 |
 |
Mustang - page 4 |
 |
| Tsarang gateway stupa |
North of Kagbeni lies the restricted area of upper Mustang. To trek
here, you need to travel with an organised trekking group and to have
purchased the permit in Kathmandu. More often than not, you will be
accompanied by a Special Forces Police Officer since the area is still
deemed to be politically sensitive. For those trekkers who do go, all
these careful preparations only serve to make the trip even more of
an adventure. North of Kagbeni lies the restricted area of upper Mustang.
To trek here, you need to travel with an organised trekking group and
to have purchased the permit in Kathmandu. More often than not, you
will be accompanied by a Special Forces Police Officer since the area
is still deemed to be politically sensitive. For those trekkers who
do go, all these careful preparations only serve to make the trip even
more of an adventure.
The best way to travel to Lo Monthang is by horse. The local breed
is hardy and well acclimatised to the altitude, and being the only form
of transport other than feet in the whole region, is the subject of
much admiration and pride. The royal family of Mustang own some of the
best horses: the crown prince himself has a trekking agency based in
Kathmandu, known as Royal Mustang Excursions, and fortunate trekkers
get to ride on these choice steeds. |
 |
| Tsarang |
En route to the magnificent walled capital of Lo Monthang, there
are many other wonders in store for those who venture into side valleys.
One of the most breathtaking is the Luri cave temple, cut into the rock
as the name implies. The approach is steep and rocky, but well worth
the extra day hike. Every one of the villages along the main trail is
beautiful and different. Gompas, stupas and other sacred sites abound
in settlements such as Tangbe, Samar and Tsarang, but this spiritual
voyage is only complete once you have seen the three temples in Lo Monthang
itself. The 50ft tall image of “The Coming Buddha”, or Maitreya
in Sanskrit, dominates the Jampa gompa and is one of the largest statues
of its kind in Nepal. |
 |
| Trail to Monthang |
The rulers of Mustang have always been patrons of the Buddhist faith,
and in about 1425, the first great king of Lo, Amepal, founded the city
and commissioned a 108-volume of the Buddhist scriptures in gold and
silver as well as the painting of the gompa’s walls. The frescoes
can still be seen today whilst the only remaining gold and silver book
is now in the king’s private chapel. In the great halls of Thubchen
gompa, the pillars are well over 30ft high and the bright murals that
still adorn the walls are currently being restored by artists and experts
both from Nepal and the West. |
 |
| Monthang |
| |
In short, Mustang continues to be a place of deep spirituality and
fascination. Beautifully illustrated coffee table books with panoramic
photos abound, with such titles as Mustang—the Forbidden Kingdom;
East of Lo Monthang; Mustang - A Lost Tibetan Kingdom and Himalayan
Pilgrimage, each of them extolling the virtues of the area. If you are
interested in Buddhist art and culture and want to walk through Himalayan
history, Mustang remains the perfect destination. With the Tibetan plateau
in your sights and the wind in you hair, it is the trek of a lifetime.
||
|
|
| |
| |
| |
