Once the centre of a prosperous kingdom, Mustang is rich in ancient portable artefacts. Since 2012 a SOAS based and AHRC-funded research project on Tibetan Buddhist Monastery Collections Today led by Christian Luczanits documents these artefacts in detail to support their preservation on site. The Norbusum Foundation supports this documentation since its inception and acts as local representative of the project.

The portable heritage of Mustang is not only an important cultural asset, but it also offer unique insights into the history of the region and its relations to its neighbours. First research results provide extremely rich detail on the early spread of Buddhist literature, local sculptural traditions, and the importance of charismatic Buddhist teachers for the heritage of Mustang.

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Documentation of Chödzong Gönpa

During the 2021 field research campaign Christian Luczanits has been invited by the Norbusum Foundation to document the collection of remote Chödzong Monastery. Built around a 15th century painted cave housing impressive images of protector deities documented earlier, the monastery has been built on a cliff in an uninhabited valley four hours horse ride from Lo Manthang, the historic capital of Mustang (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: View of Chödzong Monastery, which can be recognised by the improvised tin roof protecting its fragile structure on the cliff.

Chödzong’s small collection of images and books has always been exposed to the danger of being taken and sold illicitly. It is said, that its distinctive sculpture of Milarepa, an 11th century Tibetan hermit, has been taken multiple times, but was returned again when misfortune hit the takers (Fig. 2). To the surprise of everyone, the documented objects included 12th century sculptures and book covers.

Fig. 2: The Milarepa image of Chödzong Monastery; Mustang, ca. 1500, brass, 44 x 32 x 26 cm.

The monastery is taken care of by the Chödzong Gönpa Management Committee based in Lo Manthang in cooperation with the local Ngakpa community, a group of tantric practitioners. This year's visit was joined by many of the community to perform the yearly ritual for the protector deities of the cave (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3: Group photograph at the end of this year's campaign in front of Chödzong Monastery (photo Kunzom Thakuri).