Who Are the Loba?
The Loba (also Lo-pa, "people of Lo") are a Tibetan-speaking people of Upper Mustang in northern Nepal, numbering approximately 5,000-7,000. They inhabit the high-altitude region along the upper Kali Gandaki river, a rain-shadow area north of the Himalayan crest that resembles the Tibetan plateau more than Nepal's southern regions. They speak a dialect of Central Tibetan and practice Tibetan Buddhism. Until 2008, Upper Mustang was ruled by its own king; though the monarchy was abolished with Nepal's transition to a republic, the former royal family retains cultural authority. The region was closed to outsiders until 1992.
The Forbidden Kingdom
Upper Mustang, historically called the Kingdom of Lo, maintained a remarkable degree of autonomy for centuries. Founded in 1380, the kingdom paid tribute to Tibet and later to Nepal while governing its own affairs. Its isolation—protected by mountains and Nepal's policy of restricting access—preserved Tibetan Buddhist culture better than Tibet itself following Chinese occupation. Ancient monasteries, cave temples with medieval murals, and traditional architecture survived unchanged. Nepal opened the region to (expensive, restricted) tourism in 1992, bringing income but also pressure on traditional culture. The cave complexes of Mustang are among the world's most significant repositories of early Tibetan art.
High-Desert Adaptation
The Loba homeland is a high-altitude desert, receiving little rain because the Himalayan crest blocks monsoon moisture. Irrigation from snowmelt enables cultivation of barley, buckwheat, and potatoes. Traditional trade—salt and wool from Tibet exchanged for grain from lowland Nepal—once dominated the economy; Chinese control of Tibet disrupted this pattern. Animal husbandry includes horses, yaks, sheep, and goats. Houses are built of mud brick with flat roofs for drying grain. This adaptation to extreme conditions—harsh winters, thin air, limited water—created a distinctive culture intimately connected to the high-desert environment.
Contemporary Loba
Modern Loba face the challenges of preserving traditional culture while pursuing development. Tourism brings income but also cultural disruption; trekking permits remain expensive. Young Loba increasingly migrate to Kathmandu and abroad for education and employment. The end of the monarchy (2008) changed political status though social structures persist. Conservation efforts protect heritage sites; the American Himalayan Foundation and others have funded monastery restoration. Climate change affects water availability and agriculture. How the Loba maintain their "forbidden kingdom" heritage while connecting to modern Nepal and the wider world shapes their unique Himalayan future.
References
- Peissel, M. (1967). Mustang: The Forbidden Kingdom
- Ramble, C. (2008). The Navel of the Demoness: Tibetan Buddhism and Civil Religion in Highland Nepal
- Lo Bue, E. & Ricca, F. (1990). The Great Stupa of Gyantse