Upper Mustang Trekking

Best time to visit - June to September. About Teeji Festival

Tibetan lost kingdom of Lo lies at the northern hills of the country. It is also known for its unique cultures and walled city of the kingdom of Lo. Now stands alone as one of the last truly pure Tibetan cultures existing today. With its untouched temples, colorful festivals and red-robed lamas, the kingdom preserves not only the daily vernacular of Buddhist ethics, but a unique heritage of Tibetan religious art. Ame Pal's capital was fortified with walls twenty feet high. It was provided with only one great gate ... More than a hundred tightly packed houses fill most of the available space, separated only by the boundaries of brushwood and prayer flags on each rooftop. A maze of alleys runs through them – in places only wide enough for one person to pass.

The “Land of Lo”-as it is known toits seven thousand inhabitants – developed a reputation for trade, and became in its heyday a center of religious art and learning second only to Lhasa. ... At heart a tough community of farmers and traders, the “Lo-pas” (as they call themselves) have always had to adapt to survive.

‘Dorjee Sonnu’ festival commemorates the victory of Lord Buddha's incarnation over a demon called ‘Man Tam Ru’ a vicious creature that ate human flesh and caused storms and droughts.

The Teeji festival usually takes place in May and June, considered to a festival of religious dances derived form Tibet that lasts for 3 days. The first day marks the harassment of Man Tam Ru in a dance called Tsa Chham, on the second day a dance called Nga Chham takes place commemorating the birth of Dorjee Sonnu as the demon's son. The attempt to return the demon to lord Buddha's realm takes place on the third and final day. The lamas chant prayers while performing almost 50 separate religious dances to chase demons from Lo Manthang. They are followed by masked demons who flail wooden swords at the frightened spectators. On the final day, in a nearby field, courtiers fire ancient muskets as a high lama shoots an arrow at a red demon effigy laid on a ragged tiger skin. He tosses five more demons into the sand to signify the exorcising of the city. Fireworks are also let off to celebrate the occasion.

The “Land of Lo” as it is known to its seven thousand inhabitants-developed a reputation for trade, and became in its heyday a center of religious art and learning second only to Lhasa. At heart a tough community of farmers and traders, the “Lo-pas” (as they call themselves) have always had to adapt to survive.

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