Kinthup
Encyclopedia
Kinthup, a Lepcha
man from Sikkim
, was an explorer in the area of Tibet
in the 1880s. His adventure sounds incredible, but is supported by some geographical
information that could only be attained by making the expedition.
Around 1880, the Tsangpo River was still a mystery. Was this river
, which flows from west to east through Tibet, perhaps the same river that flows into the Bay of Bengal
under the name of Brahmaputra, as Nain Singh
thought? To find out, the colonial government of India
sent a Sikkim
ese pundit
named Kinthup into Tibet, together with a Chinese
lama
. They were to throw logs into the Tsangpo - fifty logs a day for ten days. Along the Brahmaputra, surveyors
were on the lookout for these logs. However the lama proved unreliable. He wasted time on flirting with various women and eating and drinking with his colleagues, then sold Kinthup to a Tibetan lama. After seven months in slavery
, Kinthup managed to escape, and traveled east along the Tsangpo. His master nearly captured him, but he fled into a Buddhist monastery
and the head lama bought him from his previous owner.
Despite this Kinthup was still dedicated to his task and after a few months he asked permission to make a pilgrimage
, using his leave to cut and mark the logs. He did not throw them in the water at that time - it was eighteen months since he had left India, and he realized that no one would be looking for the logs anymore. So Kinthup returned to the monastery and some time later asked for permission to make another pilgrimage, then went to Lhasa
, where he had a fellow Sikkimese take a letter to the survey authorities to announce when he would be throwing the logs into the river. Kinthup returned to the monastery and the next time he went on leave, threw the logs into the river as announced. Only then he returned to India
but there disappointment awaited him. His letter had not reached India and his report of his travels was not believed.
Kinthup left the survey and became a tailor
. Only many years later did geographers realize that his reports and his story were completely correct - and that the Tsangpo and the Brahmaputra were indeed the same river.
Lepcha people
The Lepcha or Róng people , also called Róngkup , Mútuncí Róngkup Rumkup , and Rongpa , are the aboriginal people of Sikkim, who number between 30,000 and 50,000...
man from Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
, was an explorer in the area of Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
in the 1880s. His adventure sounds incredible, but is supported by some geographical
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
information that could only be attained by making the expedition.
Around 1880, the Tsangpo River was still a mystery. Was this river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
, which flows from west to east through Tibet, perhaps the same river that flows into the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
under the name of Brahmaputra, as Nain Singh
Nain Singh
Pandit Nain Singh Rawat was one of the first of the pundits who explored the Himalayas for the British. He hailed from the Johaar Valley of Kumaon...
thought? To find out, the colonial government of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
sent a Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
ese pundit
Pundit (explorer)
The term pundit or pandit was used in the second half of the 19th century to denote native surveyors who explored regions to the north of India for the British....
named Kinthup into Tibet, together with a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
. They were to throw logs into the Tsangpo - fifty logs a day for ten days. Along the Brahmaputra, surveyors
Geophysical survey
Geophysical survey is the systematic collection of geophysical data for spatial studies. Geophysical surveys may use a great variety of sensing instruments, and data may be collected from above or below the Earth's surface or from aerial or marine platforms. Geophysical surveys have many...
were on the lookout for these logs. However the lama proved unreliable. He wasted time on flirting with various women and eating and drinking with his colleagues, then sold Kinthup to a Tibetan lama. After seven months in slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, Kinthup managed to escape, and traveled east along the Tsangpo. His master nearly captured him, but he fled into a Buddhist monastery
Buddhist monasticism
Monasticism is one of the most fundamental institutions of Buddhism. Monks and nuns are responsible for preserving and teaching Buddhist teachings and guiding Buddhist lay followers. Earlier Buddhist monks were enlightened...
and the head lama bought him from his previous owner.
Despite this Kinthup was still dedicated to his task and after a few months he asked permission to make a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
, using his leave to cut and mark the logs. He did not throw them in the water at that time - it was eighteen months since he had left India, and he realized that no one would be looking for the logs anymore. So Kinthup returned to the monastery and some time later asked for permission to make another pilgrimage, then went to Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
, where he had a fellow Sikkimese take a letter to the survey authorities to announce when he would be throwing the logs into the river. Kinthup returned to the monastery and the next time he went on leave, threw the logs into the river as announced. Only then he returned to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
but there disappointment awaited him. His letter had not reached India and his report of his travels was not believed.
Kinthup left the survey and became a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
. Only many years later did geographers realize that his reports and his story were completely correct - and that the Tsangpo and the Brahmaputra were indeed the same river.