![Bundesarchiv Bild 135-S-10-04-32, Tibetexpedition, Karawane vor Chomolhari](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Bundesarchiv_Bild_135-S-10-04-32%2C_Tibetexpedition%2C_Karawane_vor_Chomolhari.jpg)
Lhasa Newar (alternate name: Lhasa Newah) () refers to the expatriate
Newar
Newar (; new, नेवार, endonym: Newa; new, नेवा, Pracalit script:) or Nepami, are the historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas in Nepal and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisatio ...
traders and artisans who traveled between the
Kathmandu Valley
The Kathmandu Valley ( ne, काठमाडौं उपत्यका; also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley ( ne, नेपाः उपत्यका, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः)), ...
and
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
from centuries ago. These
Nepalese merchants conducted trade between
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 ...
, Tibet and
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
over the
Silk Road
The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...
, and acted as a bridge for economic and cultural exchanges between
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
and
Central Asia
Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
.
Along with the merchants, there were colonies of artisans in various parts of Tibet who were engaged in creating
Buddhist
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 ...
art. They were major players in the exchange of art styles across the
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 ...
.
The thousand-year-old Lhasa Newar tradition came to an end after the caravan route linking India and Tibet through
Sikkim
Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siligur ...
was shut down by the
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War took place between China and India from October to November 1962, as a major flare-up of the Sino-Indian border dispute. There had been a series of violent border skirmishes between the two countries after the 1959 Tib ...
in 1962. Subsequently, the merchants and craftsmen based in Tibet closed up shop and returned home to Nepal for the last time.
History
According to folklore,
Singha Sartha Aju was the first merchant to travel to Tibet. The history of the Lhasa Newars officially dates from the seventh century with the marriage of Nepalese Princess
Bhrikuti
Princess Bhrikuti Devi ( sa, भृकुटी, known to Tibetans as Bal-mo-bza' Khri-btsun, Bhelsa Tritsun (Nepal ), or simply, Khri bTsun ()) of Licchavi is traditionally considered to have been the first wife and queen of the earliest emperor ...
with Tibetan King
Songtsän Gampo
Songtsen Gampo (; 569–649? 650), also Songzan Ganbu (), was the 33rd Tibetan king and founder of the Tibetan Empire, and is traditionally credited with the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet, influenced by his Nepali consort Bhrikuti, of Nepa ...
. The traders and artisans who accompanied Bhrikuti to Lhasa as part of her retinue established commercial and cultural ties between Nepal and Tibet.
In the 1640s, a treaty was negotiated under which Newar merchants were allowed to establish 32 business houses in Lhasa. It was also agreed that Nepal would mint coins for Tibet. By this time, the number of traders had risen considerably. Eighteenth-century traveller
Ippolito Desideri
Ippolito Desideri or Hippolyte Desideri (21 December 1684 – 14 April 1733) was an Italian Jesuit missionary and traveller and the most famous of the early European missionaries to visit Tibet. He was the first documented European ethnic groups ...
noted that merchants of Nepal were "numerous" in Lhasá.
The Newars were also organized into "pala" () societies which arranged the celebration of festivals and provided a place for get-togethers. The merchants celebrated
Mohani
Mohani or Mohni (Nepal Bhasa: ) is one of the most important festivals among the Newars which involves a packed itinerary of religious services, pilgrimages, family gatherings and outdoor celebrations lasting several days. Special dinners kno ...
and other feasts like they did in Kathmandu. There were 10 "palas" originally in Lhasa, and seven remained active until recent times—Chyatangya, Chhusingsyar, Ghorasyar, Jhwala, Lhakam, Kun and Tarunsyar. The Newars in Shigatse and other places in Tibet had their own "palas". Returning merchants and craftsmen were called "Lhasa Newars". Most of them were Buddhist Newars like the
Uray
Uray (russian: Ура́й; Mansi: Урай) a town in Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug, located on the Konda River from Khanty-Mansiysk. Population:
History
It was founded as a settlement for oil field workers. It was granted town status in 1 ...
,
Bajracharya,
Shakya
Shakya (Pali, Pāḷi: ; sa, शाक्य, translit=Śākya) was an ancient eastern Sub-Himalayan Range, sub-Himalayan ethnicity and clan of north-eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, whose existence is attested during the Iron Age i ...
and Dhakhwa. There were also many
Shrestha
Śrēṣṭha ( new, श्रेष्ठ) is a Nepalese surname meaning "noble” or "great” in Sanskrit. Shrestha is one of the eponym surnames used by those belonging to the caste of Shresthas who prior to the unification of modern Nepal for ...
s and
Maharjan
Maharjan ( ne, महर्जन), is one of the Hindu Buddhist Newar castes or groups of Nepal, predominantly from Patan, Kirtipur, Bhaktapur and Kathmandu in Kathmandu Valley.. They are a major subgroup of the Jyapu ज्यापू: communit ...
s among them.
Trade
![Ghorashar letterhead 1958](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Ghorashar_letterhead_1958.jpg)
Newar traders exported finished products from Nepal and India to Tibet and brought back goods from Tibet and other parts of
Central Asia
Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
. Metal utensils, sacred statues and rice from Nepal, and textiles and other factory products from India were the main exports to Tibet. The Lhasa Newars brought back gold dust, wool, musk pods, pelts and yak tails which were forwarded to Kolkata. The older generation in the village of
Sankhu
Sankhu (साखु) (alternative name: Sakwa (Nepal Bhasa: सक्व)) is the ancient Newar town located in the north-eastern corner of Kathmandu Valley which is about 17 km from the city center of Kathmandu. Sankhu was formerly divi ...
also regularly play
Mahjong
Mahjong or mah-jongg (English pronunciation: ) is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century. It is commonly played by four players (with some three-play ...
brought from Tibet.
Mule, donkey and yak caravans transported the trade goods over the Himalaya and across the Tibetan Plateau. In Nepal, porters carried the loads over the mountains on their backs.
The trade route connecting India and Tibet goes over the Himalaya. The Lhasa Newars used the
Gyirong (Kyirong,
Nepali: , ) and ''Kuti'' (
Nepali: ) (
Nyalam Tong La
Nyalam Tong La or Yakrushong La is a mountain pass in China on the ''Matsung Tsangpo''-''Phung Chhu'' watershed divide where the Friendship Highway connecting Kathmandu, Nepal and Lhasa, Tibet crosses at elevation.
Originally called Yakrushong L ...
) passes to the north of Kathmandu to travel to Lhasa. From the 1930s, a new caravan route over the lower
Nathu La
Nathu La
(, ) is a mountain pass in the Dongkya Range of the Himalayas between China's Yadong County in Tibet, and the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal in Bengal, South Asia. The pass, at , connects the towns of Kalimpong and Gangtok to ...
and
Jelep La
Jelep La (; ) elevation , is a high mountain pass between Sikkim, India and Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It is on a route that connects Lhasa to India. The pass is about south of Nathu La and is slightly higher. It was frequently used for ...
passes on the border between Sikkim and Tibet became more popular. These passes were approached through
Gangtok
Gangtok is a city, municipality, the capital and the largest populated place of the Indian state of Sikkim. It is also the headquarters of the East Sikkim district, Gangtok District. Gangtok is in the eastern Himalayas, Himalayan range, at an e ...
in Sikkim and
Kalimpong
Kalimpong (Hindi: कलिम्पोंग) is a town and the headquarters of an eponymous district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located at an average elevation of . The town is the headquarters of the Kalimpong district. The re ...
in
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
, India.
The Lhasa Newars lived in
Lhasa
Lhasa (; Lhasa dialect: ; bo, text=ལྷ་ས, translation=Place of Gods) is the urban center of the prefecture-level city, prefecture-level Lhasa (prefecture-level city), Lhasa City and the administrative capital of Tibet Autonomous Regio ...
,
Shigatse
Shigatse, officially known as Xigazê (; Nepali: ''सिगात्से''), is a prefecture-level city of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Its area of jurisdiction, with an area of , corresponds to the histor ...
and
Gyantse
Gyantse, officially Gyangzê Town (also spelled Gyangtse; ; ), is a town located in Gyantse County, Shigatse Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It was historically considered the third largest and most prominent town in the Tibet region ( ...
in Tibet and in
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
and Kalimpong in India for years at a time. Lhasa, as a center on the Silk Road, attracted merchant caravans from across Central Asia with whom the Lhasa Newars engaged in trade. A few business houses also maintained shops in
Leh
Leh () ( lbj, ) is the joint capital and largest city of Ladakh, a union territory of India. Leh, located in the Leh district, was also the historical capital of the Kingdom of Ladakh, the seat of which was in the Leh Palace, the former res ...
,
Ladakh
Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...
which lies on the caravan route to
Kashgar
Kashgar ( ug, قەشقەر, Qeshqer) or Kashi ( zh, c=喀什) is an oasis city in the Tarim Basin region of Southern Xinjiang. It is one of the westernmost cities of China, near the border with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan ...
in Chinese Central Asia. Kolkata was a center of wholesale trade.
Art
![Kumbum eyes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Kumbum_eyes.jpg)
Lhasa Newar artisans created statues, painted
paubha
A paubhā (Devanagari: पौभा) is a traditional religious painting made by the Newar people of Nepal. Paubhas depict deities, mandalas or monuments, and are used to help the practitioners in meditation. The Tibetan equivalent is known as ...
s and frescoes and built temples in Tibet and other parts of Central Asia, and were instrumental in the spread and development of Buddhist art throughout the region. The
Jokhang
The Jokhang (, ), also known as the Qoikang Monastery, Jokang, Jokhang Temple, Jokhang Monastery and Zuglagkang ( or Tsuklakang), is a Buddhist temple in Barkhor Square in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Tibetans, in ...
Temple in Lhasa and the
Kumbum
A Kumbum ( "one hundred thousand holy images") is a multi-storied aggregate of Buddhist chapels in Tibetan Buddhism. The most famous Kumbum forms part of Palcho Monastery.
The first Kumbum was founded in the fire sheep year 1427 by a Gyantse p ...
Stupa in Gyantse are examples of their artistic legacy in Tibet. The White Dagoba in
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
,
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 ...
, built by
Arniko in the 13th century, is another specimen of the artistry of the Lhasa Newars.
Newar artists were the most sought after among the foreign artists living in Tibet. French missionary traveller
Évariste Régis Huc
Évariste Régis Huc, C.M., also known as the Abbé Huc (1813–1860), was a French Catholic priest, Lazarite missionary, and traveller. He became famous for his accounts of Qing-era China, Mongolia (then known as "Tartary"), and especially ...
has written that it is they who construct for the Buddhist temples those fine roofs of gilt plates, which resist all the inclemencies of the seasons and always retain a marvellous freshness and glitter. They are so skilful at this class of work that they are sent to the very interior of Tartary to decorate the Lamaseries.
Newar artists gained importance after the destruction of Indian Buddhism in 1203 as they were the only remaining experts in traditional Buddhist art. Tibetan artists thus turned to them for inspiration and learned the Newar style, or Beri as it is now known. The style prevailed for more than four centuries, and reached its peak from 1360 to 1460 when it was adopted as Tibet's universal painting style.
The period from the 14th to the 16th centuries is considered a golden age of Nepalese art. During this time, Newar artists travelled widely and left their mark on the artistic styles of Tibet, Bhutan,
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 ...
and Mongolia.
In popular culture
Lhasa Newars have been the subject of ballads, epic poetry and novels in
Nepal Bhasa
Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan languages, Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surro ...
and other languages, mostly on the theme of loneliness and couples forced to endure long periods of separation.
* The best known epic is
Ji Waya La Lachhi Maduni ("It hasn't been a month since I came"), written in the late 18th century, about a trader who leaves for Tibet despite the pleas of his newly wedded wife. One day, a false message arrives that he has died in Tibet, and the wife burns herself on the funeral pyre in grief. Years later, the husband returns. Upon being told of her death, he goes away and becomes an ascetic. This poem was the source of "
Muna Madan
''Muna Madan'' ( ne, मुनामदन) is a 1936 Nepali-language episodic love poem written by Laxmi Prasad Devkota. It is about Madan, newly married to Muna, who leaves for Lhasa in Tibet to make his fortune, despite protests from his wife ...
", a short epic story in the
Nepali language
Nepali (; , ) is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Himalayas region of South Asia. It is the official, and most widely spoken, language of Nepal, where it also serves as a '' lingua franca''. Nepali has official status in the Indian st ...
composed by
Laxmi Prasad Devkota
Laxmi Prasad Devkota ( ne, लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटा) (1909-1959) was a Nepali poet, playwright, and novelist. Honored with the title of Mahakabi ( ne, माहाकवि) in Nepali literature, he was kno ...
in 1936.
* In the song "My beloved has gone abroad", a wife longs for her husband who has gone to Tibet on business. One day, she is elated to receive a message from Tibet, however, the message contains news of his death.
* Another song, "Oh husband, how shall I live" was written towards the end of the 19th century. In this song, a woman expresses her sadness as her husband leaves for Tibet soon after their marriage.
* ''Bhrikuti'', a novel by
Dharma Ratna Yami
Dharma Ratna Tuladhar, popularly known as Dharma Ratna Yami ( ne, धर्मरत्न यमी) was a Nepalese government deputy minister, activist and Newa language writer
While serving eighteen years jail term, he changed his surname fr ...
, was awarded the Shrestha Sirapa in 1959. Another novel ''Ang Lhamo'' recounts the saga of a Tibetan girl amid a backdrop of the Chinese entry into Tibet. The first edition, published in 1970 by Pasa Muna, was banned by the Nepalese government. A second edition appeared in 1992, published by Paleswan Pithana, Kathmandu.
* ''Mimmanahpau'' ("Unburnt Letter") by
Chittadhar Hridaya is a novel in the form of a letter from a merchant in Lhasa to his wife in Kathmandu. The husband misses home so much that he regrets the life of a trader. Published in 1968, the novel has been translated into English by
Kesar Lall.
* In the novel ''The Oriental Casebook of
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
'', the famed detective befriends Gorashar, a Newar merchant in Lhasa, and travels with him to Kathmandu during the course of his journeys in Asia to unravel varied mysteries.
[Riccardi, Ted (2003). ''The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes.'' Random House. .]
Gallery
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 135-KA-06-085, Tibetexpedition, Marktplatz in Lhasa.jpg, Barkhor market in Lhasa, 1938.
File:Nepalese Chamber1943.jpg, Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa, 1947.
File:Kmt and krt on bsa.jpg, Merchants on a BSA Bantam in Lhasa, 1952.
File:Lhasa newar merchants.jpg, Newar traders in Tibetan and Western wear, 1945.
File:Sarbagya man tuladhar.jpg, Trader wearing a
Mauser
Mauser, originally Königlich Württembergische Gewehrfabrik ("Royal Württemberg Rifle Factory"), was a German arms manufacturer. Their line of bolt-action rifles and semi-automatic pistols has been produced since the 1870s for the German arme ...
pistol, Lhasa, 1946.
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 135-S-12-35-20, Tibetexpedition, Lhasa, Markt.jpg, A Lhasa Newar (far left) on the Barkhor, 1938.
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 135-S-18-10-26, Tibetexpedition, Gyantse, Chörten.jpg, Kumbum Stupa (left) in Gyantse, 1938.
File:Miaoyingsi baita.jpg, Miaoying Temple
The Miaoying Temple (), also known as the "White Stupa Temple" (), is a Chinese Buddhist temple on the north side of Fuchengmennei Street in the Xicheng District of Beijing. The temple was a monastery of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and is ...
in
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
, China, 13th century.
File:Newar caravan in tibet.jpg, Mule caravan of Newar merchants, 1943.
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 135-BB-082-12, Tibetexpedition, Floß bei Chagsam.jpg, Yak hide boat on the Yarlung Tsangpo, 1938.
File:Nepalese mohar 816.jpg, Nepalese coin of Bhupatindra Malla, 1696.
File:Tibet-6048 - Largest Sitting Maitreya Buddha.jpg, Maitreya Buddha at
Tashilhunpo Monastery
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery (), founded in 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama, is the traditional
monastic seat of the Panchen Lama, and an historically and culturally important monastery in Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet.
The monastery was sa ...
.
See also
*
Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa
The Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa opened in 1943, the first ever organization of businesses formed by Nepalese traders based in the Tibetan capital. The Newar merchants conducted trade between Lhasa and Kolkata transporting goods over the H ...
*
Newa people
Newar (; new, नेवार, endonym: Newa; new, नेवा, Pracalit script:) or Nepami, are the historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas in Nepal and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation ...
*
Singha Sartha Aju (legendary trader)
*
Uray (caste group)
Urāy ( ne, उरे) (alternative names: Udaaya, Udās) is a Newar Buddhist merchant caste of Kathmandu in Nepal. They are a prominent community in the business and cultural life of Kathmandu. Urays have played key roles in the development o ...
References
Further reading
* Hilker, DS Kansakar (2005), ''Syamukapu: The Lhasa Newars of Kalimpong and Kathmandu'', Kathmandu: Vajra Publications. .
* Lall, Kesar (2007), ''The Newar Merchants of Lhasa'', Kathmandu: Ratna Pustak Bhandar. .
* Tuladhar, Kamal Ratna (second edition 2011), ''
Caravan to Lhasa: A Merchant of Kathmandu in Traditional Tibet'', Kathmandu: Lijala and Tisa. .
{{Trade route 2
Buddhist culture
Himalayas
History of international trade
Lhasa
Nepalese merchants
Newar
Silk Road
History of Tibet
Trade routes