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Langtang village had a population of approximately 400 people, mostly of the
Tamang ethnic group, who are of Tibetan Buddhist origin. The majority of damage
caused to Langtang Village after the earthquake on 25th April was due to the
collapse of a glacier high above near the summit of Langtang Lirung (7227m). The
debris from the landslide and avalanche, made up of rock and ice, was estimated at
1000m long x 500m wide and 20-30m deep. Survivors of the landslides have been
living in a temporary camp at Yellow Gompa in Kathmandu since April and willremain in the capital over winter.
The Langtangpas hope to rebuild in Kyanjin Gompa which is approximately 5 hours
walk up the valley towards the Tibet Border. The locally available materials are stone
and wood however they have a perception that concrete is safer. One challenge is
that the valley is a National Park so the government have to allocate land for the
rebuild, also there are government restrictions on the use of timber in the park even
though there were a lot of trees felled by the landslides.
2.1. Geography
Langtang Valley is situated within Langtang National Park which was
established as the first Himalayan National Park in Nepal in 1976. The protected
area covers an area of 1,710 km2 in the Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Sindhulpalchok
districts of the central Himalayan region and is linked with the Qomolangma
National Nature Preserve in Tibet.
The park is bounded to the North and North-East by the border with Tibet, to the
west by the Bhote Kosi and Trisuli River systems, to the east by the Sun KoshiRiver system. The southern boundary lies 32km north of Kathmandu. The park
is bisected by the Dorje Lakpa mountain range from east–west to south–east
with the summit of Langtang Lirung (7,245 m) being the highest point in the park.
The complex topography and geology together with the varied climatic patterns
have enabled a wide spectrum of vegetation types. These include small areas of
About 45 villages are situated within the park boundaries, but are not under park
jurisdiction. In total about 3000 households depend on park resources, primarily
for wood and pasture lands.
Culturally the Langtang National Park area is mixed, the home of several ethnic
groups. The majority of people are Tamang, an ancient Nepalese race. The
Tamangs, traditionally farmers and cattle breeders, are especially well known for
their weaving. Their religion is related to the Bon and the pre-Buddhist doctrines
of Tibet.Langtang village is sometimes referred to as ‘Beyul’ (a hidden valley) and was
considered as such for many hundreds of years. The valley has a long history of
famous Buddhist lamas who came to meditate and develop their spiritual
practice. The ancestors of the Langtangpa (the indigenous people of Langtang
valley) have been living there for more than 600 years.
One of the oldest buildings and a very good example of the traditional
architecture in Langtang was 600 years old Nyngma pas Monastery (or gompa)
situated in Gumba village. Another is the gompa which gives Kyanjin Gompa itsname. The Langtangpa have their own distinguish and rich language, culture
and Buddhist tradition and faith. Today this religion has merged with the newer
teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. The Langtangpa follow the Tibetan school of
Buddhism called Ningma. People of Langtang have been living on yak herding,
agriculture and tourism (the main source of income for 90% of families).
2.4. Access
The nearest main town with access from Kathmandu is Dhunche. Though this isonly 100km from the city it takes 10 hours due to the nature of the unsurfaced
road. There is a seasonal road from Dhunche to Syabru Besi which is often
blocked by landslides during the Monsoon season. From Syabru Besi it is a 2
day trek to Langtang Village and a further day to the village of Kyanjin Gompa,