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Lupra Bon-Po Village

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Mutt
Mutt
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4 out of 5
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Lupra Bon-Po Village

  • March 12, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Mutt from Ankara, Turkey
Lupra Bon-Po Village

Far from the beaten track the isolated little village of Lupra has managed to maintain much of its unspoiled charm as well as some of its pre-Buddhist shamanistic beliefs.

The village is approached from the riverbed where the foot of the steps is marked by a small wooden bridge and an attractively painted stupa. The village is a tight cluster of traditional Thakali homes without a teahouse or lodge in sight and rural village life goes-on here exactly as it has gone-on for centuries.

When Padmasambhava converted Tibet to Buddhism in the 8th century, he is said to have subdued the old gods of the region allowing those that became Dharmapala (defenders of faith) to join the Mahayana pantheon and destroying those that did not. Bon-Po emerged as a curious mix of the two religions and although this too is now dying out, it lives on in the village of Lupra.

The gompa itself is situated right in the centre of the village and is well worth a visit. Ask around to see if you can find Sanjay the caretaker to let you inside. If however you can’t find him then don’t worry as the key is hidden in a crack above the door. Be warned that unlike its Buddhist equivalent the altar, with its striking images of the fearsome Bon gods, should be passed in an anti-clockwise direction.

This village is not easy to get to, the path is unstable and poorly marked, but its isolation is part of the village's charm and I strongly recommend that you make the effort.

From journal Bara Gaon: In The Midst Of Mustang

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