The meaning of Larkya La, or Lhargyal La

• by admin@manaslu
• 19 September 2011
• 3 comments
• Manaslu blog Manaslu villages
• Heaven hillLarkya LaLhargyal LaLyarkya LaManaslu trekSangey Rhi LaSangri-la

Those ready to attempt the Manaslu Circuit Trek will probably have the high point in mind, namely the panting struggle in thin air to reach the Larkya La at over 5,000m (where of course the struggle will be forgotten as the incredible view unfolded).

View out towards the Annapurnas from the top of the Larkya la © Alex Treadway

But few probably stop to think where the name of the pass came from.

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One man is here to tell us though. He is Phurpa Tamang from Rasuwa, where the Lantang trek is. He added his comment here on the Nepali Times website on an article about crossing the Larkya La. It’s interesting!

http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/2010/11/30/Tourism/17686

Wrongs should not be repeated

There is no other ways to up lift the life style of hilly region’s people without promoting tourism. Many peaks in the high Himalayas from east to west in the northern part of the country to be recognized and should open for the new trekking routes. But concerned authorities are not doing so. They seem to be sleeping on the eve of Tourism year 2011. Obviously the many thanks goes to the writer who has briefly written about Lyarkya La.

La means snow peak or snow hill in Himalaya’s various languages. The correct word is Lhargyal La. It means victory hill.  Similarly the Sangri-la is also written in an incorrect way. It’s correct is Sangey Rhi La. The meaning of Sangey Rhi La is Heaven hill. Sangey means Buddha or peaceful. Rhi means jungle or place. In other word Sang means Dhoopi and Rhi means forest or having Dhoopi jungle where natural perfume can be found. Therefore, people who are involving in tourism sector should write in correct way of the proper name of those places in respect of the local languages. Without writing local languages correctly, it does not give sound meaning. Once we have done wrong but such wrongs should not be repeated.

If we wrongly uses while writing in once local languages that declines its originality. Language itself is also a identity of certain community people. Hence, tourists do not come to High Himalaya just to see the snow but they also come for different cultures to see. Language without culture is like snow without peaks. While tourists come for trekking, there will be business opportunities.

Phurpa Tamang
Thulobharkhu, Rasuwa

Accommodation / tea-houses / trekking lodges

Until late 2010 on the Manaslu Trek, you had to camp below the Larkya La pass. The great experience it should have been was lessened by the way previous trekking groups left their trace. Howard Dengate notes:

“The camping area is filthy with toilet trenches, rubbish and blowing toilet paper so be careful where you get your water and boil it well. There is only meagre scrub for fires: carry a stove. The views are marvellous. A large herd of blue sheep call the tussock-covered hills home.”

Now two people built a stone lodge here. They rebuilt it completely in 2011 and now it is big enough to sleep 64 people. They even hired a cook and cook on gas rather than wood. The lodge lies under the jurisdiction of Samdo. The villagers there are very happy with the arrangement which sees them share a third of the profits for community development.

2011 Larkya Phedi Accommodation

This is the same location in 2007 taken by Dirk Jenrich.

Camping at Dharamsala on the Manaslu Trek, Nepal in 2007 © Dirk Jensen. Click from more of Dirk’s excellent photos…