ringmo in the Dolpa District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted ...
.[Discover Dolpa Region - Great Himalayan Trail]
.
Agriculture is possible at heights of (villages of Shimen Panzang Valley and Chharka, respectively) but often requires irrigation.[ Apart from ]barley
Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley pr ...
, crops include buckwheat
Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum''), or common buckwheat, is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. The name "buckwheat" is used for several other species, such as '' Fago ...
, millet
Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most species generally referred to as millets belong to the tribe Paniceae, but some millets al ...
, mustard
Mustard may refer to:
Food and plants
* Mustard (condiment), a paste or sauce made from mustard seeds used as a condiment
* Mustard plant, one of several plants, having seeds that are used for the condiment
** Mustard seed, seeds of the mustard p ...
, wheat
Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
, potatoes
The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae.
Wild potato species can be found from the southern United ...
, radish
The radish (''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'') is an Eating, edible root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman Empire, Roman times.
Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, be ...
es,[ and ]spinach
Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...
. Similar to transhumance in the Alps
Alpine transhumance is transhumance as practiced in the Alps, that is, a seasonal droving of grazing livestock between the valleys in winter and the high mountain pastures in summer (German ' from the term for "seasonal mountain pasture", '). T ...
, the population migrates between villages and high-lying () summer pastures, in a lifestyle referred to as ''samadrok'' (roughly "farming nomads").[
Dolpo makes up the greatest part of the area of the Dolpa District, but the district's population is concentrated in the lower southern parts, where also most of the VDCs are located.
]
Trade
Local products are not sufficient to guarantee survival. The Dolpo traditionally trade salt from Tibet to the lower parts of Nepal, where they maintain ''netsang'' (literally "nesting place") relationships, first described by Kenneth M. Bauer. According to Bauer, each family in Dolpo has netsang partners in most villages of Dolpo District, a network that facilitates travel as well as trade.[ In return for salt, the netsang provide grain and shelter. The netsang partners trade with each other on preferential terms, based on fictitious family relations that may last for several generations. Recent changes such as the easy availability of salt from other regions and the closed border with Tibet have put the netsang system under pressure.][
]
History
Dolpo appears in historical records since c. 8th century. In the time from the 6th century to the 8th century the Tibetan Yarlung dynasty conquered most Tibetan-speaking territories. This seems to have caused a southward migration towards Dolpo and the peripheral areas along the upper Kali Gandaki River
The Gandaki River, also known as the Narayani and the Gandak, is one of the major rivers in Nepal and a left bank tributary of the Ganges in India. Its total catchment area amounts to , most of it in Nepal. In the Nepal Himalayas, it is notabl ...
(Lo and Serib). In 842, Tibet fell apart, and Dolpa fell under the kingdom of Purang. Purang and Dolpa became temporarily part of the kingdom of Guge
Guge (; ) was an ancient dynastic kingdom in Western Tibet. The kingdom was centered in present-day Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region. At various points in history after the 10th century AD, the kingdom held sway over a vast ...
in the 10th century, but soon became separate again when King sKyid lde Nyi ma mgon divided Guge among his three sons.
During the reign of the Ya-rtse king A-sog-lde around 1253 both Dolpo and Serib were lost to the ruler of Gungthang, mGon po lde. The latter then reunited both the Dolpo and Serib and classified them among three provinces of mNga' ris. It is also known from historical documents that Mongolian troops reached Dolpo to conquer this province when they conquered many parts of Tibet and finally handed over the power to the ruler of the Sakya
The ''Sakya'' (, 'pale earth') school is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the others being the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug. It is one of the Red Hat Orders along with the Nyingma and Kagyu.
Origins
Virūpa, 16th century. It depict ...
period.
In the 14th century Dolpo fell under its eastern neighbor the Kingdom of Lo
Upper Mustang (formerly Kingdom of Lo) is an upper part (Northern area) of Mustang District, which is located in Nepal. The ''Upper Mustang'' was a restricted kingdom until 1992 which makes it one of the most preserved regions in the world, with ...
, which controlled the trans-Himalayan trade route through the Kali Gandaki Gorge
The Kali Gandaki Gorge or Andha Galchi is the Canyon, gorge of the Kali Gandaki (or Gandaki River) in the Himalayas in Nepal. By some sources, it may be one of the deepest gorges in the world.
The upper part of the gorge is also called Thak Khol ...
. The Dolpo had to pay tax and travel to Lo Monthang to provide manual labor.[
For some time between the 15th century (1440?) and the 16th century, Dolpo was temporarily independent and ruled by a king from the Ra nag dynasty.
In 1769, the ]Gorkha
The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India.
The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas and are recruit ...
s conquered Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
and established the Kingdom of Nepal
The Kingdom of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल अधिराज्य), also known as the Gorkha Empire ( ne, गोरखा अधिराज्य) or Asal Hindustan ( ne, असल हिन्दुस्तान)(), was a Hindu king ...
, which would soon reach more or less the country's modern extent. In 1789, Nepal swallowed the Lo kingdom and with it Dolpo. The kingdom's attempt to wrest nominal suzerainty over Tibet from China ended in a massive Chinese intervention that left Nepal paying tribute to China.
The region in film
The 1999 French-Nepalese movie Himalaya
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
, which gives insight into the local customs, was the first Nepalese film to be nominated for an Oscar award and also a huge success in Nepal itself, drawing the country's attention to the region. Kenneth M. Bauer notes that the film's authenticity was in large part artificial, as dialogues mixed the standard Tibetan of the professional actors with the villagers' local dialects and all external influences in the region (such as clothes, Maoists and tourists) were hidden. He also describes the impact which the film had on the region as an employer.[
The 2009 documentary ]Dolpo Tulku
Dolpo ( bo, དོལ་པོ ) is a high-altitude culturally Tibetan region in the upper part of the Dolpa District of western Nepal, bordered in the north by China.. Part of the region lies in Shey Phoksundo National Park. The sparse, ag ...
accompanies Sherap Sangpo (born 1981 in the Tarap Valley) on his journey from India back to his home region and his first steps as a Buddhist spiritual leader of the Dolpa. At the age of ten, he had pilgrimaged to India and after meeting the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current Dal ...
had decided to become a monk. In Ka-Nying Monastery in Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
he was soon recognized as the reincarnation of Lama Nyinchung and sent to Namdroling Monastery
The Namdroling Nyingmapa Monastery (or Thegchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargye Ling)(བོད་ཡིག ཐེག་མཆོག་རྣམ་གྲོལ་བཤད་སྒྲུབ་དར་རྒྱས་གླིང་།) ( Wylie: ''theg ...
in Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
. After 16 years in southern India his education was finished, and in 2008 he returned to his home region to take over the responsibilities of his predecessor as a Buddhist spiritual leader of the Dolpa and in particular the monasteries in Dho-Tarap, Namgung and Saldang.
Notable people
* Orgyan Chokyi, hermitess
*Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen
Dölpopa Shérap Gyeltsen () (1292–1361), known simply as Dölpopa, was a Tibetan Buddhist master. Known as "The Buddha from Dölpo," a region in modern Nepal, he was the principal exponent of the shentong teachings, and an influential memb ...
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
People of Dolpo
– a photo blog on the people of Dolpo.
From Rara lake to Phoksumdo: A trek through Dolpo.
Upper Dolpa: High Passes to Magic Places
– travelogue by Carsten Nebel (2008), with link to a gallery.
Upper Dolpo Trek
* – includes several high-quality short videos showing various aspects of Dolpa's culture and landscape.
Himalayan Dolpa Healing Project
Dolpa Society
– Nepal-based organization for the preservation and development of Dolpa.
* {{YouTube, id = 8cdiPr_uh-E, title = Dolpo Tulku Return to the Himalayas – film trailer with impressive views of landscape and religious ceremonies.
Geography of Karnali Province
Dolpa District
Regions of Nepal