Upper Mustang is the land of Chhoser Cave, an 800 BC cave, rather than the Trans-Himalayan area and old Tibetan traditional culture and heritage.
Chhoser is a village development committee in the Mustang District in northern Nepal's Dhawalagiri Zone.
Upper Mustang
The walled city of Lo Manthang, also known as Shangri-La, is located in Upper Mustang. The former kingdom of Lo is another name for it. Upper Mustang was prohibited until 1992, making it the world's most remote and preserved territory, preserving millennia of Tibetan culture.
Image Cr: Nepal Eco Adventure
Caption: Upper Mustang Region
This region's large population still speaks Tibetan languages and practices Tibetan religion and heritage. All through the 15th and 17th centuries, it served as a trading route between India and China.
History Of Upper Mustang
Mustang was initially an independent monarchy, yet it is strongly linked to Tibet in terms of language and culture. Mustang controlled the trade between the Himalayas and India from the 15th to the 17th centuries due to its strategic location. Nepal captured the kingdom towards the end of the 18th century, and it has been a vassal of Nepal since 1795.
The monarchy in Upper Mustang ceased to exist on October 7, 2008, by order of the Nepalese government, yet many Mustang locals still accept it. Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista (1930–2016), the last recognized and later unofficial ruler, traced his ancestry to Ame Pal, the warrior who built this Buddhist kingdom in 1380.
Ame Pal oversaw the establishment and construction of much of Lo Manthang, the Lo and Mustang capital, a walled metropolis that has remained unchanged since then.
Land Of Caves
Mustang is the "Land of Caves," with 10,000 artificial caves dug in the Mustang district. These are also known as Nepal's sky caves. Many archaeologists and scholars have been studying these caverns for several years and have uncovered partially mummified human remains and skeletons dating from 2,000 to 3000 years old.
Image Cr: Charismatic Planet
Caption: Caves of Upper Mustang
A shepherd uncovered a group of 55 cave paintings representing the Buddha's life in Mustang in 2007. The paintings in this cave date back to the 12th and 14th centuries. Nobody knows who built these caves or why they were erected. And one of them is Chhoser Cave, also known as Shija Jhong Cave.
Chhoser Cave(Shija Jhong Cave) or Sky Cave of Upper Mustang
Shija Jhong Cave, also known as Chhoser Cave, is one of Nepal's most mysterious and amazing caves, located close to the Chinese border (Tibet). It's a five-story structure perched on the edge of a precipice. There are almost 40 rooms and multiple ladders leading to higher levels. There are also windows, and the trans-Himalayan region of Chhoser valley may be seen from the 5th level.
Image Cr: The Longest Way Home
Caption: Chhoser Cave Of Upper Mustang
Shija Jhong Cave has a beautiful narrative to tell. It is an artificial cave that was chiselled out during the Tibetan War. People from Chhoser and other villages used to hide in the valley when it was threatened to avoid the cruelty. The cave's expansive interior resembles a tunnel.
Why was Chhoser Cave Built?
The purpose of the largest sky caverns is yet unknown. According to finds and history, Upper Mustang people used this cave for a variety of purposes. In the year 1000 BC. The burial chambers were built in the caves.
During the investigation, scientists discovered 27 human remains with cut markings on the bones, ranging in age from the 3rd to the 8th century, reflecting the Bon- Buddhist tradition of sky burial. This burial practise still occurs in the Mustang area, where the deceased bodies are sliced into bits, including bones, so the vultures may rapidly grab them.
Due to constant fighting, the people were forced to hide in caves with their families throughout the 10th century. During the 1400s, the caves were utilized for meditation, storage, and military lookouts, evoking the ancient people's cave culture.
How Can You Reach Chhoser Cave?
Lo Manthang takes 2 hours of trekking or walking to reach the Shija Jhong cave. Shija Jhong Cave is also 30 minutes away by jeep or bike.
Best Time To Visit Chhoser Cave, Upper Mustang
Under the Annapurna ranges' rainshadow, the upper parts are ideal for hiking even during Nepal's peak rainy season. The upper Kali Gandaki valley is dry due to the lack of rainfall. The climate will be extremely harsh in the winter. Thus it is best to avoid going across Upper Mustang in the winter.
Tourism In Upper Mustang
Since 1992, foreign visitors have been permitted to visit the region; however, tourism in Upper Mustang is strictly controlled. Foreign visitors must obtain a special permit, which costs $50 per day per person. The majority of tourists walk along the same trade route used in the 15th century.
Mystical allure of Upper Mustang:
About a thousand western trekkers visit each year, up from over 2,000 in 2008. The months of August and October are the busiest for tourists. Due to the Nepalese government's unwillingness to provide any of the $50 per day fee to the local economy, local youth groups in Mustang vowed to ban tourists beginning October 1, 2010. Visitation, on the other hand, proceeded unabated beyond that date.
Like the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, Mustang is rich in Buddhist culture. It is a different method to explore Tibetan culture and landscape than the Chinese government's trips. The Tiji festival celebrated in Lo-Manthang is another popular tourist site for learning about local culture.
Toni Hagen, a Swiss adventurer and geologist, was the first westerner to reach Mustang in 1952 during one of his journeys through the Himalayas. During the first authorized exploration of Upper and Lower Mustang in 1964, French Michel Peissel is credited as the first westerner to stay in Lo Manthang.
