Miscellaneous
Dolpo A day in Tso
The sun spills out into the morning, unveiling the arid landscape that flanks Ringmo, known to locals as just Tso. The village, which has 45 households, is slowly stirring to its morning chores, smoke billowing away from the roofs to join the clouds.The sun spills out into the morning, unveiling the arid landscape that flanks Ringmo, known to locals as just Tso. The village, which has 45 households, is slowly stirring to its morning chores, smoke billowing away from the roofs to join the clouds.
This village, an earshot from the tranquil, turquoise Phoksundo Lake, is situated at 3,612m and is the gateway to Upper Dolpo. Perched on a 50,000 year old landslide on the southern fringes of the lake, Rigmo is also home to the spectacular Suligard Waterfall boasting a height of 167m.
The residents of Tso are Bon practioners, and more than 20 stupas and one monastery—the 400-year-old Thasing Tsoling Monastery—surround the lake from all sides.
In this quiet village, the only sounds that occasionally echo through the day are that of neighbours conversing across their rooftops and the cattle hollering for food. With younger villagers disappearing into high pasture lands that are hours of uphill climb away, the elderly quietly get through the day weaving and looming Dolpo blankets.
Tso comes to life with an odd energy with sun down. The herders, the grazers, the weavers, they all assemble one last time, to talk, to laugh, to complain, before they blow out all their candles.
These are the images of a few days I spent recently at this simple, but utterly enchanting place.
Text and photos: SONAM CHOEKYI LAMA