Nebuk-Gurkang Pu (Troglodyte settlement of)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An unidentified number of Numerous caves and grottoes used as dwellings noticed HEDIN (1909-1912a, 1909-1912b edited 1991, II: 78-83 when sneaking from the Tibetan side across Kore La (15,292 feet = 4464 m) into North Mustang. SITUATION: Walking downstream the Kungchuk-kong to where the Pama enters from the east and the Damm on the west, and follow the right bank: On the same side a very large valley opens, the Yamchuk-pu, with an irrigation channel running down from its brook to the villages and fields below. In the village Yamchuk he comes across the first houses and trees. On the left side of the valley lies a large monastery with avenues of trees and long rows of mani walls; it is called Gubuk Gompa. Fields grassy patches, and bushes become more numerous. Then comes a succession of villages on the left side of the valley, which is barely 2.5 furlongs [500 m] broad. Below the side valley Gurkang-pu, on the left, pebble beds stand in perpendicular walls with numerous caves ad grottos. These are apparently used as dwellings, for they are connected with the houses and walls in front of them. Lower down we come to the village of Nebuk, among gardens … We frequently pass ruined walls and towers, perhaps relics of the time when Nepal was at feud with Tibet. The usual mani walls lie along the road, and a large red chhorten [Chörten] or stupa has a touch of the Indian style. Below three villages lying close together the valley becomes contracts slightly. Near a lonely house we encamped in a garden, with fine green trees, among waving cornfields. A women told us that this place, called Nama-shu, belonged to Lo Gapu [the king] … Soon two men appeared … [and] said we were in the district Tso and the river was called Tso-kharki-tsangpo … A village we can see just below our camp was called Nyanyo, and from there Mentang [Manthang, -Mustang-], the residence of Lo Gapu, could be reached by crossing only two spurs of mountains. He, they said, was a frontier chief, who paid no ribute to the Maharaja of Nepal, but was obliged to pay a visit to His Highness every fifth year. He had 500 subjects …